The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-07-11
THE IRON BENCH


Young widow was Arranging flowers on
her husbands grave. Her fair skin
ana hair contrlsted pleaslngiy with
her black garments The October sun
sione through riffs In the trees. a
single broad s1eaf OF rays striking fun
upon her and the flower covered grave.
Down a street Of this silent city of
the dead toward which her back was
turned came man. On his hat was a
broad black band: his apparel his
scarf, hts gloves indeed all his adorn-
rlents were black. Just as he came IN
sight Of the widow she kneIt In the
sunlight, cIasped her hands and bowed
her head in prayer. The man stood
still, resting ON his cane, and gazed
upon the beautiful picture. he had
just come from the grave OF hts wife,
where he Ind been through a similar
experience to that he saw before him.
He had ISlacel,a wreath ON the mound,
kneit for moment IA prayer. then sor
rovyfuIIy turned away to nurse his
grief for another week.
The widow rose and, turning, placed
her small gloved hand on the IRON
gate and was stepping out Of the In
closure when she saw the man stand
ms. gazing ut her with look In which
were mingled sadness. respect and adj
Iniration. She lowered her eyes and
passed down the avenue of graves,
while the man. coming as Il were ont
Of dream. for fear Of appearing to
;ntrude. turned and walked In the op-
posIte direction.
There are inteIligences which pass
between people the nature of which
cannot be defined. Something, she
knew not what, possibly the sadness In
the mans eyes, told her that they sur
Tered from a similar cause, and he han
OWNED the same. There is no suen
sympathy as that between sufferers
whose griefs are kindred. The widow
went home, the handsome face, the
melanchoIy eyes indelfbly stamped up
on her ne.norY, while to the mans
mental vision the sunlight still shone
on tile knecling figure beside the How
er covered grave.
Wassit coincidence or was 1t an un
conscious iEtentIon that caused each o.
these nlourners to visit the cemetery
that day week Mt the same hour?
While the widow would have scornec
:, Suggestion. of intention she wished to
eeel once more that those sympathetic
ayes were upon her and the heart that
had beat for her In her bereavement
was beating for her still. This day the
sun did not shine. 1t had poured forth
Elusive rars In the morning. but In
The afternoon the clouds had thickened.
When the widow left her husbands
grave there was sudden soughing of
wind and few great drops spattered
on the stone step leading into the lot
A man was coming down the avenue
putting up an umDreIa. The widow
looked at tie sky, then, gathering her
skirts, trlpped away. There We're hur-
rying footsteps behind her, and a
Sieep, rich voice said respectfully:
Pardon me, but you will be drench
ed. Permit me to see you to the gate,
way and call carriage for you"
She turned, saw the widower, thank
cd him, and he held the umbrella over
her. They walked side by side, few
words on commonplace topics passing
between item, till they reached an
exit, where the man called a carriage
and put her in. Then he looked Mt her
inqufringly. and she gave him her.
street and number, which he repeated
to the coacllman.
Had this occurred among the more
natural people of some country VII
lage the man would not have permit
ted her to go thus alone, but in arti-
fetal city life 1t would not be expected
of him to attend her without an in
PRODUCTION. Nevertheless the widower
knew her a Idress. and that was all he
needed. Within a fortnight a friend
who was also friend of the widow
asked her permission to introduce him.
Consent was given, and formal intro
duction took place. The ice was bro
ken. They could now pour their grlefs
into each others ears.
A week after their introduction they
visited the cemetery together. The
widower left her at her husbands
grave and went on to leave flowers
with his own departed mate. lie told
the widow dat he would return in an
hour, When he returned-In twenty
ninutes-she met him with smile.
asked his opinion as to the planting
of a vine in her lot and said that she
would put in an iron bench on which
they might sit and comfort each other.
He offered to attend to the matter for
her. and she accepted the offer. After
that they visited his wIfc's grave, and
she left some flowers there beside
those that had been deposited by the
bereaved husband. Then they walked
to the main gateway. This time they
returned in the same carriage.
The widower lost no time in purchas-
ing an iron bench with comfortable
back to It and had 1t shipped to the
cemetery. Then he called on the Wild
ow. and they appointed an afternoon
to visit the cemetery together.
Meanwhile October had drifted into
November. md the leaves, excepting
49, ,,,JIlc,yyS oOf1 nnVtrIO hnPflv vines.