The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-07-06
(From sharpe's London Magazine
PERILS AND PENALTIES or
WID oW HUNTlNA GA
BY ALFRED W. COLE.
By ALFRED W. co&

Mr.. Perogrine Pontiac had none of that
horror of widows which so embittercd the
existence of the elder Mr.. Weller. On
the contrary, Mr.. Pontiac was suspected
of strong partiality for widows-not,
however, for the widows in general-not
for widows in the deepest of weeds and
with the scantiest of purses; widows who
gave 'smies," and had nothing more to
give; would have been pronounced ex-
tremely praiseworthy persons by Mr..
Pontiac; he would have had great respect
for their virtues, and SO full faith in the
constancy Of their attachment for the de-
parted that he would never have been
thought, for an instant, of seeking to wea-
ken its force. The widows id whom Mr..
Peregrine Pontiac felt the deepest interest
whose acquaintance he cultivated most
egerly, whose wishes he endeavored to
anticipate most gallantly, were gay, we'll
dressed, lively rich widows.
Mr.. Pontiac was bold man, as every
one who reads this last sentence will ad-
nit. He was not in the least degree a.
fraid of the very class among the fair sex
to whom cynical philosophers in all ages
(but what do philosophers know about
women y have attributed the greatest
mastery over all the wies which can lead
poor masculine astray. Mr. Pontiac felt
himself match for any widow; and he
really wished to make match of any
kind. He had attained that respectable
period of life which commonly called
middleaged--a very elastic term it may
be remarked, as it has been known to COM
prise all the years between thirty and
sixty--so that if that period be really
middleage, ones life must be calculated
at an average of ninety years. But we
will tell Mr.. Pontac's age, though he
would never forgive us if he knew that
we did so-he was forty-six.
Mr.. Pontiac was wine merchant, and
Mr. Pontiac had an exceedingly good busi-
ness. His customers were nearly all peo-
pie Of fortune-private families and not
public houses; for lie was man Of refn-
ed taste, and by now means desirous Of
a connection with the gin palaces and
their keepers. He had amassed a COM
Portable little fortune, but he did not con-
slider it sufficient to marry one without a
corresponding fortune on the part of the
lady. TWAS matter of simple arith-
metic to Mr.. Pontiac. 81 have twenty
thousand pounds or thereabouts," he
would say to himself. "If I retire from
business, as I wish to do, the interest of
my money WILDE seven hundred year.
As quiet bachelor, that would suffice
me, but as married man, certainly not.
/ must then either remain bachelor or
marry fortune, or continue in business
Now the frstis scarcely respectable in a
man of my age; the last am tired Of the
other alternative is the one-I'll marry
fortune. A young girl is out of the
question--she would drive me crazy in
month. To an old maid, | have an an
tipathy which I cannot get over. A wild
ow is decidedly the person for me-"
Having by this ample process of in
duction arrived at this very obvious con-
clusion. Mr.. Pontiac, like true man of
business, set down about carrying out his
intentions. He was not an unpopular
man among his acquaintances, on the
contrary, being "well off," good humor-
ed, and obliging. and having habit of
making pretty little acceptable presents at
favorable moments, he was never omitted
from the invention list of ball, and sell
dom forgotten at dinner--though, of
course, as dinner tables are less elastic
than drawing rooms, bachelors, young
and old, or people who give dinners, can
not often expect to be asked to them, un-
less they are "lions, who are expected to
astonish the guests, or professed wits,
who invariably make themselves exces-
sively disagreeabls.
Mr.. Pontiac now walked through society
with a keen eye for widows. If he were
introduced to "Mrs." anybody, imme-
diateiy he picked up his cars, and made
the utmost use of his eyes, to discover
whether the lady were q widow, whether
she were agreeable, whether she looked
wealthy. Diamonds had an immence at
traction for him-point lace never escap-
ed his sattention--rich, brocaded silk rustl-
ing, told Of gold, while broughman
rivited his attention, and chariot and
pair completely fascinated him.
Alas! how rare were widows with all
or any Of these things? The Grape cap,
bombazin dress class predominated fear
fully; not that Mr.. Pontiac (sad follow!)
believed that all these demurely apparel
ed ladies were in the extremity of deiec-
tion; but Grape caps are less extensive
than Brussels lace and French flowers:
and bombazin dresses far less extraya-
giant than apoice antiques, brocades and
nonlius