The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-12
From the Norfolk Day BOOK.
A Cav nccetVer.

was eoral 10 Ave and twenty single gals, in
the mint of coming II over you" Ihis
NAV be true in Her Britanic Majesty's do
minions, where gullible gentlemen are sup.
posed to be numerous, but in TINS grea,
~ and glorious C) and happy 81 anu ~
Tree ~ country, without meaning te
disparace the smartness of our Ameri'
can widows, we have numerous sharp
tborns In pifurcated integuments, who
wopld.riye Sam Weller's smartest widow
the odds of pawn and two moves and
then beat her out afterwards. An in.
stance Of this has lately come to light
which proves this assertion, and proves te
what extent q widow can be deceived.
On one Of the streets Of this city resides
a widow whom, for prudential reasons, We
will call Mrs. V. The lady was left 9
widow about three years ago; an ounce o
lead had penetrated Mr.. VS. lungs, and
his few remaining days were passed in
hospital. Mrs. V. never saw him after
the evacuation of this city, and was
widow some months before she knew 1t
Except the house she lived in, some jew.
elry. and a lot of comfortable furniture
there was little Of the worlds goods lef'
to her, but apart from the fact that she
had to struggle for food and raiment ioi
herself aud little ones, she was quite com
Portable. Mrs. V. was lonely, and deter
termined to relieve that loneliness ana III
crease her income by taking one or TWO
boarders. Accordingly she let 1t be known
that for a reasonable compensation she
would provide snug quarters for one or TWO
single gentlemen who were willing to eX-
change references.
In due time O very respectable-lo looking
individual of about five and forty, who was
soberIy dressed, and who represented him.
self as quiet bachelor in quest OF quiet
home convenient to his business, presented
himself. and being o stranger, was unable
10 give city reference, but could give any
reference in New York. Mrs.
V. was we'll pleased with his appearance,
deportment, and conversation, and con-
cluded to take him in, this nice, quiet
bachelor, and accordingly so informed him.
Some little bargaining was then made as
to the price of board; she charged him
lust fifty cents per week more than ne
wanted to pay, remarking that as a strictly
lust man he always drove close bargain,
but always stuck to it.
Mrs. v, unwilling to lose so quiet and
a boarder, finally consented
% the reduction; he was duly installed in
, snug room, the best carpet, the best bed,
and a comfortable armchair being promi-
lent features therein. He surveyed his
lomicil, expressed himself delighted, and
delighted Mrs. V. by handing over two
weeks board in advance.
He gave his name as Turpin, talked
much of his business, and led the lonely
widow to believe that he was man OF con-
iderable means and of great business
qualifications. His plausible manners and
mooth tongue soon won for him the friend
hip and esteem of not only the lonely
widow, but of all her friends, who had
allied and cultivated the acquaintance of
he quiet bachelor, but thorough business
nan.
In a short while he begun to speak of
frs. V. TO her friends as "such nice
adv" and on one or two occasions volun-
eered the opinion that "she was devilish
God looking" This, of course, reached
IRIS. VS. ears, as it was intended, and
here is little doubt but the lonely widow
,egun to think, though she didn't say 1t,
hat Mr.. T. was devilish nice man. by
md by he begun to talk to Mrs. V. about
,er lonely situation. Next, he got TO lay
ng his right paw on his left breast, ana
hen he would raise his eyes ceiling-wards,
md "sigh like furnace" which meant
/. love, as plain as the language could
neal, It. To shorten the story, MI. L.
the widow accepted, ana the
redd;nr was to have taken place last
"wednesday week ago. During the court
~, be Maid several visits to his New York
nonsa and always came back delighted
With the large business that was being
done there.
Every arrangement was made for the
wedding, the company was invited, ana
things were progressing finely house
keeper was engaged to take care of things
At home while the happy couple went of
ON their bridal tour, and everybody was
delighted. Wednesday morning came and
everything was hustle; Mrs. V. was busy,
one or two Of her intimate friends were
busy, and things were progressing timely.
The subject of cake and such "fixins y
was undertaken by Mr.. 7. "just to help"
and during the day he called Mrs. V. one
side and remarked that as she might feel
some little delicacy in allowing him to pay
for the corrections, she could give him
thirty dollars to pay for them, and to-
morrow you can pay yourself back from
our pocket-book.
Mrs. V. handed over the thirty dollars.
Mr.. Turpin said he would proceed at once
to pay the bill and order the things up
He returned about dinner time, and re-
marked that the articles would arrive
about 4 p. M. ooh! there is another
matter to be attended to-" said he; "your
watch and chain, and indeed your jewelry
generally, is little furnished, and Free,
man can rub them up in half an hour, and
make them look like new" Happy
thought and the widow was delighted tc
think what thoughtful, accommodating
man her second husband was. She placed
her watch and trinkets in his hands, and
he started off to have them rubbed up
but that was the last seen or heard OF him
OF the thirty dollars, or the watch and
trinkets.
The guests came in the evening, bu
there were no CONNECTIONS TO give them
there was no groom, and there was ne
wedding; but the poor deluded and swim
died widow was there with but seventy-tve
cents in her pocket to buy bread for her
self and little ones. The mean, sneaking
contemplate sinner stripped his victim Of
money and effects to the tune of 5000, be-
sides owing six weeks board, which Mrs
v. did not like to call on him for under the
circumstances. Tony Weller would have
had no occasion to caution Sam against
such "widders but if Sam had beer
widow it would have been prudence
to caution her against aged gay deceiver!
with two or three stores that nobody knows