The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-10-18
Misfellane0aS.
From, .Arthm''S Home Gazette.
THE THREE WIVES.
EY r. II. COOKE.

Mr.. Juduhan Spike was an eccentric bach
elor of fifty: His mother died IN giving nm
birth and it would seem that the mother heart
died with her, for~trom~ that hour the hapless
Jeduthun seemed to lave no perception OF lem
mime excellence, and diverted himself with rldl-
euIinr the fjihles of the sex, whose true char
acter'was to him despised enigma. As a
.habe, he was fed and tended by an lnviSid
brother many years his scni'r; and he alter
wards orew in stature, and Il hard uugenlal
kind of wisdom, without much matrohiz'hS rom
ANYBODY As years and possessions increased,
he boarded at fashionable hotel, where the
co X and attendants were OF hls-own sex, ahd
IGNORED the address OF his laundIess. His pre-
dispositons against matrinlony were confirmed
and strengthened by the fate OF the ,b' other a.
Iuded to, who married somewhat late IN lie
aud after an unhappy couneA'on. OF seven years
duration; left liiS.widow permanent inmate o'
nm insane ASYLUM, aud his three boys 70
the guardianship of their uncle. The recipient
Of tiIis unexpected legacy, who had I'll tneh
loved nothing in the whole OF las mlseraGl"
life felt strange pleasure in the duties OF th's
new and unsolicited relation. The docl'lty
with which the little fellows accommodated
themselves 10 the oddities of the eccentric
humori>t. their unquestioning faith in his most
STARTLING dormas,; and. their artlcss exhibitions
of personal attachment, On upon his lsoatto
nature "a. a degree that surprised himself 1t
seemed these helpless children were destined
uncorcously to fulfil! to the lonely ola man
that feminine mission without which human
life is Il failure, aud happiness mythe. lth
a devotion and patience hardly to be expected
of.him, he reared the fragile boys 10 manhood
gave them all needful advantages OF books, and
schools and pocket money, and at last saw them
all established in business, aud in a way to do
credit to themselves and their conneXIonS-
Judge, then, of his panfu! establishment when
all three waited upon him i'll body, to an
nounce that they had Jointly and sc*cr"liy
formed the audacious resolution "i committing
matrimonv. Neither would have dared ap-
proach the subject alone, and though counte-
i1anccd by each other, they felt SO much graft
tude. rev ereucc and compassion tor the pre-
iudiccd old man, that they fairly tremhled for
the result.
Wben the confession was made to Mr.. Jedu
thus Spike, he turned his back o. the agtate'
Young men, and walked quietly, to the window
After standing silently for some minutes lie
turned and said very calmly:
,."Weli. BOYS, have nursed you through the
meazes, and the scarlet-tever and the whoop'
inr cauah, aud | did my best TO alleviate what
coull not prevent. You are now the victim
of disease quite as general as the other aud
for which there is no remedy but experience
Neither preccpt nor example" ,"-here his lips
ouiyered slightly" have been of amy avail in
vour case. Go then, and marry, if you viii.
give nav consent one condition only. Ii
is that YOU all present yourselves in three years
from this day and hour, and declare so'e'nhly
on the, worth of your remaining manhood
whether YOU are happy and why lhe causes
Of misery in wedlock are very various, but the
result is uniform. will excuse You now, boys,
as have an appointment with my tailor.
Il is needless TO say that the three uephcws
availed themselves of the permission thus un'
willingly given, and that any self repr"aches
they might feel at defeating the cherished wSi;-
es oftheir kindest beneiactor did not seriously
cmbitter their honeymoon. The three years
which followed stole Il handful OF grey hairs
from the bald furehetd of JedrthGn Spikes,
and IS if ashamed of the theft; secretly rcst"r-
cd them hidden among the chesnut locks OF his
youns relations. And as a farthcr restitution
the same silent agents transferred unnotlced IL
portion of the hopeful tenderness of the youth
ful Benedicts to refresh the withered heart OF
the disappointed bachelor The time for the
interview so long anticipated, arrived at last
In the luxurious rooms of the Lonely uncle,
Henry and Charles, the two elder nephe~s'
waited impatientIy the arrival ofthe younger.
"It is useless looking for Edward, says
Charles at last ave shan't see him before
evening. His wife is now looking fora needle
to darn his stockings, and replace the missing
buttons upon his coat"
Yet as he spoke cheerful step was heard
without, ,and the tardy brother entered the ro"n''
breathing quickly, and with a smiling apology
for his delay. The two first arrived exchanged
meaning glances; but, t,the merciless uncle cat
short their mcrrimcnt, by saying gravely,
"IIenry, my hoy, you are the oldest. 1t Is
lust that you should lead upon this occasion.
Tell us frankly, how do you enjoy married lltr''
TIE Young man paused for moment, then,
with a comical grmacc that i'll concealed his
reluctance he replied:
"It is a bitter dose to swallow, conicSS.
Uucle, YOU are revcnged.'
There was a slight movement OF surPrzr' Tor
Mrs. Henry Spike was recognized as dec'"cd'Y
notable.
81 thought, . said the uncle, ,drily, "Ihat yours
was a patent wife"
"Only too muck So" replied the nephew
"It is my belief that she was modelled upon
the most approved patterns and r:adc up 10