The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-09-07
MIS- SCELL A N EOUS.
From Arthur's Home Gazette.
The Three. Wives.
BY 2. II. COOKE.

BY F. II. COOKE.
Mr.. Jeduthun Spike was an &C.
centric bachelor of fifty. His mo-
ther died in giving him birth, and it
would seem that the mother-heart
died with her, for from that hour the
hapless Jcduthun seemed to have no
perception of feminine excellence, and
diverted himself with ridiculins the.
foibles Of tho sex, whose true char
acter was to him q dcspised enigma.
AS babe, he was fed and tended by
an invalid brother many years his
senior; and he afterwards grew in
stature, and ahard, ungenial kind
Of wisdom, withou. much matronizing
from anybody. As years and posses.
sions increased, he boarded at fash.
ionable hotel, where the cook and at.
tendants were of his own sex, and
ignored the address of his laundrcss.
Ills predispositions against matrimo-
ny were confirmed and strengthened
by the fate of the brother alluded to,
who married somewhat late in
life, and, after an unhappy connexion
of seven years duration, left his wild.
ow, permanent inmate Of an in.
sane asylum, and his three boys to
the guardianship Of their uncle. Tho
recipient Of this unexpected legacy,
who had till theus loved nothing, in
the whole of his miserable life, felt a
strange pleasure in the duties of
this new and unsolicited relation.
The docility with which the little fcl-
lows accommodated themselves to
the oddities of the eccentric humor.
list, their unquestioning faith in his
most startling dogmas, and their
artless exhibitions of personal at
tachment, Won upon his isolated ma.
turo to a degree that surprised him.
self. l. secgietlsthae these helpless
children were destined sGnconscionsly
to fulfil to the lonely old man that
feminine mission without which human
life is a failure, and happiness a
moth. With devotion and pa
tience hardly to be expected of him,
he reared the fragile boys to man
hood, gave them all needful advan.
tages of books, and schools and
pocketmoney. and at last saw them
all established i'll business, and in
u way to do credit to themselves and
their connexions. Judge then of his
painful astonishment when all three
waited upon him in a body, to an
nounce that they had jointly and sew.
orally formed the audacious rcso!u-
tion Of committing matri,nony. Meth
er would have dared approach
the subject alone, and though count.
cnanced by each other, they felt so
much gratitude, reverence and com
passion for the prejnliced old man,
that they fairly tromb!ed for the re.
suit.
When the confession was made to
Mr.. Jeduthun Spike, he turned his
back on the agitated young men,
and walked quickly to the window.
After standing silently for some
minutes, he turned and said very
CALMLY
"Well, boys, l have nurscd You
through the measles, and the scarlet
fever, and the whooping cough, and
| did my best to alleviate what l
could not prevent. You arc now
the victim6 Of a disease quite as gen
eral as the other; and for which there
is no remedy but experience. Meth.
cr prcccpt nor examplc"-here his
lips quivetcd slishtly-"1 have been
of any avail in your case. Go then;
and marry, if you will. I give
my full consent, on one condition on
ly.-lt is that you all present your
selves in three years from this
day and hour, and declare solcmnly,
upon the worth Of your remaining
manhood, whether you are unhappy,
and why. The causes of misery in
wedlock are very various, but the re.
suit is uniform. | will excuse you
now, boys, as I have an appoint
lnent with my tailor"
1t is needless to say that the
three ncphews availed themselves Of
the permission thus unwillingly Civ.
en-, and that any selfreproaches they
might feel at defeating the cherish
cd wishes of their kindest bcncfactor
did not seriously embitter the honey.
moon. The three years that follow.
cd stole a handful of grey hairs from
the bald forehead of Jeduthun
Spike, and, as if ashamed of the
theft, secretly restored them hidden
among the chestnut locks of his
young relations. And, as a farther
restitution, the same silent agents
transferred uuuoticcd q portion Of