The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-07-21
HOW TO MAKE A YOUNG WIFE OF
AN OLD MAID

he following story might perhaps. furnish
matter for a little comedy, if comedies were still
written in England
cit is generally the case that the more bcauti-
'nl and the richer Young female is. the more
diHlrnlt are both her parents and herself in the
chn'ce oi her husband, and the more offers they
refuse. The one is too tall. the other too short.
this is not wealthy, the other is not respectable
enough. Meanwhile one sprinr passes another.
and year after year. carries away leaf after leaf
III the oinotn at youth, and opportunity. Miss
Harriet Selwood was the richest heiress in her
native town, but she had already completed her
twenty seventh year and beheld her friends uni
ted i" men who she had at time ar other dis
carded. Harriet began In be SET duwu Tor an old
MAD. Her parents became rather uneasy, aud she
herself IamenIed in private 4 position which is not
natural one, and which thuse To whom nature
and i"riune have hSen nigard of their Gifts are
"ollged To submit, hut Harriet, as we have said
was bath handsome and rich
Such was the stale of things, when her uncle,
worthy merchant in the nurlh of ENGLAND came
IN visit 10 her parents. He was jovial lively
straightforward man, accustomed To attack all diff
hcn,"s closely and boldly.
You see" said her father To him one day.
Harriet continues single. The girl is hand.
some: and then she is To have ior,nne-even in
ms scandal loving town. not n creature can breathe
me slightest ImPn'ailon against her-and yet she
is getting 10 be old mad''
True replied the uncle; 8" but Look YOU,
brother, the graud point in every affair in this
world Is to sirze the proper moment-Ihat you
nave not dane II is, a msfnrune-.bul let the yrl
90 al"ng with me, and befnre the end Of two
months will certainly return her To YOU as the
vile OF citizen as young and wealthy as her
self.
Away went the niece with the uncle On the
way home, he thus addressed her :. Mind what
| am going to say. Yon are no lungcr Miss Sell
wood, hut Mrs. Lumlev. my niece. young.
wealthy. childlpss, widow; you had the misfortune
10 lose your husband. Col Lumey. after a happy
nn'on of year and a quarter, by fall from his
horse while hunting"
e" Bnt uncle"-
LIE, me manage, il you please. Mrs Inmley.
Your father has invested me with full powers
Here "ok yon is the wedding ring, given You by
your late husband. Jewels aud whatever else
yon need. your aunt will supply you with, aud
accnst"m Yourself To cast your eyes down.
The keen wited uncle introduced his niece
everywhere and everywhere the yuung widow
created great sensation. The gentlemen ihrnnu-
ed about her, and she had her choice out of
twenty sailors. Her uncle advised her tn accept
the one who was deepest in love with her, and
chance decrePd that this shonld he precise
ly the most amiabe and opulpni The match
was concuded-and one day the uncle desired to
say few words to his future nephew in private
MY dear sir, he began. " we have told you
an unrrUih."
:" How so? are Mrs. Lumley's-"
Nothing of the kind; my niece is sincerely
attached to you"
Then her fortune. suppose is not so great
as told me-
=" On the contrary, i; is lager
" wen. what is the matter. then ~
= J"ke--an innocent inke--w hich came into
my head one day, when was in good humor
We cnnld not recall it afterwards. My niece is
not a widow
. What is Col. Lnmley living ~
6 No. no; my niece is spioslPr"
The lover protested that he happier man
than he ever conceived himself-and the old maid
was forthwith meiam0rphnsed into a wife.