The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-10-08
Widow Wells Stratagem,
Or va i ~
Catching a Deacon.

~ good man in the main, and looked
up to with respect by all the inhabitants of
the little village of Centreville, was rumor-
ed to have, in Yankee parlance, q ''pretty
sharp eye to the main chance "a peculiar
ity from which even ,deacons are not al
ways exempt
In worldly matters he was decidedly well
to do, having inherited fine farm from
his father, which was growing yearly more
valuable. 1t might be supposed that unde:
these circumstances, the deacon, who was
fully able to do so. would have found help
mate to share his house and name. But
the Deacon was wary. Matrimony was
to him in some measure matter of money,
and it was his firm resolve that he would
not marry unless he could thereby enhance
his worldly prosperity. Unhappily, the
little village of Centreville and the towns
of the immediate vicinity contained few
who were qualified in this important par
ticular and of those there were probably
none with whom the Deacon's suit would
have prospered. uy .. .t.I0.
So it happened that year after year pass
ed away, until Deacon Bancroft was in the
prime of life--forty-fye, or thereabouts-
and still unmarried, and in all human
probability likely to remain so. But in all
human calculations of this kind, they reck-
on all who leave widows out.
Deacon Bancroft's nearest neighbor was
widow.
The Widow Wells, who had passed
through one matrimonial experience was
some three or four years younger than
Deacon Bancroft. She was still quite a
buxom, comely woman, as widows are
apt to be. Unfortunately, the late Mr.
Wells had not been able to leave her suffic-
lent to make her independent of the world
All that she possessed was the small, old
fashioned house in which she lived, small
amount of money which was insufficient to
support her and little son of seven, like
wise to be enumerated in the schedule of
her property, though hardly to be classed as
productive"-of anything but mischief.
The widow was therefore obliged to
take three or four boarders, to eke out her
scanty income, which of course imposed
upon her considerable of labor and anxiety.
1t is surprising that under these circum-
stances that she should now bethought her.
self of a second marriage, as a method of
bettering her condition? Or again, need
we esteem it special wonder il, in her
reflections upon her next neighbor, Deacon
Bancroft? The deacon, as we have already
said, was in flourishing circumstances. He
would be able to maintain a wife in great
comfort; being one of the chief personages
in the village, could accord her a prominent
social position. He was not especially
handsome, or calculated to make aprofound
impression upon the female heart-this
was true-but he was of good disposition,
kind-hearted, and would no doubt make a
very good sort of a husband. Widows are,
/ take it, Gf any shall do me the honor and
read this story, trust they will forgive the
remark, )less disposed to weigh sentiment in
the second alliance than first and so in
widows point of view, Deacon Bancroft
was very desirable match.
Some sagacious person, however, has OBJ
served that it takes two to make match,
fact to be seriously considered; for in the
present case it was exceedingly doubtful
whether the worthy deacon, even if he had
have known the favorable opinion of the
next neighbor, would have proposed to
changing her name to Bancroft, unless, in.
deed, a suitable motive was brought tc
bear upon him. aiea tnI
Here was a chance for lnessing, wherein
widows are said, as general thing to bC
expert.
One evening, after day of fatiguine
labor, the Widow Wells sat at the fire il
the sittjng-room with her feet resting upoI
the fender.
eff ever am SO situated as not to hay'
to work SO hard, she murmured, ~ shal
be happy. It's a hard life, keeping board
ers. If l only was as well off as Deacol
Bancroft.
Still the widow kept up thinking, ant
by-and-by her face was frightened up. Sh
had an idea, which she resolved to put il
execution at the earliest practicable mo
ment. What it was the reader win dis
cover in the sequel,
" Henry" said she, to her son, the mex
morning, 81 want you to stop at Ban
croft's, as you go to school, and ask him
he will cali and see me in the course Of til
morning or forenoon, just as he finds
zo.,.va.;ank -