he
widow. "You are going to Boston, and mercy knows what'll become of
me,--but laws, I ain't a goin' to worry; I shall be provided for some
way."

"Why, what is the matter?" asked Mrs. Mason, noticing for the first
time that her visitor seemed troubled.

After walking to the window to hide her emotions, and then again
resuming her rocking chair, the widow communicated to them the
startling information that Sally Ann was going to be married!

"Married! To whom?" asked Mrs. Mason and Mary in the same breath, but
the widow said they must "guess;" so after guessing every marriageable
man or boy in town they gave it up, and were told that it was no more
nor less than Mr. Parker!

"Mr. Parker!" repeated Mary. "Why, he's old enough to be her father,
ain't he?"

"Oh, no," returned Mrs. Perkins; "Sally Ann will be thirty if she
lives till the first day of next January."

"You have kept the matter very quiet," said Mrs. Mason; and the widow,
exacting from each a promise never to tell as long as they lived,
commenced the story of her wrongs.

It seems that not long after Mrs. Parker's demise, Mr. Parker began to
call at the cottage of the widow, sometime to inquire after her
health, but oftener to ask about a _red heifer_ which he understood
Mrs. Perkins had for sale! On these occasions Sally Ann was usually
invisible, so week after week Mr. Parker continued to call, talking
always about the "red heifer," and whether he'd better buy her or not.

"At last," said the widow, "I got sick on't, and one day after he'd
sat more'n two hours, says I, 'Ebenezer, if you want that red heifer,
say so, and that'll end it.' Up he jumps, and says he, 'I'll let you
know in a few days;' then pullin' from his trowsers pocket two little
nurly apples, he laid 'em on the table as a present for Sally Ann!
Wall, the next time he come I was sick, and Sally Ann let him in. I
don't know what possessed me, but thinks to me I'll listen, and as I'm
a livin' woman, instead of ever mentioning the heifer, he asked as
fair and square as ever a man could, if she'd have him! and Sally Ann,
scart nigh about to death, up and said 'Yes.'"

Here the widow, unable to proceed further, stopped, but soon regaining
breath continued, "Nobody but them that's passed through it can guess
how I felt. My head swam, and when I come to I was lyin' on the broad
stair."

"Are they to be married soon?" asked Mrs. Mason, and Mrs. Perkins
answered, "Of course. Was there eve