“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 ever an old fool of a widower who wasn’t in a hurry?  Next Thursday is the day sot, and I’ve come to invite you, and see if you’d lend me your spoons and dishes, and them little towels you use on the table, and your astor lamps, and some flowers if there’s any fit, and let Judy come over to help about cookin’ the turkey and sperrib!”

Mrs. Mason promised the loan of all these things, and then the widow arose to go.  Mary, who accompanied her to the door, could not help asking whether Mr. Parker had finally bought her red heifer.

The calico sun-bonnet trembled, and the little gray eyes flashed indignantly as she said, “That man never wanted my red heifer a bit more than he wanted me!”