The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-01-23
THE sPINsTER's CHANCE.
Turn Widow, aud the Husband will be
FOrfhcouafnu.


Forthcoming.
1t is generally the case that the more
beautiful and richer young female is
the more difficult are both her parents
and herself in the choice of husband,
and the more offers they refuse. The
one is too tall, the other too short, thi
not wealthy, that not respectable
enough. Meanwhile, one spring passes
ries away leaf after leaf of the bloom
tunity. Miss Harriet Selwood was the
richest heiress in her native town, but
she had already completed her 9th
year, and beheld almost all her young
friends united to men whom she had at
one time or other discarded. Harriet
began to be set down for an old maid.
Her parents became really uneasy, and
she herself lamented in private a posi-
ton which is not natural one, and to
which those to whom nature and for
tune have been niggard of their gifts
are obliged to submit, but Harriet, as
we have said, was handsome and very
rich.
Such was the state of things when
her uncle, wealthy merchant in the
north of England, came on visit to
her parents. He was a jovial, lively,
straightforward man, accustomed to at
tadk all difficulties boldly and coolly.
"You see," said her father to him
one day, Harriet continues single.
The girl is handsome what she is to
have for her fortune you know even
in this sdandai-loving town not crea-
ture can breathe all imputation against
her."
"True," replied the uncle; "but
look you, brother, the grand point in
every affau in this world is to eize the
right moment this you have not done.
It is a misfortune, bnt let the girl go
with me, and before the end of nree
months / will return her to you as the
wife of man as young and wealthy as
herself"
Away went the niece with her uncle.
On the way home he thus addressed
her:
Mind what am going to say. You
are no longer Miss Sew God, but Mrs.
Lumley, my niece, young, wealthy,
childless widow; you had the misfor-
tune to lose your husband, Col. Lum-
ley, after a happy union of a quarter
of year, by fall from his horse,
while hunting"
"But, uncle"
"Let me manage, if you please, Mrs.
Lumley. Your father has invested me
with full powers. Here, look you, is
the wedding-ring given you by your
late husband. Jewels, and whatever
else you need, your aunt will supply you
with, and accustom yourself to cast
down your eyes.
The keen-witted uncle introduced his
niece everywhere, and everywhere the
young widow excited great sensation.
The gentlemen throDged about her, and
she soon had her choice out of twenty
suitors. Her uncle advised her to ac-
cept the one that was the deepest in
love with her, and a rare chance de-
creed that this should be precisely the
most amiable and opulent. The match
was soon concluded, and one day the
uncle desired to say few words to his
future nephew in private.
"My dear sir" he began, eve have
told you an untruth."
Chow so? Are Mrs. Lumley's affec-
tons"
Nothing of the kind my niece is
sincerely attached to you"
"Then her fortune, suppose, is not
equal to what you told nae p
''On the contrary, it is larger"
"Well, what is the matter, then?'
ga joke-an innocent joke, which
came into my head one day when was
in good humor we could not well re-
call it afterwards. My niece is not
widow"
"What Col. Lumley livingr'
"No, no; she is a spinstel."
happier fellow than he had ever con
ceived himself, and the old maid was
forthwith metamorphosed into young
wife.