The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1854-05-17
From Sharpe's London Magazine
Perils and Penalties Of Widow
Hunting.
By ALFRED W. COLE.

Mr.. Pcregrine Toutac had none OF that
horror of widows which SO emoittered the
existence of the elder Mr.. Weller. On the
contrary, Mr.. Pontiac was suspected OF a
strong partiality for widows-not, however,
for widows in general--not for widows in
the deepest of weeds and with the scanti-
est of purses; widows who gave "mites,
and had nothing more to give. would have
been pronounced extremely praiseworthy
persons by Mr. Pontiac; he would have had
great respect for their virtues, and so tuli
faith in the constancy of their attachment
for the departed that he would never have
thought, for an instant, Of seeking TO weak
en- its force. The widows in whom Mr.. Per-
egrine Pontiac felt the deepest interest.
whose acquaintance he cultivated most ea-
gerly, whose wishes he endeayored to an,
ticipate most gallantly were gay WelEdressed
lively, ricA widows.
Mr., Pontiac was bold man, as every one
who reads his last sentence will admit
He was not in the least degree afraid OF the
very class among the fair sex to whom cy-
nical philosophers in all ages but what do
philosophers know about women?) have at
tributed the greatest mastery over all the
wiles which can lead poor masculine hui
manity astray. Mr.. Pontiac felt himself a
match for any widow; and he really wish
ed to make a match OF the kind. lie had
attained that respectable period of life which
is commonly called midle-aged--a very
elastic term, it may be remarked, as 1t has
been known to comprise all the years pc
tween thirty and sixty-so that II that peri
cd be really middle-agc, ones life must be
calculated at an average Of ninety years.
But we will tell Mr.. Pontac's age though
he would never would forgive us II he knew
that we did so--he was forty SIX
Mr.. Pontiac was wine-merchant; and
/, Mr.. Pontiac had an exceedingly good busl'
mes. His customers were hearty all people
I of fortune private families, and not pubic
houses; for he was man Of, refined taste,
: and by no means deiirous of connexions
with the gin-palaces and their Keepers
= He had amassed a comfortable little fortune
but he did not consider it sufficient to mary
on without a corresponding fortune on par
of the lady. 1t was a mattar OF simple a
q ritbmetic TO Mr.. Pontiac. 81 have twenty
e thousand pounds, or thereabouts'" he Wo"il
Il say TO himself. "If retire from business
as wish to do, the inteIest,o OF my money
will be seven or eight hundred a-year. "A
quiet bachelor that would suffice me: bu
$ as a married man certainly not. mus
d then either remain bachelor, or marry
fortune, or continue in business. Now tht
frstis scarcely respectable in man OF m!
ace; the last I'm tired Of; the oheraltegnanI
. il the one-l'!l marry fortune. a youn1!
e pin is cut Of the Qu@ston--she wo0i'
70 drive me crazy in a month. To an old mai
Ii [ have an antipathy which | cannot get G
yer, A widow is decidedly the person 10
:. me-"
7 Having by this simple process of ndpc
ton arrived at this very obvious conclusion
"a Mr.. Pontiac, like true man OF buslnes;
:. set about carrying out his intentions. II
WAS not an unpopular man among his ac
P ouaintances; on the contrary. being "wel
- off," good humored, and cbglng and haV
ing habit of making pretty littls accepta
S bic presents at favorable moments, h9 wa
g neyel omitted from the iny!talion list OF
ball, and seldom forgotten at dinner table
are less elastic than drawing rooms, bacht
=. lors Young and old, or people who don
IA qiyg dinners cannot often expect to be 0SHe
TO them unless they are ''lions," who al
expected to astonish the guests, or proie'
sed wits, who invariably make themselYt
, excessively disagreeahle.
= Mr. Pontiac now walked through soclet
with keen eye for widows. | he we mtr,
"a, duced to "NIrs." anybody, lmmedlateI
u he prjcked up is ears, and made utmo
use of his eyes, to discover whether the i
A. dy were a widow, whether she were agre
A' able. whether she looked wealthy. Dl
IN mouds had an immense attraction for hi
ne point lace never escaped his attentiOn-~rl
. brocaded silks rustling, told of gold-wh
broucham rvetted his attention and
: chariot and pair completely fascinated hll
800 Alas how rare were widows with all
anv OF these things! The Grape cap, boz
or, bazne dress class predomlnated fearful
not that Mr.. Pontiac (sad fellow!) believ
IN that ali these demurely apparelled lad
mes were in the extremity Ofdejectlon; but era
sh, caps are less expensive. than Brussels la
. and French flowers; and bombazlne dress
far less extrayagant than motre antaqN
- brocades, and popHns. That was the d
ference, in Mr.. Pontac's opinion between
ana two classes-the bombaanes were the t
srs. m classes--the bombazins We're he wldo
on With iointures worthy Of the name, And
iens' cain. he observed; how rare the latter ella
~, ~ Sometimes he fancied he had markt
dowr---.a real rich widow; bvt Just as
was beginnining to feel exhlIarated W
M Ibis success it would turn out that lad
sg fortune was only payable so long as she
- mained widow. And on this dscovt
bic Mr.. Pontiac would grow irate, and nYel
mTo ,an. against the baseness, and selhshness'
AXE want of proper feeling on the part OF the
vorss ceased husband, in placing this intamt
ana "a limitation 10 his legacy! He thoughta
n % ought to be PASSED making such limltatlc
: entirely illegal, and giving gevary widow
- er. permission to marry again, and ENJOY
M fortune in spite Of all the limitations in
IT, world. None of the widows with "mlte
CHI by the way were thus tied up. They, P
lsriX souls, had always full permission to ma
, out again, and enjoy her fortune in spite OF
lich the p limitations in the world. None of
.ort widows with "mites," by the way, were t
Will tied up, They, poor souls had always
a permission to marry again, and continue
ef ,sIs possession Of their 'mtes," after doing SC
e for husbands who had onlymites to leaveseer
r to be ashamed ofputting in the forfeit cha
- but the one, two, or three thousrnd }
L n.