Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-04-07

principal inn In the place, and asked
TO speak to the landlord. She tolt
him that she was a widow, and haC
been residing In large city, but tha
her health demanded country air She
told him she had had great misfor
tunes; had lost her husband, her child
and her home; that she had just fifty
pounds left, and thought Of finding
little cottage at Shepton.
She spoke In u calm, refined voice;
her words were graceful and well
chosen; but somehow, as the honest
landlord listened to the voice, he said
to himself, "Thls woman's heart If
broken" There was quiet resigned
despair in II, more eloquent Of sorrow
than any words could be
Did Mr.. Huntington think there
was little house in the place that
would suit herr"
Then mine host, unequal to the oc.
occasion, called for his wife. She
knew Just such cottage as would suit
The lady II was on Farmer Grayson's
land, just at tho entrance to Gorten
Lane and was called WoOdbine Cot
tage, from the simple fact that 1t was
covered with woodblnc.
And the lady asked II she could
look at 1t, because, II It suited her,
she would at once take II and order
some furniture As her husband had
been before her, Mrs. Huntingdon was
struck by the quiet despair In her
voice.
"She had known heavy trouble, poor
dear, am sure" said the Mndhoarted
woman TO herself $50 heavy that 1t
has driven her to bury her days here,
where no soul knows her"
The point was satisfactorily settled
The lahy thought the cottage might
suit her If II was quiet, retired. and
cheap, Then came another even more
important matter,
II have had heavy troubles said
the sad voice Il have lost all had
In the world, and from the wreck OF
my fortune | have saved Just hfty
pounds, that will buy me little fur.
nIturc and keep me until ! get some
thing to do"
Thoy listened with kindly, sympa.
,hzing faces.
DO you think she asked that
h,re IL any way In which can make
money here? am willing to do any
thing" From beneath the Grape veil
they saw her face flush, as she said
the words II can teach or sew;
would gladly work In any way by
which could maintain myself"
The landlord and his wife looked
al each other, that was far more
serioas matter--they werC nj loss to
GROW what to say. Th,re was no
good school Ia the v,'inse; perhaps, II
the lady liked to try, she might sue
coed: they, a. any rate would do their
best for her, and they had consider
able influence In the village.
Tho sad. soft voice thanked them
again, and Mrs. Huntingdon, more
touched than she cared to own, asked
the lady to take a cup of tea with
them, promising to 80 down to Wood.
bine Cottage with her, She assented
YEARLY. and sat down to the we'll
spread tea.table
When she raised her veil they saw n
pale. fair face unutterably sad and
woe.begone, looking AS though all
hope and brightness. all youth and love
had been washed from II by bitter
constant tears,
HAS your husband been long doad?'
the landlady asked, and her quick eyes
noted the culver ot pain on the pale
tace.
Not quite year, she replied, and
they thought II only natural that she
should be SO quiet and sad,
The cottage suited her, and Farmer
Grayson was pleased to let II to what
he called lady tenant" In few
weeks time the lady was settled In her
new home, and had begun to teach n
little school
II was quiet places SO quiet as TO
seem out of the world The cottage
was built AT the end Of the lame, and
overlooked the green fields Tall larch
and elm trees made II pleasant shade
near Il, and the wind among the
branches made pleasant music round
II. The quiet, the solitude, the retired
lonely situation pleased the desolate
lady Happy wives and mothers,
whose homes were full Of love and sun.
shine pitied her and asked her II sho
were not afraid to sleep there alone at
night and she would answer, with the
saddest smile that ever played ON .hu,
man lips. that "she had nothing to
fear"
The bitterness of death was past for
the lady who lived at Woodhine Cot.
tage, Gorten Lane, She never varied
her simple habits, no one ever saw
her out for pleasure or amusement Al
first kind.hearted people used To ask
her out to their simple little entertain
ments but she refused SO constantly
they gave 1t mp at last
Every one liked and respected Mrs
Rivers. as the lady called herself She