The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-12-19
THE UNLUCKY MISTAKE.
II MRS. CAROLINE ORNE.

-sE IL made their manhood sepuichre.
THE UNLUCKY MISTAKE.
Br MRS. CAROLINE ORNE.
.1,ll say .. they say."--Comedy Of Eusrs.
Mrs. Sinclair, Though amiable and hand
some, remained single until she was nearly
forty. when she received and accepted an
Offer of marriage from Mr.. Sinclair, bach
elor of almost her own age. Soon after
wards, she unexpectedly came into posses
sion Of large property, bequeathed by
distant relative. This good fortune was
speedily followed by severe atliction.-
Her husband, in every respect an estimable
man, was taken suddenly i'll and died.
Having no near relations of her own, and
those distant being already sufficiently af-
fluent, she came to the determination to
adopt one of the nieces of her late husband,
should either of them please her. She had
as vet seen none of his relatives, all Of them
residing in distant towns. She had how
ever, heard him express great regard for
his half-brother, whose name was Harden,
which made her desirous to obtain some in
formation relative to his family. As she
was revolving the subject in her mind, she
recollectcd that Mr.. Sinclair had told her
that poor widow by the name of Mansfield,
who procured livelihood by sewing, was a
sister to Mr.. Harden's first wife, and on her
she resolved to call in the hope oi obtaining
the information she desired. She put on
her bonnet and shawl, and few minutes
walk brought her to Mrs. Mansfeld's humble
dwelling. The widow answered her knock,
and conducted her into small neat apart
ment.
81 ain afraid" said Mrs. Mansfield, in
answer to Mrs. Sinclair's inquiries, "that l
can give you no satisfactory information
concerning them. My sister, who was MIR.
Harden's first wife, died in little moro than
year after her marriage, leaving an infant
daughter few weeks old, and have never
visited them since. His second wife has
likewise daughter, but as to the merits of
either am wholly in the dark"
At this moment a little girl belonging to
a family that occupied part of the same
house, entered with letter in her hand.
81 have just been to the post office for
Mrs. Norris, - said she, Sand the post mas
ter asked me to bring this lettsr to you.-
lie said the postage was paid"
''This must be from one of the Hardsus,'
said Mrs. Mansfield, "by the post-mark.-
After neglecting me eighteen years, don't
know why they should notice mo now"
81 hope it is from one Of the young Ia
dies" said Mrs. Sinclair, "for some people
say that you can judge of a woman's charac-
ter by her letters"
ayes it is from Florence, my niece" re-
piled Mrs. Mansfield, looking Mt the sigma
turc, and she was then going to lay the
letter aside, but Mrs. Sinclair requested her
to read it.
Her niece Informed her that the perusal
Of some letters which she wrote to her moth
er about the time of her marriage, which
she recently found while overlooking some
old papers, had awakened in her so strong a
desire to see her, that she had with her
fathcr's concurrence, written to her for the
purpose of inviting her to spend several
weeks with them.
sYou must certainly accept the invita-
tion,' said Mrs. Sinclair, sit will afford you
such an excellent opportunity to judge OF the
young ladies'"
al am afraid shall be biased IN favor Of
Florence" she replied, ESPECIALLY if she
should resemble her mother. confess, how
ever, that have some inclination to make
the visit, though Florence does not intimate
that her mother-i -in-law joins in the invita-
ton"
Before Mrs. Sinclair took leave, Mrs.
Mansfield had decided to write, in answer to
her niece's letter, that she might expect her
in two weeks, for having some sewing on
hand, which she was obliged to finish, it
would be impossible for her to come sooner.
Two days before the one Mrs. Mansfield
had set for her journey, Mrs. Sinclair again
called on her. 81 have been thinking"
said she, ssthat should like to accompany
you on your visit to the Hardcns, if it will
be agreeable to YOU"
ssit certainly will be,' replied Mrs. Mans
field, "but should they not be apprized of
your intended visit ?''
cit would have been proper, but If 60
with you, it is now too late, and as they are
people of wealth and fashion, it can certain
ly be no incony cnience to them to receive
two visitors instead Of oue."
1t was finally arranged that as Mrs. Mans
field lived alone, and had no one to prepare
her breakfast, that she should spend the
night previous to their departure with Mrs.
Sinclair. Her trunk was therefore convey
ed to the splendid mansion of the rich Wild
ow, and placed in the hall, and after care
fully extinguiyhinS the FIRE and locking the
door, she followed herself. The next morn
ing they had just risen from the breakfast
table, when Mrs. Mansfield, in running up
stairs to procure something she had left in
hsr chamber, slipped and sprained her ancle.
At first tho injury appeared to be slight, but
the ancle soon became so swollen, and grew
so painful, that she found she must give up
all idea Of undertaking the proposed jour-
ney. Mrs. Sinclair said shc would likewise
but against this Mrs. Mansfield urg.
ed so many objections that she concluded to
90, provided she would promise to remain
at her house, where she could receive every
necessary attention, till she had entirely re-
covered from the effect of the accident
This point was scarcely settled, when the
stage coach drove up before tho house. In
the hurry and hustle Of the moment, Mrs.
Sinclair did not observe that Mrs. Mans
fields trunk, in the room of her own, was
from the hall to the back Of the
coach. 1t was not until they had arrived ct
the hotel where she was going to stop for
the night, that she discovered the mistake,
and shs then concluded not to return it, -
Mrs. Mansfield might possibly be able to
como herself in the course Of few days.
1t was about an hour before sunset the fol-
lowing day that . driver, stopping his horses
before large white house, half embowered
amidst shrubbery and trees, opened the coach
door and said, ssThis 10 where Mr.. Harden
ilves:" As soon a. Mrs. Sinclair had alight-
ed, she saw beautiful girl Fastening down
the gravel walk to welcome her.
MY dear aunt Mansfeld,' : said she, hold
ing out her hand, show glad / am that You.
nave not disappointed me.'
snail set your trunk just inside the gate
meamT sa,d the driver, before she had time
to inform Florence that her name vas SIM
clair. -. 80.