Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-01-12

Contingent Fund. Your sou will be a
a member Of the Returning Board yet,
madam, !" he said to The pleased and zap
py mother, who was moved to tears by His
cOndeScenSi0n.
1 could multiply anecdotes Of this great
and good man, but [ must close. The
other evening Il friend said 10 him:
"Pit, [ wonder thay you don't run Tor
President. Why don't you 7"
because" SLld tlle statesman, modest
ly, 81 would rather count in the President
than be the President"
A Virginia Widow in Grief.
HOW AN ADvENTURER TOOK IN A
WEALTHY wIDOw-sPEEDY NUPTUALs
AND LENGTHY REPENTANCE-A BOLD
STROKE FOR $40, 900,
&C., &C., &C.
The New Castle lind Courier" has a
lengthy account of the exploit Of. an add
venturer in Henry county, in that state,
resulting i'll the capture of Il widow with
$780, geo. The lady, Mrs. DR.. Summers,
who was victimized, is from the Plains,
near Timberv1lle, Rockingham county,
Va, and is a daughter OF the late David
| Stricken. She has many relatives in Rock
| ingham and Augusta. 1t says:
AS writer's of cheap novels would say it
was a hot day in the early part OF July last,
| and the Dog star Was raging ~IurlOusly,
when a solitary stranger stepped OFF the
cars at Middletown, third village Ill popu
lation in Henry county, and surpassed by
none in the enterprise and Intelligence or
| its inhabitants. The stranger WaS TALL and
OF middle age, and was dressed in a man-
ner neat but not gaudy. He wended his
way down d principal Uhoroughfare OF the
| place, and it is now remembered tlat lie
inquired Of Sunury persons whom he met,
if the lowe possessed one OF those lmpor-
i tant adjuncts OF trade and commerce-ln
! short, a bank. He next inquired of d hos
telry where he might repose; and when The
leading hotel Of the place was pointed out
to him, he asked if there was not another
| place across the way, where entertainment
for man and beast was provided. Being
answered in the affirmative, he directed his
steps timber and found Il hospitable Shell
ter with d. NJ. Stricken. The solitary
stranger seemed pleased with the town,
and likewise congenial to his landlord, be-
tween whom and his guest a perfect good
feeling spraug up.
In the same village dwelt Mrs. Sophia
Summers, rslict Of DR.. Summers, eighteen
months before laid in the cold ground. The
late Dr.. Summers, by a strict attention to
his profession and habits Of economy, had
amassed property worth well nigh $40 900.
Dying chlldless, he left all his property to
his widow. Mrs. Summers home was one
Of the most elegant in the place. Her MAIL
sion was grand, and the grounds surround
ing it tastefully laid out. Mrs. Summers,
tile owner of all, was fat, fair, and fifty.
With l,er mature age, and sad experience,
she was philosophical. The weeds OF widow
mood, while indicating to the world her
loss, did not detract from the Zest with
which she enjoyed life. The church OF
which Size was Il jealous member, offered q
wide field for doing good, besides affording
much happiness. Even the resorts OF
pleasure were not forgotten, for even d
widow needs recreation, and at the very
time when the stranger, to Whom we have
alluded, set foot in MlddletoWn, Mrs. Sum-
merS was at
III SULPHUR SPRINGS, VIRGINIA.
The stranger who had landed in Middle
town Wen the Dog star was at his best,
WAS somewhat mysterious in his ways. He
avoided tie promiscuouS crowds which
assembled i'll the Middletown stores to dis
cuss Tilden's income tax, OF the smany
questions which attract the attention OF a
rural and peaceful people. 1t was AL
noullced that the new comer's name was
Charles w. Waddell, and that his home
was in the land Of the setting Sun-ln short,
San Francisco. Mr.. Waddell-witi the
accent on the last syllable-was reputed to
be rich. In truth, he said SO himself, and
his inquiries concerning q bank, OF the
first day OF his arrival, seemed to confirm
this view. Mr.. Waddell deposited sundry
packages, said to contain money, III the
safes Of MiddletoWn merchants, and after
wards removed them, for fear, as he c0nfi~
d~entjally informed d score of persons. that
the safes might be blown open some night.
He also talked much of his mining stocks
aud landed possessions. But the vast es-
tates which he claimed to possess had not
diverted his mind from spiritual matters.
He brought with him letters from the
Presbyterian church in San Francisco, and
on tive credit Of these, Was received into
the Methodist church at MiddletoWn. He
became
IRREGULAR ATTENDANT AT THE CHURCH,
the PRAYER meeting and Sabbath school,
and with unct uOuS manners prayed long
and loud in public. He Was likewise do
nestle in his habits, and even assisted his
worthy landlady to churn, till he was re-
warded by the sight of the golden butter,
and was not averSe to washing dishes. He
seemed to nave no taste ior mlnglilg with
the crowds hich Sat III the shades OF
stores and discussed questions of state; but
when time hung heavily on his hands
would drive his landlords gravel team.
1t may seem a coincidence that Mr..
Waddell's landlord. David NJ. Stricken,
was u brother of the fair widow sojourii-
ing among the mountains of VII GINA, but
it is nevertheless true. L. will seem strange
too, when it is remembered that MI. Wat
delI-With the accent Oh the last syllable =
inquired for Mr.. Strickler's domicile on
the first day he came to Middletown.
While Mrs. Summers was enjoying the
society Of the old Virginia families and
the salubrious air at White Sulphur
Springs. she received a little missive from
Middletown. 1t was d letter from Mr..
Waddell, stating that although q stranger
liz Ma ME, her zeal in the church, ant her
widowed state, touched a responsive chord
iii his own heart, and lie had ventured TO
write to her. About the same time Mrs.
Summers received an anonymous letter
from Middletown, stating that a stranger,
good, rich, and manageable, was in town,
and that a colder. opportunity was now of
fered her it she returned nome soon, to
obtain
A,CONGENIAL COMPANION O LIFE.
About the middle of October the season
at The White Sulphur Springs ended, and
Mrs. Summers came home. On the second
night after her arrival, Mr.. WaddelI, of
San Francisco, was conducted to the Sum-
mers mansion, by the gentleman who oc~
cupied the highly important position OF
landlord and brother. The introduction
over. the preliminaries after a few even
ings' wooing We're arranged. While SWANS
and maidens require a long time for court
snip, observation has shown that widows
and widowers proceed to business at once.
The engagement Of Mr.. Waddell and Mrs.
Summers was duly announced, and the
wedding day set for November %. Subse~
auently the aid Of a legal gentleman was
summoned, and a marriage contract was
drawn and duly signed.
The fashionable world Of MiddletoWn
uas then all aunp IhA anurOachiuy wed