National Republican., 1873-05-29
A HURRIED coURTsHiP.

Twas young man possessed OF suficient
means to enable me TO live at my case, aud
refrain from labor OF any kind, when sud-
nenly there came q blow that scattered my
prosperity to the winds, and forced me IN
employ my labor and wits In the general
htuggle Of gaining 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
creditor Of our late firm, my first caro- was to
look up less expensive clearinghouse than
the fashionable one In which was living.
inserted an advertisement In several widely
circulated city papers, asking for reasonable
board In, q strictly private family, and OF
course received multitude Of answers by the
next post Ont Of this motley installment OF
Y spistles there was hut one that pleased me,
fsNd that ono decided TO answer In person
Immediately.
Grace Kingsley was the name Of the favored
landlady writing to me, aud the letter stated
that her house was entirely private, having
no boarders whatever. was much pleased
with the fair delicate handwriting, and an
idea took possession Of me that Grace was a
young and fascinating widow. Twas not
disappointed when / reached the house, and
the lady herself. She invited me Into the
parlor in a manner so courteous, and yet 40
modest, that had fallen desperately In love
with her before I could cross the threshold.
enjoyed q very pleasant chat with Mrs.
/ Kingsley. During the conversation she In
formed me that her late husband had been IN
a fair way of business, and at his death,
wear previous, had left her In very comforta-
/ bic circumstances. They had but one child,
and this item Of mortality was most gra-
Ciously permitted to look upon, as u lay
Il peacefully slumbering In its cradle; ! also
i learned that the lady was living In the house
quite alone, and desired q male boarder more
as means Of protection than as source OF
revenue. In conclusion tho landlady looked
20 pretty, (she was quite young, not more
than two or three and twenty, and the
board 80 moderate, her eompanion.hip so In,
wiling, and she seemed to trust In me And
look upon me so fayorably that would have
4 been heather, dead to all charms and In:
n ducemcnts Of the sex, u had not engaged
Sboard on the spot.
> The next day had my trunk removed to
my new boardlng-placc, and permanently es-
tablishcd myself there. Before leaving my
hoarding-house letter was handed me by
Tho oostman, but did not find time TO exam
ine Il rutll was comfortably ehsconced In
the parlo,- OF Mrs. Kingsley.'s cory house.
OpenInu che letter / discovered IL TO be
from ! MeaIth :, uncle OF mine, residing In
Vcrmont who re yularly sent me letter once
"A yenr Int whom 1 lad never seen. His epis.
lies were always short and to the point, gep-
orally consisting Of an account OF tne weauiei y,
In his locality, and good ADVICE 70 me 70 taks s
care Of my money q %gn. might. = I was S much
older. was always very glad TO set Ini'
advice from him, a. I regarded II as an lnti'
nation that was to inherit his wealth on MI
decease.
Irecelyed a letter from him which contained
another topic besides those / have men
toned. Ny uncle made some pressing In.
quiTles about my matrimonial prospecta anu
Atated that II I was not already maFned
shou.'t at once enter into the wooded state,
and let him know OF u, or he would never
more be NJ uncle Of mine; -,
Nsy, as nv uncle lived in Vermont and
in Philadel ,Nhia, aud i never anticipated
that he would ever pay me ylsit and als
cover the falschoGd, ] wrote and iptormsc
father of a bouncing baby. This intelli
rence 40 pleased my uncie that he sent golt
Goblet and silver pap-spoon 70 De presentet
to my child. ] at once sat GOWN anu Niou ",
a very romantic letter to my uncie, lnhnNtni
him for the presents, and then 'i1 hn,h ~ NJ,
nearest jewelry store and turned po,n w
goblet and spoon into cash, which pofketed
- received no further letters from my urcl'
until the one read In Mrs. Kingsley parior
The postscript to this moi. .ouly astonished, bu
absolutely frightened me; ! read s,an,s a. io,,ow.
80 have decided to do so at once, and get
look at you and your wife aud enid. ioI
may expect me about the lOth OF the month
1tGood graciousl Ny uncle Is coming =
Welt me, exclaimed, and y past ,nc lUs
momen. he may pop in. What am to d.
for wife and child p
Al that mollent there came terrible pni
at the door-bell, Us II tho mau Who pulled
Imagined that he owned the house and o9ul
make as much noise as no pleased
had a misgiying that Il was my uncle. Now
aS gond fortune would have 10, Mrs. klnRs
lev mad gone out to neighboring store ior
few moments, and had requested me TO nav
an eye to her child while she YES Zone
hurst itself. As l glanced at the eraaie ~
Thought OF my uncle at the door, bright as
entered my mind. determined, ia ease u
visitor was my uncle, TO claim the yoviAt'
occupant as my own, -
\ The visitor proved to be my uncle. knel
him By the pictures OF him had seen, and
likewise kRev me by my photograph, Alt'
A mutual recognition and hhnd-shakhg,
nshered my honored relative Into tho parls
and introduced him to my newly claimed OF
spring. ,,,, al, Al. ar., n,oao
of our married life. i assure you tak
pleasure In presenting to you my enid.
at "a a fat little youngster, said my upcl
gazing at 1t admirably. "By the way wh'
Il It, boy or girl y
for he waI Just as much acquainted win
GENDER as was. But II would not do
show Ignorance on the subject, 30 answer
= at hap-haEard that VI was hoy.
~ am sorry u is boy, SAID ny unSi @
U you had only produced . little blne-eyS
girI IL would have been more sensible
assured him was sorry the gend,r 81
not suit, but hoped In tho future his wish'
would be gratined. ,.,
,ncIe but the worst feared was that, whe
Wrs Kingsley returned, she might object
nv Claiming ownership In her child. b
aides, 10 carry out my deception; must "
a wife as well as an infant, anu W, hinssi' y.
was the only one could conyeniently eiaiI
sTbe only difficulty was to get her consent
,hn Sscsntion. and this might be Done II
nnn,S only secure private conyersAiea vi
her before introduced her tony uncie''h
II would be oil right. -. ,,a,Doa
,ntsrview with her before she entered
rnom told her, in q few brief aud nyIi
,Sords the extent OF my difficulty, and hoy
ssd taken ths liberty Of acting as papa
her little one. tLen told her ! ~ maIs ai,ow u"
,nintroduce her In that capacity. she lausl
ssry heartily at the suggestion, sala sho ~
es9prehend my difficulty, and eonsen.Sp ,ssn.S
nev proposal, and very rogulshly xaTnea
my my, ta IA bresuinc upon the occurrence. H.,
We fisn entered the ,I,, Gs,rloMs ~ ANA Sns,e ,s
duced her si my bet better lin haii her ny and % com
msSSted mem me upon my good choice IN @ ,ne
,sssion Of wife. Mrs Klngslcy, Of soa @
"oIored most charminglT q this eSmPEhi% ss,,PIhin
,, and could scarcely refrain from lsugninl n n
'You have a ane 6oy mere he sradls, =
toMrs. Kingsley, poa,nIh shst eoloripC
excuse me- sir' Aaiu 'Hi'
wa dlmbioundod. Iwas exposed 10
ipIouity, Would my uncle believe i,0 me y
thisi lie looked from me 70 my p'e'S
lady with puzLisa eoan.e UNI n wss n how,