Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-05-18
Leap Year.-A Rich Widows Choice

"A romantic marriage was solemnized in
St. z au's church, in East Seventeenth
street, recently, the couple being Mr..
Thomas Pagan and Mrs. J. Read. 1t was
the climax Of q case Of love at first sight.
and the raising Of a poor young man to
atfiuence.
Mr.. Thomas Pagan is the son of the
late James +. Pagan, who was superin-
tendent of Wards Island. Young Fagan
led lively aud fast life previous TO his
fathers death, and thus naturally incurred
the old gentleman's dlspleasure. He was
cut off with shilling. Thomas then sen.
sibly went to work to earn an honest
living. Being young, OF prepossessing
address, be soon obtained employment
with Mr.. Patrick Martin, house painter
in Harlem.
In about three weeks time he fourished
the paint brush in an artistic manner.
and couldpu new coat on an old fence or
house as well as any experienced painter.
About this time he was sent by his
employer to brighten up the interior OF
the lonely dwelling Of the buxom widow
of the late Joseph Read, a gentleman who
had acquired a large fortune in Washing
ton market. The widow was decidedly
taken with young Pagan on his first ap-
pearance in the house, and watched his
work with an apparently deep intrest
In fact she followed him from room to
room, scarcely leaving him alone for a
minute. This made Thomas little ner-
vous, and being rather sensitive be
imagined that the widow suspected him
OF dishonesty. The longer Thomas re-
mained in the widows domicile the closer
she watched him. Finally it made him
so uncomfortable that he resolved to
stand it no longer.
He informed his employer OF this state
of affairs, and another man was sent in
his place. This did not suit the widow,
and when the new painter made his ap-
pearance, she bade him return TO do the
work, saying that she wanted him and
none other to work for her. Fagan was
accordingly sent to finish the job. While
Pagan was buisly at work, Mrs. Read
stepped up to him and asked him wheth-
er he was married. On being answered
in the negative, she said, "Then am
going to take advantage of the leap year
and make you proposition of marriage"
"But, my dear madam, said the
young man blushing TO the roots of his
hair" you must surely be joking we
are strangers, and / am sure that you do
not mean what you say"
"If you think 1 am joking and do not
mean what say just put on your coat
and 60 with me to my lawyer, and
will make over 20 you $780, 900 worth of
property, said the bouncing widow.
Young Pagan, convinced by her man
ner that she was III earnest, straightway
accompanied her to the lawyer, and a
deed was drawn up giving to sFagan
$4,000 worth Of property, which he
was to become possessed of on the day
of the marriage. Pagan, after the agree
ment had been made, gave up his work.
He can be seen daily riding throgh the
city behind fast horse, which draws
stylish turnout, and he is one of the best
dressed men 10 be seen on the street.
Whenever he meets one of his old chums
he halls him and says, swell, boys, this
is better than painting, eh ?"-M y Sun.
"Mack "the well known correspondent
" hit Off Charles Francis thusly
s"lAdams don't know any thing about
the United States. don't believe he
ever crossed the Allegheny Mountains.
He has studied bis country-men through
a teles0pe At Harvard Uuiyersitv.