The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-09-10
THE LUCKY WIDOW.

1t was cold night In December, but
the drawing rooms Of Mrs. Lorimer
Wheeler wore as pleasant as. the atmos.
phere of May. From her magnificent
conservatory the perfume of thousand
floWers f1oated through the apartments,
and small but excellent orchestra dis.
coursed enchanting music, Mrs. Wheel.
er was giving one of her delightful re.
unions, and the elite of p WAS sure
to be found Mt her hospitable home.
Mrs. Wheeler was a widow-a gay,
dashtng and fashionable widow-weaIthy y
but not pretty, and her friends said thai
she was of no 'eparticular age" 1t would
have been indelicate and uncivll to have
said she was forty, though il perhaps
would have been strictly true. The lady
herself had been known TO admit to some
confidential friends that she was among
the "thirlies," and could an old family
Bible, safely hidden away in stout
chest and guarded by heavy locks, been
opened to the public inspection, Mrs.
| Wheeler would have been compelled to
take her stand in life among those who
no longer were counted young.
| She was a remarkable woman; her
cheeks were as plump as a peach, ana
her great blue eyes as-bright as any girps
of eighteen, and though she could not
lay any claim to beauty, she was exceed
ingly attractive and an entertaining con-
Iversationali5t. She was q naughty
creature TO those she disliked or wished
| to keep at q distance, and the cold, con-
lurked about the corners of her mouth
plainly Indicated that fountain Of
sweetness had not perpetual dwelling
place in her heart. Mrs. Wheeler had
never been mother. Eleven years OF
! ber married life glided away, and she
reyeled in "purple and fine linen," with
a husband obedient to her very nod, and
always in haste to crafty her most eX-
trayagant whims. Eleven years closed,
and as the twelfth dawned, good, obedi-
ent and self-sacriticing Mr.. Lorimer
| Wheeler died, and lett his beloved Wife
| Susan the whole Of his vast fortune. But
the bereayed lady never permitted her.
! self to be addressed by her own proper
| Christian appeilation; it was high or
tense to style her Mrs. Susan. Mrs.
| Lorimer Wheeler she insisted on, and
always got it, unless some acquaintance
made the unfortunate mista ie 70 call her
| by the name she detested, then that er-
| ring soul was instantly cut Oh from the
rich dinners and the grand society that
| hied at the shortest bidding to the
Wheeler mansion.
Reader, did you ever see dignity? l
suppose you think you have, but you
ought to have seen Mrs. Lorimer Wheeler
when she had occasion to appear in that
role. Did you ever behold modesty and
humility combined in one creaturel You
| ought to have seen Mrs. Lorimer Wheeler
when she dropped her Easter Offering in
the capaciOus pouch Of sleek, fat and
sleepy Bishop Poundtext as he sat at her
board OH Easter eve, ''and reasoned OF
Judgment and things to come"
| said there was reunion at Mrs.
Wheeier's home, and SO there was. Law
yers, Judges, diyines and politicians, au-
thors, physicians, players OF music and
players Of naughty pranks not yet known
to the public, all mingled, laughed,
chatted, ate and drank the good Things
from the tables in the dining-rOom. 1t Is
blessed thing to have good digestion,
il you have friend who "feelS WE'LL"
Mrs. Wheeler demanded the homage
OF her G Gentlemen friends, and the major
ity seemed loyal IN their devotion to her,
but she had secret sorrow that made
heT unhappy. There was a certain AIRS.
Augustus Oyerton who had lately ap-
peared upon the surface OF fashionable
society, as contestant OF popularity
with Mrs. Lorimer Wheeler.
Mrs. Overton was certainly not over
thirty-hve years of age, was very beauti-
full, very accomplished, pretty well otfin
life as to wealth, but not half or quarter
as rich as Mrs. Wheeler. Mrs. OYerton,
or Gussie Oyerton, as her friends famil-
iafly styled her, was wife scarcely
more than u month when her husband
WAS lost 0yerbOard from his yacht, aud
before assistance could be rendered he
sank beneath the sea, and GusSle Was u
widow. She was q fair match for Mrs,
Wheeler, ior she well understood the
wIles Of woman, aad knew how to take
advantage vi The most trifilng circum-
stances and lurn them to her own good
acco int.
The company were in the midst of
their enjoyment when Clement Seal,
notable Adles' man, saantered ACROSS
the room to where a half dozen bril-
liantly -atured ladies were engaged in
animated debate.
,"Pll soon lind cut" remarked Mrs.
Betterton. "Where is Mrs. Oyerton,
Glem?" she Inquired. Mrs. Betterton
had II free and easy way OF calling peo-
Die by their Christian name that some
times shocked her friends.
elbow should know2' replied Seal,
as he settled down in a chair and dived
both his hands deep in his pockets.
"You know very WE'LL" retorted Mrs.
Betterton, 'but y9u are proY0kingly dis.
obliging. Tel me, VIII she be here this
EVENING""
~ don't know" returned Clem, s'but
what do you fair creatures care ABOUT
her preseneeD
''Not much, that's true" returned
Mrs. Betterton; ."but Gussie is NOM
stfous monopollzer Of the gentlemen, aud
we wished to know if we were going to
have a clear field tonight. Somehow or
other all the men think 1T a,dnty to talk
to Airs. 0yerton."
''Perhaps they consider 1t a,pleasure or
an advantage" suggested Clem.
'.ShawW exclaimed Miss Lochland, 81
don't believe it. Men, as q general rule,
don't fancy conceited women, and Gus
sic Oyerton despises the twaddle of la
dies, as she calls it,"
'.She talks well,T replied Glenn, with
provoking smile.
s.s0hi i don't mind what You say on
that subject" returned biiss Lochlaiid in
u snapplng tone. "You are one OF her
satellites"
Glenn Seal merely laughed in q low,
good-hnmOred way.
81 don't believe she was invited" con-
Hnued Miss Lochland, arranging the
folds other dress. ..She considers her.
self younger, prettier and more intelli-
gent than some other ladies', and should