The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-02-03
A Pretty Widows Story.
by W. J. HAMPTON.

The widow was not wearing weeds,
neither was sho plunged in gull of
dark despair, nor did she show any
signs of those other dreadfully woe
bsgone conditions which aro some-
mes attributed to the state Of widow
hood. not only in America and its en-
virons. but pretty generally over the
entire earth's surface.
On the contrary sho was as bright
and vivacious as summer girl. and
sue was talking to the major in seven
teen languages oil at once, At least,
il so seemed to him, for no hadn't the
slightest opportunity of introducing n
word into the conversation sidewisc,
even much less introducing it, ac-
cording to tho ordinary rules of COLO
quy.
''Do you know, major" she was
saying as fast as she could, and with
little gasps for breath between. as
| women do when their conversational
locomotive begins to''run wild" ''that
had perfectly dreadful experience
once in my life?"
The major wanted to say that he
could not understand how such a
charming woman could have any kind
of an experience that was not rs lovely
as she was, but he wasn't quick
enough.
"Well, did," she ratified away,
"and, you know, it was during dear
Georges lifetime, aud it was perfectly
awful. My, my" this with half a
sigh. "you wouldn't think l had been
widow ten years, would you?"
Tue major was on the point OF sny-
ing that she seemed to him more like
a radiant sunbeam, or something like
that, for the major has Aattering
tongue; but before he could carry his
wish into execution tho widow was five
lengths ahead.
"very few people do" she twit'
tered. "Do you think l look very
old?" and she canted her head to ono
side, and looked at the major as bird
looks at bug it wants for dinner.
The. major was about to say that he
thought she was summer girl before
some ono told him she was widow,
but, rs before, he was left at tho post.
"But, as was saying" she con.
tinued, ~ had this perfectly awful
experience. You know that dear
George during the last two years of
his life, was suffering with some pc.
culiar brain trouble that quite changed
him. His hallucination was that he
was some other person, and that while
I was his wife, was not the same
wife he had known in his sanity. This
seemed to be tho only popularity of
his madness, for on oil other points
he was quite sane enough to deceive
even experts. OF course. had to
watch him all the time, for tho ply
sician said his disorder might develop
at any moment, and he might do
something desperate, though it was
not probable that it would take such
a turn.
"Ono morning he slipped away
from his attendant and escaped to a
train that was just leaving the station.
Tho man had grown careless, because
George was so rational all the time,
but when he lost him he realized
that he had been neglectful, and at
once camo after me to know what to
do. was not at home, and did not
como in for two hours, and tho man
was SO silly, or something, that he
didn't go to the physician, but just
waited for me. Whom he told me of
Georges escape I sent for the physi.
clan aud private detective, and as
soon as possible the detective followed
my husband. Tho physician en-.
couraged me greatly by saying that
George was perfectly able to take care
Of himself, that he had no suicidal
tendency, and that he would very
probably find him at some OF tho near
by resorts, as it was summer. aud tue
hotels were all open, if he did not ro-
turn of his own free will in a few
days.
"He had quite snug sum of money
with him. and l felt easy on that score.
for ho could meet oil his expenses, and
knew very we'll how to handle money.
Still, was drcadiully nervous, and