The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-05-17
4 HURRIED COURTSHiP,

was young man possessed of suf-
ticlent means to enable me to live at
my ease, and lefrain from labor of any
kind, when suddenly there came a
blow that scattered my prosperity to
the wlnds, and forced me to employ nv
labor and wits in the general struggle
to gain living. The blow came in the
shape of the failure of a large firm in
which my capital was invested.
After securing a clerkshlp in the
house of a creditor of our late firm,
my first care was to look up less ex-
pensive boarding house than the fash
lOnable one III which | was living. I
inserted an advertisement in several
widely circulated city papers, asking
for reasonable board in "a strictly pri-
vate family, and of course received a
multitude of answers by the next post.
Out of this molly iIstallment of epis-
ties, there was out one which pleased
me, and that one | decided to answer
In person Immediately
Grace Kingsley was the name Of the
favored landlady writing to me, and
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.
was not disappointed when | reached
the house and my ringing at the door
bell was answered by the lady herself.
She invited me into the parlor in a
manner SO courteous, and vet so
modest, that | had fallen desperately
In love with her before / could cross
the threshold
enjoyed very pleasant chat with
Mrs. Kingsley. During the converse
ton she informed me that her late
husband had been in fair way of
business, and at his death, which oc-
CURED a year previous, had left her in
prettT comfortable circumstances.
They had but one child aud this item
OF mortality [ was most graciously per-
mltted to look upon as it lay peacefully
slumbering IN it's cradle [ also
learned that the lady was living in the
house quite alone, and desired male
boarder more as a means of protection
than as source of revenue. In con
elusion, the landlady looked so pretty
(she was quite young, not more than
J.,
board SO moderate, her companionship
SO inviting, and she seemed to trust in
me, aud look upon mo so favorably,
that L would have been "a 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 boarding house, a
letter was handed me by the postman,
but [ did not find time to examine it
until [ was comfortably ensconced in
the parlor of Mrs. Kingsley's cosy
house.
Opening the letter, discovered it to
be from wealthy uncle of mine resid-
ing IN Vermont, who regularly sent me
letter once Year, but whom I 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 good advice to me to
take care of my money, as L might be
burdened with some of it before l was
much older. l was always very glad to
get this advice from him, as / regarded
it as an intimation that l was to inherit
his wealth on his decease.
One day, however, about year pre-
vious, I received letter from him.
which contained another topic besides
those [ have mentioned. My uncle
made some pressing inquiries respect
ing matrimonial prospects, and stated
that If l was not already married I
should at once enter into the welded
state, and let him know of it, or he
would never more be an uncle of mine.
Now, as my uncle lived in Vermont
and in Philadelphia, and Inever an
ticipated that he would pay me visit
and discover the falsehood, 1 wrote
him that [ was not only married but
the father of bouncing baby. This
intelligence SO pleased my uncle that
he sent gold goblet and silver pap
spoon to be presented to my child. /
first sat down and wrote very roman
tic letter to my uncle, thanking him for
the presents, and then visited the near
est jewelry store and turned both the
goblet and spoon into cash, which l
pocketed.
l had received no further letters from
my uncle until the one which I had