Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-06-19
SELECTED STORY.
HURRIED CoURTsHIP.

l was young man possessed OF SUIT
ficient means to enable me to live at
my ease, and refrain from labor Of any
kind, when suddenly there came blow
that scattered my prosperity to the
winds and forced me to employ my
labor and wits in the general struggle
of gaining a living. The blow came in
the shape Of the failure Of large firm
in which my capital was invested.
After securing clerkship in the
house Of a creditor Of our late firm, my
first care was to lock up less e1pen
sive boarding house than the fashionable
one in which I was living. I inserted
an advertisement in several widely
circulated city papers, asking for
reasonable board in a strictly private
family, and Of course received multi
tllde Of answers by next post. Out Of
this motley installmelit ofepistlss, there
was but one which pleased ne, and
that one decided 10 answer III person
Immediately.
Craze Kingsley was the name ofthc
favored landlady writing to ME, and
the letter stated that her house was
entirely private, having no bearders
whatever. I was much pleased with
the fair, delicate handwriting, and all
idea took possession Of me that Grace
was young and fascinating widow
| was not disappointed when 1 reached
the house, and my ringing at the door
bell was answered by the lady herself.
She invited lie into the psrlor in a
manner SO courteous, and yetso modest,
that I had fallen desperately in love
with her before l could cross the
threshold.
enjoyed a very pleasant chat with
Mrs. Kingsley. During the CONVEX
sation she informed me that her late
husband had been in fair way of
business, and at his death, which oc-
cured year previous, had left her in
pretty comfortable circumstances
They had but one child; and this item
Of mortality was graciously permitted
to look upon, as it lay peacefully slum
boring in its cradle. I also learned
that the lady was living IN the house
quite alone, and desired a male boar
der more as means OF protection than
as source of revenue. In conclusion
the landlady looked SO pretty (she was
quite young, not more than two OF
three and twenty and the board so
moderate, her cempanionshlp SO in
viting and she seemed to trust in me,
and look upon me favorably that ]
would have been heather, dead to all
charms and inducements of the sex, if
had not engaged board on the spot.
The next day had my trunk re
moved to my new boarding place, and
permanently established myself there
| Before leaving my former boarding
house, a letter was handed me by
the postman, but I did not find
time to examine it until I was cemfor-
tably ensconced, in the parlor OF Mrs.
| Kingsley's cosy house.
Opening the letter, I discovered it to
be from wealthy uncle of mine, resid-
ing in Vermont, who regularly sent me
letter once year; but whom | had
never seen. His epistles were always
short and to the point, generally con
sisting of an account of the weather in
his locality, and some good advice te
me to take care Of my money, as
might be burdened with some of it be-
fore was much older. / was always
very glad to get this advice from him
as regarded it as an intimation that
was 10 inherit his wealth on his de
cease.
One day, however, about yeal
previous, received letter from him
which contained another topic besides
those mentioned My uncle made
some pressing inquiries respecting my