The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-11-04
A Widows Ruse; or how Uncle Ben got
Tangled.
BY ELLIOTT.

Widows, to take them as a class, are
generally smart, acknowledgement
ally the young ones-old ones only
prove that they are not, by remaining
single. As proof we have a little
narrative to relate of one, who Stan
gled" an old bachelor up in the section
where | once resided for time.
Uncle Ben Carleton, as almost every
one called him, was bachelor, in hale
health, of fifty years or thereabouts,
and q confirmed and boastful woman
hater, almost especially did he seem to
detest widows, for with them he would
have nothing to do-although he would
sometimes smile at some nice Joke
played upon him by pretty village
girl, and had been known on two occa-
sions to lend his umbrella to Ester
Comstock, the belle of the place, and
the best singer in the choir of the
church which he attended. 1t was
raining hard, and he insisted upon
her taking it, both times, and he lent
it in true old bachelor style, for he
didn't lend himself with it, but walked
home alone in the rain.
In vain did several very pretty wild
ows in our place " set their caps for
him"-he was well off, and not ill-look-
ing either-but in vain did half-mourn-
ing, coquettish ribbons, pretty bonnets,
faultless CATERS, and neat ancles, at
tempt to "catch his eye" His eye
teeth, it was reported, had been cut
when he was quite young and suscep-
tible-if SO, he was determined evi-
IDENTIFY never to let them deaatate on him
again.
But one widow there was amongst
us, keen as briar, pretty as pink,
who had made her mind up to "tangle
him in her web," and as she made no
secret of it, he was doubly on his guard
against her.
/ Susan Whitman was her name-she
had been married young, and merei-
full providence soon relieved her of a
husband who was utterly worthless rs
a man could be, and who hardly left
enough property to bury him decently.
Susan, therefore, was poor. hn. Il h,,er
nimble fingers were unusually expert
with the needle, and it did not trouble
/ her to get along, for she was naturally
industrious and very popular in the
village.
i Every one who had heard of her In
tended capture of old Uncle Ben, had
llaughed at it as matter of impossi-
bility, but none more than himself. But
she quietly worked on in the even tenor
of her way, rendering herself liked
and respected by all, and even winning
. his respect, for he had a truly benevo
lent heart, and had known of her suf
ferings, and even felt pity for her wher
she was linked to worse than worth
less husband.
And pity is so near akin to love, that
: it is surely dangerous relative, worse
than pretty cousin by all odds.
About this time a cousin of Susan's
speaking of Cousins is the time t.
bring it in, came to the village to prac
tice his profession, that of a physician
and having the reputation of Ions
: practice in the city of P, he very
soon had an excellent practice in the
village. Being a married man, and hi
wife liking company, he soon got Susar
t ensconced In his house.
} And shortly after it began to be no
T ticed that her visits out around becam,
less frequent, her cheek more pale thar
usual, and soon rumor was spread
: abroad, and rumors fly on rapid wing
in small places, that poor Susan wa
o.fr