Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1864-09-16
vi l sc l. l. l. AN Y.
THE WIDOWS sTRATAGEn.

spcct oF All TIE inhabitants of the liitle vil-
lage Of Centersille. vas rumorcd 10 have.
"a ankec pariance. a pretty sharp look
cot ior the main chance. a p~culiaritv from
-h1ch deacons arr not al~ays exempt.
In worldly matters be was -cu % DO.
having Inherited tine farm from hi, father.
Which uas grO~ing yearly more valuable
u might b. supposed thar under these cir
eonistanccs th- deacon. ~bo was fully able
20 DO 80. ~ould have found belpma,e 20
SHARE his house and hone But the Deacon
~as vary. Matrimoay "a O. him. Il. some
neasurc. a matter of money. and O. "a his
arm resolve not % marry unle.. b. couid
thereby enhance his worldly prosperity.
JnhapPi.y. thc liulc village Of Centr-,ilI-
and tn to~n in the immediate v;,inrfv
continued fc~ shO wcrc qualified in N q, I'M
E-ortani particular. and Of these thrrr we're
probably none nth -hom the deacon, .uit
would have prosT-crcd
- f happened that years passed. a-av-
until deacon Bancroft ~as IN the prin,~ 81
iife-iorsy i've or hercabouts-an.l .till an
naarTied. and IN AL probability hkeiy 20 ~
main %. Bot N all human calculation. Of
tbs kind they reckon ill -ho leave widow,
out.
Deacon Bancron's nearest neirbbor -.
a ~ido~.
The -ido- Wells. -bo had passed
tAroagh one matrimonial exI.ericncc. "a
some three or four yvar- Younger than dea-
con hancroit. She ~as buxom. com.Ir
~ou'an. a. -idoss are apt O. D. Tnf,rtp-
nateis. the late NJ Well. had no, been
able D. leave hrr sufficient mean. 90 rn.ie
hrr indepvudrnt ofthc word. All that .h.
Possessed ~as the small old-fashion..l bo-..
a ~hieh 81 lived. and small amount of
mooey. -hich vAs insgficiont % support
her. an little son Of seven. hke~isr o. be
cnsHeraied IN the schcdule ofLer property.
though hardly 10 b. cias.ed a. q. productive
VI anything Bat mischief
Ibe ~idow was therefore Obliged % t.k.
thrve or four boarlcrs. o. exc out her se.nfv
Income. ~hich Of course. imposed upon her
considerable labor and anxiety
j. % surprising that under thee cir-um-
stances she should nov AMI tben bethoo-bt
bcrsei u second marriage q better hrr
oondltions Or again. need -e esteem u a
sPeciA ~0uler. o.. ln bcr reflection on tbi.
point. sie shosld have cast her eve, on h,.r
heat nsigLbor. deacoa Bancrofis The
descon a. 90 have already said. ~as in aosr.
isaing circ-fustanccs. he wouh be able
O. MAINTAIN a safe in great comfott. ani b.
'ng one OF tie chief personages n che vii
iage. co-id aAord hcr = prominent soeial
position lie Wa not especially hand.ou4.
or calculated 20 make a prof0and imprcs-
sion GA the iemaic bcart-this ~ trge-
Bat be as good dispositioned. kind heart
ed. ard u0sid no dosbt make a very Good
sori Of hasband. " ido~s are. 4 take H.
(ii ihey do mc The honor o. read this story.
trlst tb-y -iu iorgis- th- ru.as-k ., D..
disposed % weigh sentiment in q scconl
marriage than a trst. and so. in willows
poiut oi sicv. dca on Bancroft was a de.ir-
a5ie match
s1-ac sagaci0us person. houever. has OBJ
served that g takes to O. make a match. a
iaet % bc seriously considered. 10 in tbe
present case % as exceedingly doubtful
~hether the worthy descon. even if b. had
sno~H The favorable opinion of hi. neat
nciglbor. uoull have been inclined to rro-
Po-r banging ber name 10 Bancroft. anI-s.
indeed a ssitabie motive "a. brourh, ~
bear upon ban.
Here ~as a ssp8rb chance for snr..ing.
wherein wid0ss are said. a. general tbing.
to be expert.
One evening after day ~ hfiru,rs ia.
tor the uido- Wells .ai 60 t.- 6-r ia tae
''iiiag room ~th b. isst resting oa tbe
frnd,r
au ever so sit1ated as not to have
o. uors % hard, shall bel happy Irsa
hari Iie keeping boariers ifI 80 only
e. vel 81 as deacon Baneroh--
snil ihe -ido~ kept up bcr thinking. and
by aad by her face frightened up. She
bad aa ,lea -hich shs ~as resolved 90 paf
into ssecluon ai tbc very ear l.est moment.
" Lai t ras ibe reader ~ill discover in che
seqa,L
Henry. nii she to her son thc neat
morning. n uant you to stop sf deacon
Baneroii. a. yoa g to school ard a.k hira
u he viI call ani see me ia tbe m1raing 20
Afternoon. just a. bel hnd. it most convc-
r.rrt
u,acon Bancrof uas a ht.le f4rpr sd at
this Summons. lloscyer. about eleven
o,io,k. hc called in. The vidos had v1t
oa fl. dinner. art bad Iei.ure to 80 loun.
~te appeared a Iffie emiarrassed