The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-04-21

chart would do for both father and son.
| | said that my father was marrying mar
He began to marry young, and whep he
once got in that way, he couldn't break him
self of the habit and so he kept on, unit
he had married FIVE wives unfortunately h
didn't live in Chicago, or he might hav
done better, and buried four, and then h
made period to his existence, leaving hi
wife, aud fourteen orphans beside myself, t
mourn his untimely end.
My father was an excellent man. He dl
his duty, that is, generally speaking to hi
wives and children. There was only on
thing that he neglected to do, and that was t
die rich In all other respects he was sue
cess. AS a husl and and father, he wa
| particularly So
| After my fathers death became the pc
cular care Of my Aunt Deborah Kempton
my mothers only sister, and an old maid
She was wealthy. She took me to live witt
her, and sent me to~school; and was givcr
to understand that if behcaved myself il
would be money in my pocket by and-by.
When l came Of age my aunt set me up in
business. She said that if I couldn't make
money, and if I couldn't keep it after it was
made, why, it would be useless to leave me
her property, as should only squander it.
without doing myself any good.
I She experimental on me for FIVE years. l
went into business in almost every large city
| in the Union, and my aunt furnished the cap.
| ital, but didn't succeed. I really didn't
| know why. I knew how to handle money"
I've always considered handling money my
noboroh orrood yufh mo m
that point; but at last she became disguised
with my way of handling money, and refus-
ed. in bowling hall vernacular, to "set 'em
up again." and SO was obliged to retire
from business.
1t was in St. Louis where my last failure
took place. My aunt wrote to me, saying
that hadn't any talents worth speaking of !;
but she had heard that 'took after my faith
err" He never succeeded in anything but
marrying. "Hadn't you better try that Z"
That was the way she closed her letter.
1t reused my bile and I determined that l
would marry and l would marry into for
tune, and afterwards set up as banker and
become Rothschild, when could laugh tt
Aunt Deborah and her money
This didn't seem very difficult thing to
do. was pretty we'll known through the
the country, as young man Of irreproach-
able character and great expectations. Aunt
Deborah had declared her intention Of max
ing me her sole heir. Somebody heard her,
and that somebody had told somebody else,
and 50 the story went. Consequently, as far
as money was concerned, was good match
for the Queen, even-sne being widow
q never had any idea Of marrying her though.
Her family is not only too large, but alto
gether too expensive; besides, the Prince of
Wales is behaving himself so badly that l
know it would break my heart, before l had
been his stepfather month";
An acquaintance Of mine, Mr.. Filkinham
Flatbroke, dropped in to see me while I was
thinking Of these things. Flatbroke is con-
nected with some Of the first families in St.
Louis. He had been married twice, but was
young and joyous widower at this time
His father left him large fortune when he
died, and Gilkinham went through it with
wonderful celebrity. After that, having nothing
else to busy himself about he got married His
wife was rich, and Filkinham went right to
work investing her money for her. He hadn't
but just got it inyested-all secure, you know
when she died. Some people thought that
be wouldn't survive her great while. His
was fearless sorrow, you see. If he could
have cried, if he could have shed tear, no
doubt he could have recovered sooner, but
he couldn't discount, and 50 he waited about
nine months and then he married again and
as his second wife had large fortune, he
was obliged to invest that; he did it too.-
After she died, his relatives dubbed togeth-
er, and agreed to make him an allowance Of
I wont undertake to say how much per month";
but it was certainly enough to support him
in good style.
AS was saying he called to sec me just as
I had completed all my plans for the future.
'"Ah, Filkinham, glad to see you,'' said l,
particularly, as this is the last time that
those midnight orbs of yours will ever behold
this Interesting countenance, as l start for
the east tomorrow"
Going to see your aunt ?" asked Filkin-
ham.
''Not at present. I'm going to get a wife
first"
90! indeed! [ wasn't aware that you we're
engaged, Harry"
"Well, I'm not. haven't seen the wo-
man yet, that I am going to marry. I'm 60
ing to Santum Beach to spend the summer.
There's plenty of nice people there every
year, and if | find the woman there that I'm
in search Of / shall marry her if can"
"And III 60 on with YOU" cried Filkin-
ham.
every good Get your traps together at
once, for [ want to start to morrow"
There, now I've told you how 1 came to be
stopping at Santam, and what my motive was
in going there.
But about this Miss Fitz- Fluke, whom no.
body knew, although everybody wanted to.
She was more than ordinary handsome, though
not strictly beauty. Her complexion was
rather shady and her eyes were of the same
color, excepting the purple shade, and as
bright as the dew drops
(Which the sun
1mpearls on every leaf and every flower"
0, They were beautiful eyes and she knew
it, and she had way of playing them"
upon fellow which was perfectly distracting.
And the worst Of it was that nobody knew
her, and so it was utterly impossible for
young man to get an introduction, and mean
time she kept her room, except for a few
hours every morning, when she took an air
ing in one of the prettiest little phatons,
behind pair Of sleek locking gray ponies
| believe that every single map-and ner-