Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-03-10
WOOING 4 WIDOW.

"FlFTEEN hundred a-year, a well furnished
house. a handsome carriage, besides money in
refunds This was iha actual state s)f Mrs.
Cavendish Joncs's affairs but report magnified
her wealth amazingly Ii was astonishing
how many young men suddenly discovered
that Sloane-street was a pleasanter lounge
than the Park, and either cantered or walked
past the new widows dwelling. Great inter
est was made for inroductions, and MANY were
given-others refused some on the ground of
wishing to avoid interfering in delicate matters
while many had cousins, hal-pay officers.
slender curates, or young mercantile men who
wanted capital, whom they desired 10 see es-
tabllshed, for reasons foreign or domestic, in
the widow IS favour. To dolicatelv-mnted
woman this sort of celebrity would have been
painful in the extreme ; but Mrs. Jones was
again raised in her own estimation and be-
came so positively absurd, that it was imposs-
lble TO witness her airs without the bitter
laughter of contempt, or the disgust which
compels you to turn from what is so absolutely
unpleasant. Her thoughts were divided be-
tween two things-what she could possibly do
TO make her weeds becoming. and what sort of
husband she would have TO rule over her heart
and property.
She had married long before her folly was
full blown, and it seemed as if it were never to
attain its perfection it went on increasing, and
multiplied exceedingly She would sit all day
at the balconied window, in the most anguish
ing attitude, lounging in chaiselongue, play
ing with paroquet, or combing her Persian
cat and, truth To say, the lords of the creation
were in no degree ayerse to humourng her
fancy. Half-pay officers are peculiarly open
to this sort of temptation. Doomed to appear
like gentlemen, in every sense of the word,
"a IL, n l,h
tered iootman would scorn to accept as re-
Enumeration for his services, it is not to be
wondered at that they have very quick per-
ceptlon as to the ways and means ofincreasing
their incomes. Three of this description were
ready, before three months ofthe lady's widow
hood expired, to throw themselves at her feet,
and possess themselves Of her fortune.
One, bluff, burly major of fiy-four, at
tempted 10 storm the citadel with his family
connexions a wooden leg; but the shipper
ing lady oiiorty-siX minclngy told him she
did not intend to marry her grandfather The
bluff major stumped down stairs with consid-
cradle emphasis, and forgot to give the smiling
foolman the fee which lac had learned to expect
from all his mistresss suitors.
1t is a common thing TO accuse clergymen
OF marrying for money the taunt Is not justified
by my own experience there are few in that
class OF society who have enough to support
respectable appearance, still fewer who are
wealthy. II is to be hoped that no Christian
pastor would engage the affections of a young
woman only TO steep her to the very lips in
poverty that worst OF poverlies, geRteei poreriV
and if a gentleman have but a small income, II
is only Just he should seek for a companion
whose dowry would add to their mutual income
This is but just yet the reproach is heaped
upon them, and II IS thought witty thing to
Jest at poor parsnn and black coat II Is
as we'll to record that Mrs Cavendish Jones
had but one clerical loycr, and, as he never
officiated, there is little necessity for consid-
ering him as a reverend. He was "burly and
big = and the lady having, in her heart Of
hearts, resolved to have no one who was not
pale and interesting, dismissed him with very
little coquctting.
The fact was, she had made up her mind TO
marry the handsomest man in the neighbour
! hood-an artist, who having, according to his
! own belief, taken his art unto himself for a
! bride, never wasted a thought upon the widow.
| She had met the youth at church, where wild
I ows always and artists seldom go and, finding
! her usual attractive ways wasted upon hlnl,
| she suddenly resolved TO have her picture
painted for about the tenth time in hei life,
] and many Of her wo1ers urged her thereto, each
1 hoping to possess the fair original. 1t would
into her head il could not be the appreciation
Of his talent. for that she could not appreciate
! it was doubtless his celebrity. In the mean
/ time the lady was fooled 10 the top other bent
surrounded by woOers 4 French daaclng-
master, always ia attendance, who had gone Ia
various expenses with gilt spurs, smart canes,
and elaborate waistcoats, 10 make himself APP
pear, what he pfoiessed 10 be, foreign officer
iwirled his mousiachios in such fierce disp!ea-
I sure, that they were Ia danger OF falling Oh
when the pale student came TO take the first
sitting a bankers clerk exchanged glances
with a Gnikin contributor Of prose and poetry
10 small magazines and the little ANIMALS a
medical student, who always disroursed Of
surgical operations, bowed himself out. IL
short the drawing room was deserted soon
after the easel was fixed, except by an impu-
dent attorney and an Irish officer, who had been
on foreign service.
Mrs. Jones did not wish to be portrayed IN
weeds. and 50 she resolved she would be
painted in some characicr--soncihing out o
Shakspoare's plays -someihing(to use a new 5
acquired phrasc) ciassioai The attorney sug
gesied Juliet IN the balcony no, that would
no, DO juliet was black hr0Wned-she, fan
a. dly The lrishmsu, ont Of biz Of spite 4
the attorney, suggested Pouia repr,9ing Shy
lock 'u'. 1o-Nr, lone. had heard lhli ne