The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-07-06
selfshness, and want Of prsPef feeling OF
the part of the deceased husband, ip Nac

making such limitations entirely illegal,
and giving every widow full permission
to marry again, and enjoy her fortune in
spite Of all the limitations in the world.
None of the widows with 'mites," by the
way were thus tied up. They, poor
souls, had always full permission to mar
ry again, and continue in possession of
their "mite," after doing so. Husbands
who had only mites to leave seems to be
ashamed of putting in the forfeit clause,
but the one, two or three thousand a year
men scarcely ever omitted it-shockingly
selfish!
One day Mr.. Pontiac was paying visit
to some friends and customers of his
own.
bye the bye, Pontiac, " said the host,
"a friend of ours wants some Madeira,
and took the liberty of mentioning your
names, and giving your address, as likely
to serve her well. l dare say she'll write
to you.
She! thought Mr.. Pontiac; widow, no
doubt. Drinks Madeira too-rather an
expensive wine; good jointure, no doubt.
Wonder whether there's any confounded
limitation toit?
But Pontiac only thought this; he bow
ed to his friend and thanked him.
''Shall 1 call on the lady?' he asked.
"Will you give me her address,"
"Certainly," replied his friend. "Jane,
dear, give Mr. Pontiac one of Mrs. Court
enay's cards"
Courtenay, thought Pontiac; not a bad
name. Sounds well, at all events"
"Here's the card. Mr.. Pontiac" said
his friends wife, handing the slender bit
of pasteboard, on which was Inscribed
Mrs. Courtenay, No.-Hertfort, May
Fair.
Deuced good address, thought Pontiac;
as he walked away with the card in his
pocket determining to call in Hertfort
street the next day, and still wondering
whether there would turn out to be any
Limitation in the case.
The next day the wine merchant called
in Hertfort street and inquired for Mrs.
Courtenay. The lady was at home--he
sent up his card, and was admitted.
II must appologise, madam, for the
liberty have taken in calling on you,"
said Pontiac, with his best bow-and it
was not a bad one for a middleaged wine
merchant--''but my friend, Mr.. Brown,
informed me that you wished forsome fine
Madeira"
t'Pray be seated, Mr.. Pontiac" said the
lady, intcrrupting him: sit is very kind of
you to take the trouble of calling on me
for so triaing an order as mine will be-"
Pontiac took seat, and the ice being thus
broken, he exerted himself to make
favorable impression upon the lady. He
managed also to take a survey of the room
and saw that it was very elegantly fur
nlshed; there was every sign of a complete
establishment, and one that could not he
maintained without an excellent iointure.
With an eye to business, Pontiac persuad-
ed the lady to order great deal more
wine than she required, but did it in such
manner that she felt quite obliged to
him for the Interest," he evinced in the
matter, and his evident desire to crafty
her taste. He talked on great many
other subjects than that of wine, and
Mrs, Courtenay thought him very sem
sible and agreeable man. Finally, he de-
parted highly satisfied with his visit
perfectly certain that there must be large
jointure in this case, and only doubtful as
to those COMPOUNDED limitations
He felt that in case of this Importance
he must not make false step. There
could be no doubt of Mrs. Courtenay be-
ing a lady of very great attractions, inde
pendent of pecuniary ones. He fatter-
ed himself he had made fair impression
Here Mr.. Pontiac might have been OBJ
served to put down his waiscoat rather
violently-the waiscoats of middle-aged
gentlemen in general, and wine mer-
chants in particular, often evincing strong
upward tendencies. If, thought he,
make further advances toward this lady,
| may commit myself, and find out my
error too late; or as I am of a sensitive
disposition, Imay really allow my affec-
ton to become entangled by this extreme
ly fascinating lady, and thus be held into
a matrimony, even though prudential
considerations forbid it, And then, what
remains for me? A wrelched seven or
eight hundred dollars year, or the count
lng-house. No! l must see my was,
clearly and at once.
Mr.. Pontiac, therefore, took an early
opportunity of calling on his friends, the
Browns. Mrs. Brown alone received him;
he was rather glad of this. He soon
managed to lead the conversation to Mrs.
Courtenay.
"a charming person, is she not?" ask
ed Mrs. Brown.