lief at first after Mr. Wallis's being so fluent; but Mr. Wallis was
splendid company for winter evenings,--'t would be eight o'clock
before you knew it. I didn't use to listen to it all, but he had a
great deal of information. Mr. Bickford was dreadful dignified; I used
to be sort of meechin' with him along at the first, for fear he'd
disapprove of me; but I found out 'twa'n't no need; he was always just
that way, an' done everything by rule an' measure. He hadn't the mind
of my other husbands, but he was a very dignified appearing man; he
used 'most always to sleep in the evenin's, Mr. Bickford did."

"Them is lovely bo'quets, certain!" exclaimed Miss Pendexter. "Why, I
couldn't tell 'em apart; the flowers are comin' out just right, aren't
they?"

Mrs. Bickford nodded assent, and then, startled by sudden
recollection, she cast a quick glance at the rose in the window.

"I always seem to forget about your first husband, Mr. Fraley," Miss
Pendexter suggested bravely. "I've often heard you speak of him, too,
but he'd passed away long before I ever knew you."

"He was but a boy," said Mrs. Bickford. "I thought the world was done
for me when he died, but I've often thought since 't was a mercy for
him. He come of a very melancholy family, and all his brothers an'
sisters enjoyed poor health; it might have been his lot. Folks said we
was as pretty a couple as ever come into church; we was both dark,
with black eyes an' a good deal o' color,--you wouldn't expect it to
see me now. Albert was one that held up his head, and looked as if he
meant to own the town, an' he had a good word for everybody. I don't
know what the years might have brought."

There was a long pause. Mrs. Bickford leaned over to pick up a
heavy-headed Guelder-rose that had dropped on the floor.

"I expect 't was what they call fallin' in love," she added, in a
different tone; "he wa'n't nothin' but a boy, an' I wa'n't nothin' but
a girl, but we was dreadful happy. He didn't favor his folks,--they
all had hay-colored hair and was faded-looking, except his mother;
they was alike, and looked alike, an' set everything by each other. He
was just the kind of strong, hearty young man that goes right off if
they get a fever. We was just settled on a little farm, an' he'd have
done well if he'd had time; as it was, he left debts. He had a hasty
temper, that was his great fault, but Albert had a lovely voice to
sing; they said there wa'n't no such tenor voice