Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1903-10-09
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
THE WIDOWS
=: BABY.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

stories of his conquests i'll that line,
and was recognized as a lady's man.
On returning from the field of glory,
in 1898, he had influence enough to
secure a position in the New York
Custom House as an inspector. 1t was
while thus employed that he met the
charming young widow who proved
his undoing.
His military title chung to him in the
Custom House service, and every one
who knew him addressed him as ''cap-
tain"
One day, while OIL duty on a steam
ship wharf in Jersey City, watching
the passengers as they came ashore
from a Southampton steamer, he espied
a lady who walked with the gentle.
modest step of a young widow
She was followed by a nurse, wear
ing the cap and apron of a French
bonne; and in the arms of the nurse
was a baby, in long and flowing white
robes.
The captain was on the alert.
The lady came up to him. and. throw
ing back her long crepe veil, addressed
him in deep, musical accents:
9You are a custom officer, sir?"
~ am" responded the captain rather
gruf1y. .en,
Now, the widow was sufficiently
beautiful to dispel the suspicious of
even Captain Gideon Muggins, and
Just the style of beauty he would be
sure to admire.
The widow was beautiful. with a
clear, brown eye-or, rather, two of
them-velvet lidded, heavy fringed. full
and languid. prone to be cast down
modestly and appraised suddenly, to the
no small confusion of the luckless male
b%ystander.
& She wore the full attire Of woe. A
small crepe bonnet, with a slight frost
work OF white under brim, rested on
her glossy black hair. Such hair. wav-
ing and shining, and %blue-black.
= Her brow, so smooth and broad. was
undisfigured by lunatic fringe or bang.
Her eyebrows were black and delicate.
but straight. not arched. Her nose
might be a trifie large, but it was beau
tifully formed; and her mouth was
charming, the lips SO full, so tempting
in their proud arch, the coloring so
fresh and rich.
y Then her complexion was of a soft.
ruddy, indescribable brunette tint. inn
possible to picture in words. but
wholly attractive; her chin was so
finely nodded and her throat full and
round.
Altogether, the gay captain thought
1.-THE finest woman I've soon for yearss'
For the widows form fully euualed
her face, and she was handsomely
dressed.
Il am, madam. he repeated. where
is your baggage"
over y0nder. / am alone-that is.
with the exception of my nurse and
baby. l have to travel so much now.
and always alone"
Tears seemed very close TO the
widows lovely eyes. and a mournfully
appealing tone touched the heart of
Captain Muggins.
"All right, ma'am. Have YOU much
baggage?'
Not much. Please examine nv
trunks, for l long TO rest, ant nay baby
mas been quite seasick, poor darling
The trunks were examined carefully.
for, however fine a woman the widow
might be. DUTY before sentiment
was the captains motto.
Nothing dutiable was found. and the
trunks were passed.
The widow took her baby from the
nurses arms and hushed it to sleep.
as it had evinced signs of d~isauietude
by beginning to whimper.
"A fine child, ma'am," said the can
tain, who hated babies like poison.
rs he not beautiful, my Henry? The
image of his dear-oh!' a sob COM
pleted the sentence.
He was beautiful, at least as much
as could be seen of him, for he was
one mass of lace and embroidery. his
rosy face half concealed by a flmy
veil.
He is a fine fellow: how old might
he be-" The captains eyes shone
with interest; he admired the widow
more and more every moment.
Seven months to-morrow-p00r little
darling! To think how much he has
travelled
HE has, ma'am?"
"Yes; by his dear fathers strange
will | have to visit Paris every six
weeks, and return to New York to col
lect the monthly rents on his large
estate
Rather tro.sesome efor vor
ma'amt'
"Oh, / don't mss. sor myself said
the bewitching widow. with a swift
upward fash of her adorable eyes;
''but my poor little boy-fancy, l might
risk his health, might even lose him."
Here she seemed about to give way to
her feelings, but just then, as the cap
tain murmured "Oh. / hope not SYM
pathetically, the bonnie came up to say
that the carriage waited. and. with a
hurried THANK you so much-good-
by" the beautiful widow disappeared.
All. That's something like a
woman" calculated the captain, as
he resumed his official duties. He felt
that Providence had been guilty OF
gross injustice in not providing him
with just such a wife. instead OF poor,
faded, weakened, heart-broken Mrs.
Muggins.
In six weeks the widow appeared
again at the Jersey City Wharf. re.
turning once more from Europe. Again
Der baggage was examined BY tie cap