St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-10-07
Mlistduanp.
MATRIMONIAL sTRATAGEM
HOW TWO HOUSEHOLDS BECAME ONE.

HOW TWO HOUSEHOLDS BECAME one.
Mrs. Bcnoni Benson was fat, fair,
and forty-four, when her husband, a
soap-boilcr in very good circumstances,
was called from his life task of con-
tributing to the general publication of
mankind. Mrs. Benson took refuge
from her grief in Il pretty cottage,
situated on the principal street in the
town of C.
At first she was inconsolable and
she used TO say, with a solemn en-
phasis, which carried conviction to
the hearts Of her hearers, that nothing
but the thoughts Of her daughter
Florence would have prevented her
from terminating her existence Ivy the
intervention ofpoison.
Mrs. Benson was, in no small de-
gree, indebted to her daughtcr-Since
in less than three months she threw
aside her mourning, and became as
lively as ever.
Touching Florence, she had now
reached the mature age Of nineteen,
and began to think herself marriage,
able. She was quite pretty, and tol,
crablv wcll-accomplisllcd so that
her wishes in that respect were very
likely to be fulfilled.
just over the way lived SQUIRE
Markham, the village lawyer, just
vcreinw upon fifty. with his son
Charles. who was about half his are.
Being a young man of agreeable ex.
terror, the latter was quite u favoritc
with the Young ladies' in the ncighbor
hood. and considered in common par
lance quite a "catrh."
As yet. however, his affections ha,
never lccn seriously cntaugIpd, uul
might have remained So, had it no
been for the sudden apparitium. ON,
morning. Of Florence Benson, riding
on horseback.
II 7trueh him At g"r. 1.ai 49, Ma
pretty: lhercupon, lie c~'ii'Vatcd ne
acquaintance WIZ! aSa!anl'y
and alter while asked the iatal qnes
tion.
Florence answered IN me aiiirma
tive, and, instead OF referring INN du
tIin'ly I" her mo,hcF' h,h'ea ioe'h%
romantic young 'ady) no" clafil'hS
1t would be to steal away 10 the mex
town ana get married. without any
BODY beng INC wiser. -.
charles NaAham caught al I'm
mint, when ctllined with ms OWL
temperament ana hc resolved u
aoopt It.
In nrdef that IL might DC carrle'
out with perfect success IL was re
solved TO Z ihd,hercnt 10 eac
other nl''i the "ay hNea' IN oroer ,
ward on any suspicion which m'sh
"tiierWise DC aroused
30 Wen were thesc arrangement
carried OUT, ''at hrs' benson mao II
suspicion Oh what was CONS IN >,
No' SO WIN squire NatN'i''n: IL
had optaiheo a ciuc 10 lhc aiia'r i
some manner, so ina nc not oli'y al'
covered the iact OF the eloPeineht, pl
even inc very gay Oh "hicN IL was |
occur:
5 sly uoS. ina 'harics, thought i
TO hinlseh' as ne SAT do"h before II
/, hre III MS areSSihg-gown alia siiiokln
, cap ieisurely puilnS away at d cio!'
/ havana. bu' uoht WohuGr AT II
t ne only taxes AFTER me. sun o"
nm something lor keeping IL 50 5
| cretiy from me III "ou'd pe d goo
joke, II l were Il ilttle younger, TO q
> h!'n OUT ana marry her III spite
e nm
V squire Markham, VINO was IL
those JoViai wldowers VINO taxes II
AS IL comes 'lnsea more ana more {
; this idea, stuck out by chance as
were III ne really began 10 'hliA
y worm something.
v After all" shouted he, II am n
So ola e''her, OF al 'eas' 'he iaui
say so-alla lhey ought 10 oe So'
: Judges IN such matters. pave or'
"a pactcior a good Wl'ic an" ought
nave louhu out hciorc 'his no" 'lh'
more comfortable 1t would DC to Ia
f a pre,'y wiie TO welcome me o
ana 90 tite hohors OF my ,ao,e' alla
]" heip me Keep that t"Scai oharieS
p order ESad I've nan q lhIi" 10
H. ..
a odu''e h''h'l''i 'o0N wv INV
l. WINS anu rNoi'",G'
s"" ) II 10 ~
> mn'' 'hiS "SS''i!'"s vas
IN Nm' cav 'no i'""', ~ -, ,or'
W Wy ntAt los'u:,I' n"nS"'5
btIi, lie inquired bl lit StiN dlit