Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-11-04
AN AMERICAN
WIDOW
She Interested the Judge Up
to a Certain Point.
BY LouRENE RICHARDS.

tells. that Judge Fordham, o. s. A., was
told by the landlords:
You will be glad to learn that
have compatriot OF yours here. She
has been here week. She Is widow
believe she is from Chicago, Canada"
Sure It isn't Philadelphia. Mon.
lamar asked the Judge.
II will at once And out all particu-
lars, your excellency."
''Never mind just now. I'd like a
few hours rest before meeting the
widow. American or otherwise. If you
will be 80 kind you needn't mention
to her that I am here. | came away
from my home In Boston. California,
to escape a widow, and, you see. /
don't want to bump up against another
too soon. We Americans always want
to walk around awhile before getting
acquainted"
ut Ia so. your excellency, and you
wishes shall be respected" said the
obsequious host
How does the widow happen to be
here alone?" inquired the Judge with
out much show of interest.
Her brother is at Lyons, France.
He is buyer OF silks for Americans
He will soon be here"
els she good looking ana rich p
asked the judge.
Had | known. your excellency, that
Chicago. Canada. had such handsome
women ! should have gone there for
my second wife AS for riches, she
has my best rooms and orders what
she wants My bill against her will be
very much"
think she's on the marry2'
when ] saw you. sir. and knew
that you were an American l said to
myself:
"'He comes from the same country.
He looks like widower. He appears
to be rich. Why should not the wild
over marry the widow and thus make
each other happyT"
Thanks for your interest in the
case. old man. but go slow An Amer
lean widower and an American widow
viii always find each other In good
time If you leave them alone. Just
leave 1t to u.s."
They met at the table. but were not
introduced. A sharp eyed person
would have noticed that they were
sizing each other up. Two days later.
as the widow sat on the veranda with
a book In her hand. the landlord and
the judge approached. and the former
INDUCED In dozen bows and scrapes
as he said:
~ have the utmost felicitation In
presenting Judge Fordham to Mrs.
Chatham"
The Judge found the widow to be a
woman not much over thirty. She was
bright and keen and self possessed
She found the Judge to be a man of
about forty eight. hale aud hearty and
inclined 10 he frank spoken. OF course
they became interested at once, and
after few minutes the landlord re-
entered the Office to say to his wife:
To-day. Marie, I have done a noble
thing. The widower will marry the
widow. and when they return to
America they will probably live in
New York. Arizona. and be happy all
their days. Did ! not tell you when
we were married that as landlord
should he magnificent success7"
Neither the Widow Chatham nor
Judge Fordham had a story to tell. 1t
came out casually In conversation that
she was the widow OF Chicago
wholesale grocer and had taken the
trip abroad at the instance of her
brother Tom. who was a silk buyer
for a New York house and who would
soon be with them. 1t came out the
same way thar the judge had retired
from the bench In New York and was
now taking II easy abroad while his
bonds went right on piling up interest.
They found themselves agreeing on
almost all subjects. especially on the
greatness OF Chicago and the purity of
American politics. and now and then
the landlord looked out to smile and
turn to his wife with:
Marie. compliment me on my mag
nificence The widower and the widow
are becoming more and more interest
ed In each other"
The judge rather took charge of Mrs
Chatham after the FIRST day They
rode out together. they boated together.
they climbed the bills together The
subject OF love wasn't even limited at.
oNA "CiN WHIT Pt-tSOuS tuuu Tue
landlord who smiled In knowing
way. q,
There was Just bit Of mystery
about the brother he was to ar
rive at such and such time. but
he didn't arrive. II was all the fault
of the silk men. be wrote They were
taking things easy and refused to he
hustled He would be along In good
time. however, and In one of his letters
he wrote that 1t would be pleasure
for him to meet the judge The Judge.
smiled grimly when this extract was
rend to him He seemed to doubt It,
After their acquaintance had lasted
two weeks and one day just after
telegram had been received by the
widow the judge stroiled into the rail
road depot and found her about to
take train-~that IL. he thought she
was She had no baggage and ap
peared to avoid observation
When she saw that she was discov