South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1834-07-05
MaiSfelldMentts.
From the New Monthly Magazine for April.
THE WIDOW.

THE Wild w.
Mine has been troublous and perilous
life, in matters of love . no sooner have
emerged from one ocean Of sighs& tears
than have plunged headlong into anoth'
er. 1t is passing strange that ! never fel
into matrimony in my early days; my
father did SO, and SO did my mother, ant
also myrespected grand.dame. She, goot
soul, originally Miss Letitia Simpson, a
fifteen married her first husband, a Mr..
Jeffrey Wilson at sixteen gave birth to
my mother.--Her husband then died
without any other issue, leaving her more
than we'll provided for. At seventeen,
she espoused MIR. Winkwortb, who, in
his turn, consigned her to single blessed.
ness and a fat dover after which having
quarrelled with all her race, or all her
race with her, she abjured them and the
realm, betook herself TO the continent, &
was barely heard of afterwards. My
mother, following one part Of her exam
pie, married at sixteen, and enriched the
world with me at seventeen. Fate, how.
ever, suppose, for l am believer IN
fate,) destined me to
"Waste myssweets upon the desert air.;
and thus only can l account for my es.
Gaping all the matronly and matrimonial
snares, that beset me in my youth. But
20 my tale.
On my arrival on the Continent, / bad
been but a short time at, when my
health visibly and seriously declined, and
the medical men who attended me advised
a visit to for its restoration. In ac'
cordance with their directions, I,nothing
10th, (for seat at desk never was a.
desideratum with me- sat out; and as I
was alone, and was not over enamoured
of my monosyllabic patronyme, assumed
one more suited to the euphony of a billet
doux and having, therefore, re.baptised.
myself, I made my appearance at my
journeys end as Augustus Montagu, with
moreover, dash of black down on my
upper lip, which l digni6ed, in my own
mind, with thu title of moustache. Thus
yclept, and t. ACQUIRED, began my
way ali, and by dint of my modest
looks, little foppery, and my good name
I shortly won my way into a circle OF ac-
quaintance.
At a party TO which / had, through
these means, been asked, one night met
Madame PerolIet, whose appearance,
and more, her sufferance Of my attentions,
made some impression upon me. She
was an extremely fine woman, and Eng
lish, seemingly about five & thirty, thong
less favoured fair ones spoke of her hav-'
ing numbered fifty years. Her hair and
eyes were of the blacklist; her eye-lashes
Of the same colour, and long, thick and
silky !; her complexion fair, but not rud.
dy, such as best contrasts with, and best
becomes, the raven lock her features
were more beautiful in their expression
than in their individuality, although then
even they were beautiful :; herteeth were
the finest ever saw; and / opine no wo-
man can lay claim to beauty who cannot
show, nay, even display, her teeth. She
bore an easy, dignified and complacen'
smile; her figure was Of the strictest pro.
portions, and her carriage most graceful
moreover, she was rich, and consequently
amiable. She was widow, too; and
with all these qualification, Of course was
greatly sought after by the men. But she
had sense and caution, and while she
smiled on all, and enamored many, she
never gave more than hope, & preserved
all her own freedom. The woman who
wished her dead, or married, consequent
ly called her coquette, and some of the
Uieua gargons agreed with them-bul
this was suspicious evidence while the
younger men, whom the aunts and moth.
ers of standing spinsters admonished to
beware Of the widow, only bowed, and
then turned on their heel to laugh.
The FIRST time I met her, glove which
she dropped, and which proffered her,
gave me an opportunity OF opening con.
Versation with her. AT first, conscious of
my youth, hesitated little, although
my looks bespoke an age ripper, by some
years, than had attained but her an.
swers were so mild, so suaye, and SO con-
descending, -her manner TO me so kind
and easy,-and her whole conduct so ems
gazing and assuring, that / ventured a
little gallant badinage, for which, to the
modification Of my elder competitors, she
shook her little delicate finger at me, and
tapped me with her fan. Encouraged
thus, ] might have proceeded further bu,
as she knew how to commence conquest
so she knew how to continue one and