Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-26

Todd, and I'd be the last person to blame her if she tsok second pard- ner. No one can say that she ain't mourned Silas Todd faithful"
 That's fact, Sister Phelps. And that, too, when ev'rybody knows that be want all that he might of been in the way of a husband. but we'll let that rest. seein' that it ain't becomin' to speak ill of the dead. If the min fster from Zion and his wife come to the association I think we'd better send them to Sister Todd's. It'll be a real nice place for any delegate, for Sister Todd is such a. good cook and the best housekeeper in town"
 It was about ten o'clock in the morning on Tuesday of the next week when Sister Todd heard her doorbeu ring, and her mental comment was:
 There! I reckon that's my dele gatet I do hope it ain't some fussy old maid, or, worse stil pair of 'em like those I had to entertain the last. time the association. met here. They was a trial, even if they was sisters in our own church."
 But a second trial of this sort was not in store for Sister Todd, for when she opened the door she saw on the little porch in front of her house a kindly-looking, bright eyed and smil- ing little man of about 60 years. He had satchel in his hands, and Sister Todd was not surprised when he said, in singularly soft and gentle voice:
 q suppose tat this is Sister Todd2 am MT. Matthew Rolfe, one of the deacons in the church over in Hebron. have been sent as a delegate to the association and the committee have sent me here for entertainment"
 Sister Todd said afterward that she had it Ion the tip of her tongue" to say that she did not expect to enter tain a man, but she checked this in- hospitable remark and said, in some confusion:
 '"Well, come in and set down. T. IT have friends in the Hebron church--the Tylers. Mebbe you know them?"
 "Oh, yes, indeed. They are among our most useful and active members. 1 have known them for years" That 'broke the ice," and Sister Todd soon found herself chatting freely and easily with her delegate. When he had gone to his room her mental comment was:
 "Well, he's real pleasant person, and if he knows the Tylers so well he must be a real nice man. I'd no idee the committee would send me q man delegate, but l can't turn him cut now that he's here, and I'm too we'll known in this town for anyone to pass any remarks about me enter- .tainin' gentleman delegate single or married. I wonder which he is?" She found out at the dinner table, for when she referred to her trouble and explained the nature of the "troub1e'' the delegate said with real lxindIiness and sympathy:
 II know just how to feel for you, Sister Todd. I lost my own dear companion three years ago. I broke up housekeeping and went to live with a sister of mine, but she died in the spring and I have boarded since then, but boarding is mighty unsat- isfactory to a man who has always l had home of his own. I am a real 1 home body and I'll never be satisfied 1 until l have home my own once l 1nore.'' II shouldn't think you would be. | should fly if I had to go to boarding. There's nothing like a home of one 3 own"
 ''I feel just that way. I'm sorry sold of my things. l planned to have a niece of mine come and keep house l for me, but she died suddenly three months ago. l feel like a. fish out oi water without home. And l ain't been able to find a good boarding 1 place in Hebron. Hardly any one ] takes boarders there. Fact is I've been thinking of leaving Hebron and coming over this way to live. I have heard of a chance to buy half inter est in a shoe store over here, and l know all about the shoe business. If things are favorable think I'll buy and settle here"
 'You'd find this real pleasant place to live, and you'd like our min ister and all our church people hcre.''
 "1 know l would. I don't know when I have been so taken with a place as I am with this place What pleasant little home you have here.'
 ''Yes, it is real pleasant, but I have spent many a lonely hour in it since my trouble" r'-' ''l am | a dOuDt O1 It. knOw just 1 how you have felt. But l have come
 to the conclusion that the Lord don'1
 want us to dwell too long on any kind of trouble"
 ''No, suppose He don't"
 It was two weeks later when Sister
 Phelps hurried over to the home ot
 Sister Brush in a state of manifest
 excitement and said almost as soon
 as the door was opened:
 What do you think, Sister Brush
 I have been over to Sister Todd's tC carry back a waist pattern she loaned
 me, and you'd never guess what she
 told me! She's engaged!"
 "You don't mean it!" i "It's SO! And to that delegate we
 sent her! Did you ever! I guess she is going to do real well! Didn't tell you that the win1nen that talked most
 about such trouble as Sister Todd has had was the first to up and marry the soonest? Not that I blame Sis
 ter Todd none! I'm just glad she is
 to marry such nice man! I reckon