Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-02
(FrOm Chambers Journal
Mrs, WInlbush,s Revenge,

Poor Mrs. Marrables! So young, too-only
siX-and-thirty, and very little worse for wear.
A widow with the bloom of youth still upon
her cheeks, (spiteful people who aged faster
went so far as to say that Mrs. Marrable's bloom
was like the mamma of the Israelites-"new
every moning''-but this was malice) haxen
hair, gray-blue eyes; a small-boned woman with
downy skin; and figure just plump and no
more, which would wear forever without spread
ing 10 obesity or criddling up into wrinkles. She
had daughter of sixteen, by the name'of Ma
Iilda, less young, in proportion to her years,
than herself 1t is no atfectation to say that the
two women would pass anywhere for sisters
Mrs. Marrables as the elder by at most four or
five years. A stranger would readily be incred-
uous as to the relationship between them beng
that of mother and daughter. Such mistake,
when it is made in fvOr of a woman who is old
and looks it, is said not to be unpleasant to the
omniVerous appetite for hattery developed in
some of the sex by advancing years; but to
Mrs. Marrables it was most embal RAISING. She
was not old; she did not look it and the eXplana-
ton involved made the stranger suspect her of
being older than she rea ly was. But for this,
Mrs. MarrableS might have been married long
before. She was never invited out without her
daughter; and whenever any eligible gentleman
began to pay the slightest attention, some near
friend or other would be certain TO whisper
CHATS Matilda's MOTHER" and of course here
was an end OF it.
1t must not be concealed that mother and
daughter did not "hit it" very well together.
Mrs Marrabes resented her daughters very
existence; while Matilda could not but be scan
dalized at having so youthful a mother II was
plain to Mrs. MarrableS that, in order to her
own success in life, her daughter must be got
rid OF. People who arrive ut such a determna-
ton in novels, too often resort TO crime to re
move person from their path. But Mrs. Mar
rabies went to church twic every Sunday. A.
last she married Matilda out of her way TO one
Mr.. Wimbush, most respectable retired corn
merchant Of Highgate. Poor Mrs Manables
How basely did Matilda return her kindness.
Twelve months alter her marriage, everybody
read in the Times: "The wife of Jethro Win
bush, Esq, o. a daughter" This was too
much. grandmother at thirty-siX! A youth
full, singing, waltzlng grandmother, whose very
youthfulness, taken in conjunction with II not
unnatural desire TO get married again, became a
reeproach in the eyes of all right-thinking peo-
| pie.
"My dear, she is a grandmother" women
| woull say to one another; land how deceitful
| it is of her to look So young"
Carries three generations remarkably well, -
said The men; but you know, old fellow, she
must be jolly old"
Seventeen years passed away, and still Mrs.
Marrables, to the scandal of everybody, was as
young as ever, OF nearly SO, to all appearances
and as single as ever. In years she was fifty
three, and Of course ought to have dressed for
| the part. But her whole manners, feeling and
|
years, and seemed palpably to refute them
| Had she done anything wicked in her youth
people whispered, and was it punishment
Was she a wandering Jewess2 How could she
wear faXen hair and chignon at her time Of
life? 1t was indecent, improper scandalous!
She might at least take to caps, with gray
front, and coikscrew ringlets, and a piece Of
narrow black velvet across her forehead for the
sake of decoration. Then look at the way she
dressed! Always in the fashion, streaming up
the church aisles on a Sunday, settling ner silks
and laces and ribbons like girl. AS for hel
complexion, heard one lady say, "Bless you
it isn't paint, and it can't be enamel; I've tried
both, and | know how little wear there is in
either. The woman is petrifed, or else EN-
balmed. I'm sure of it, for she uses nothing but
violet powder"
Mrs. Marrables, or as she was commonly
called, Mrs. Evergreen, was not even engaged
| There seemed settled conviction in the minds
of eli ible suitors, that since man may moi
marry his own grandmother, the golden rule Of
"Do unto others" ought to forbid them from
marrying other peoples grandmothers. Besides
what horrible thing it was that the woman
wouldn't grow odd 1t must be wicked, it twas
real.
| Mrs, Marables never forgaye Matilda for max