A CALIFORNIA WIDOW.
John Miles eyed the woman curiously. There did not seem much that was
feminine left in her. Life in the wilderness had made her as bold and
self-reliant as a man. She was not compelled to plead for woman's
rights. She resolutely took a man's rights, and was prepared to
maintain them against all comers.
"I rather think you can take care of yourself, ma'am," he said.
"You can bet your bottom dollar on that, stranger," said the woman,
cheerfully. "Brown--that's my husband--knew what I was. We was ekal
partners--Brown and me--and he knew too much to tread on me."
"I'm glad I wasn't Brown," thought John Miles. "When I marry, it'll be a
woman, and not a man in petticoats."
"If you're hungry, stranger," said the woman, "just jump off that horse
of yours, and come in. I can give you a square meal, and I reckon you
haven't had one lately."
"You are right, Mrs. Brown," said Miles, dismounting with alacrity. "My
provisions are dry and stale, and I shall enjoy a square meal amazingly.
But I ought to tell you that last night I was robbed of a bag of
gold-dust, and I have nothing to pay you."
"Who asks for pay?" returned the woman. "I don't keep a hotel, but I'm
tired of eating alone. I want to see how it seems to have a man setting
opposite me agin. So come in, and I won't keep you waiting long."
"Thank you, Mrs. Brown. If you don't mind, I'll light my pipe, and sit
out here till I've had a smoke."
"You can smoke inside if you want to. I always let Brown. It makes me
feel better, now that he's pegged out, that I didn't deny him any of his
little comforts."
"Clearly Mrs. Brown was a considerate wife," thought Miles; "but she
doesn't look like a woman to fall in love with."
Tying his horse, he threw himself down on the grass, and enjoyed the
luxury of a smoke while Mrs. Brown was heard bustling about inside,
preparing the square meal which she had promised to her unexpected
guest.
Presently she reappeared.
"The victuals is ready, if you are, stranger," she said.
"I am ready, Mrs. Brown," said Miles, rising at once, and entering the
cabin.
The cabin was rough, and ill-adapted to a fastidious tenant, but it
looked comfortable. What attracted Miles most, however, was a table set
in the middle of the floor, covered with a substantial and appetizing
meal. Mrs. Brown was a fair cook--perhaps her only feminine
accomplishment. She placed Miles at the head of the table, and seated
herself opposite him. She watched his attacks upon the fare she had
provided with evident satisfaction.
"I hope you like it," she said.
"Mrs. Brown, I haven't tasted anything so good for a long time."
She nodded, with a pleased look.
"Brown allus liked my cookin," she said. "He had a good appetite most
generally, and it was a pleasure to see him eat. It's kinder lonesome
cookin' for yourself. Then, too, it takes away my appetite sittin' down
alone to eat."
"You must be very lonely, Mrs. Brown."
"Yes, its lonesome like bein' a widder. I'm kinder used to seein' a man
about the house."
"So I suppose."
"Be you a married man?" asked the lady, pointedly.
"No, ma'am."
"How old be you?"
"Twenty-eight," answered Miles, rather amused.
"Then you're old enough to get married?"
"Oh yes, I am old enough."
"Be you in love with any girl?"
"The old woman's getting curious," thought Miles. "However, I don't mind
gratifying her curiosity."
"No, I'm not in love," he replied.
Mrs. Brown eyed him thoughtfully. She seemed to be revolving some plan
in her mind.
"Take a good look at me, stranger," she said, bracing herself up, as if
on exhibition.
"Certainly," said John Miles, considerably astonished.
"I want to ask you a few questions."
"Go ahead, Mrs. Brown."
"Am I hump-backed?"
"Certainly not. Who said you were?"
"Just attend to my questions, if you please, stranger. Am I
squint-eyed?"
"Mrs. Brown must be crazy," thought Miles. However, he answered in the
negative.
"Am I as homely as a hedge-fence?" pursued the widow.
"Has anybody been calling you so? If so, tell me who it is."
"Never you mind, stranger. Am I old and wrinkled?"
"Certainly she's out of her mind," thought Miles. "I must humor her."
"I think you are a very good-looking woman," he said, soothingly.
"No, I'm not," said the strong-minded lady, "but at the same time I
ain't a scarecrow."
"Certainly not."
"Don't talk too much, stranger. I expect you're surprised at my
questions, but I'll come to the p'int at once. I'm tired of livin' here
alone. I didn't think I'd miss Brown so much. He wasn't any great shakes
of a man, but he was better than nothing. He was company for me, Brown
was, in the long evenin's, and I miss him. I've made up my mind to take
on somebody in his place, and I reckon I'd like to engage you, stranger.
Will you marry me?"
Mrs. Brown did not blush when she asked this extraordinary question. She
was entirely self-possessed, and could not have been cooler, if she had
been transacting an ordinary piece of business.
John Miles had never before received a proposal of marriage. He felt as
awkward and confused as a young girl, and began to hesitate and
stammer.
"Really, Mrs. Brown," he began, "you have taken me by surprise."
"I expect I have," said the widow, "but I'll give you time to think it
over. Brown left me I pretty comfortable, though I did more to get the
property together than he. You wouldn't think it, perhaps, but I've got
five thousand dollars in gold hid away somewheres near, and there's a
claim not far away, that belongs to me, and will pay for workin'."
"I am glad you are so well off, Mrs. Brown," said Miles.
"If you marry me," continued the widow, "you can work that claim. You're
a strong, able-bodied man, and a year from now, if you want to, we'll go
to the city, and settle down. I'm older than you; but a matter of a few
years don't make much difference. You were robbed, you told me?"
"Yes, of all that I had."
"How much was it?"
"About two hundred dollars."
"That ain't much."
"It's a good deal when it's all you have," answered Miles.
"If you marry me you won't miss it," said Mrs. Brown. "I won't give you
my money right off, for you might run off with it, but at the end of the
first year you shall have half of it. There's a parson a few miles up
the canon, at Dirt Hole, that will marry us any time we ride over. What
do you say, stranger?"
It was an embarrassing moment for John Miles. He had no desire to
succeed the deceased Brown, notwithstanding the little property he had
left behind him. Mrs. Brown did not in the least resemble the wife of
whom he had sometimes dreamed. But how could he decline without exciting
the resentment of that singular female? He bore in mind that Mrs. Brown
carried a revolver, and she might take a notion to shoot him down. He
must temporize.
"Your proposal is a very kind and flattering one, Mrs. Brown, but I
don't care to marry just at present. I want to go to the city and try
my fortune. I've only lately arrived in California, and I am not ready
to settle down yet."
To his relief Mrs. Brown accepted his objection in good part.
"No offence, stranger," she said. "I didn't know how you might feel
about it. I've made you a fair offer."
"Indeed you have. The time may come when I shall return, and--"
"I won't promise to wait for you, stranger. Somebody else may happen
along that'll take the situation."
"It would be too much to expect you to wait for me, I admit."
"All right, stranger. You've answered fair, and now we'll let the matter
drop."
When Miles left the cabin he carried with him an addition to his stock
of provisions, for which he was indebted to Mrs. Brown's liberality. It
was evident that she bore no malice, notwithstanding her suit had been
rejected.