The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-08-02
: d. 4
>&o~'

y Widow Havens to her son,
WON as they sat down to the
breakfast table one fine summer morn
ing.
Yes, mother" was the reply, "and
guess l can master that old gander
this time. Pm getting so big. You
know he knocked me down with his
wings the last time we picked 'em."
"Yes, I remember; and Squire Hoff-
man came right in the middle of it,
about that calf, and I, in my old rag
ged gown, mortified to death, was him
dered whole hour, showing him the
poultry and the garden. And now,
Hannah" turning to her daughter,
pretty girl Of sixteen, ''if anybody
comes to-day, before we get through,
tell them can't see them; for I
wouldn't be bothered with company
when am in such plight. This old
gown is all in slts, but l can't afford
10 spoil better one. You may wash
up the dishes, Hannah" she continued,
when breakfast was over, "and set the
rooms to rights; and by and by put
on the pot, and get the dinner a-going;
and by that time hope we shall be
through. Come, Isaac We will 60"
Nov, everybody has seen feathers,
but there are some who do not know
where they come from, and softly re-
pose upon their downy beds without
one thought about the cruel way in
which the best ones are obtained. They
want live geese feathers when they
buy, without knowing what 1t means.
We wish such one could have seen
Mrs Havens and Ike marching to the
barn, with big basket, cloth to tie
over it, an old chair, and one of Ike's
outgrown stockings to put over a
goose's head, to keep her from biting
while she is picked.
To see Ike run the whole flock up into
q corner of the stable, catch one by
the neck and wings, and then with his
black eyes sparkling with delight, and
bis freckled face and suspiciously red
head, all aglow, with the triumph of
capture, as he marched across the floor
TO lay 1t gently, but squawking terribly,
In his mothers lap, was rather anus
Ing.
Boys are cruel! there's no denying it;
when they so love to catch geese and
pigs, and fish and game, just for the
fun of it, sometimes letting them go,
and putting the fish back in the water,
because they do not want them, after
the triumph Of capture is over. Ike,
who was a smart, mischievous boy of
twelve, loved to do all these things,
though he was not particularly ugly,
and had really very soft place in his
big, generous heart.
= But while Hannah in the neat white
cottage is cooking the dinner, and Mrs.
Havens in the stable is tearing the
feathers in big handfuls from the poor
geese-side, back and front, and Isaac
Is climbing haymows hunting eggs, and
cutting up all sorts of pranks between
whiles, another actor is on his way to
the busy scene.
This was Squire Hoffman, a rich
farmer, who lived two or three miles
away, whose road to town took him
very often past the Widow Haven's
cottage. Being an observing man, he
had noticed the neatness, and look of
care and thrift that always surround
ed it; and more than this, that the
widow had handsome black eyes and
trim figure, as she sat up stiffly in her
pew Of Sunday, giving Ike an occa-
Bional nudge, or pinch, to keep him in
order, yet all the time looking at the
minister, and no doubt hearing all he
said.
As the squire had been a widower
several years, this must be excused,
especially when we consider that his
only daughter, Grace Hoffman, was
about to be married, and go to home
Of her own. AS he was good-looking,
large-framed, big-hearted, benevolent
looking man, with three large farms
and money in the bank. we must con-
clude that he was considered a pretty
good catch among the widows and
maidens, if he once made up his mind
to marry again.
And 1t was of this very thing he was
thinking as, seated on Selim, his hand
some black horse, he rode toward town
upon this particular July morning.
Il really don't know what l had
better do" he soliloquized. "There is
Grace going to leave me, and can't
say word against it, she has got such
q noble fellow in the one she loves,
and the very one l would have chosen
Tor her. But there's nobody left but
Aunt Dinah in the kitchen, good old
soul, but just no company at all fol-
me. And here l am, not fifty years
old, and may live twenty or thirty
years yet, healthy as am, and must ]
live all that time alone. with nobody
to care for, and nobody to care for me,
It's all nonsense l declare won't dc
1t, If can find anyone to marry me.
But who shall it be? There's the
Widow Spriggins, good-looking, NJ
children to bother one, smart, tidy ant
with nice farm of her own; but sucl
temper, sharp as steel, and keen as
razor, guess little too keen for me
"A man wants little peace in the de
cline of his life. if ever; and he'd hav,
none with the Widow Spriggins. Thel
there is Miss Molly Hopkins-a nice