Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-10-04
The Stprp TeMer.
why / MARRIED THE WIDOW.

and consequently got the best room IN tne
house.
Mrs. Beasely is decidedly good-looking
woman. I always thought so, and still con-
tinue to think so. She wasn't one of your
small, pinched.up, wasp-waisted creatures.
Elizabeth-that was her Christian name
had form of handsome proportions. She
had bewitching eyes, and the most splendid
purple-b black hair that ever saw. Her skin
was not 80 white as I like to see skins, but as
she had pair of red rosy cheeks, l never
cared much about the lilies. Her lips, l
must say, we're about the most ravishing pair
ever pressed to mine (for won't deny that
have kissed Elizabeth, and her teeth-but
pshaw! shall make out an inventory of her
charms, beginning thus: "She hath sweet
mouth ?" No; it is sufficient to say that she
was most decidedly lovely
"And through her clear brunette complexion sh0ne
Great wish to most ,s aas,ye nas1 a0"e
The widow did please me. In fact, had
always been pleased with Elizabeth, but l
had no more thought of loving her than you
have, gentle masculine reader; for, in the
first place, she was FIVE years my senior and,
in the second place, I was terribly in love
with another woman, and the other woman
was terribly in love with me.
don't know whether you know me or not,
but you've probably seen me if you've ever
been to Yazoo. I'm always to be seen in
Yazoo when the weather is fair. My name
is Washington Wadman. 1t was my great
grandfather's notion having me christened af-
ter the father of his country, for you see my
great-grandfather was one of Georges most
intimate friends; they used to 60 Hooking
watermelons together. am happy to state
that my-the old gentleman still lives, at the
rather mature age of one hundred and forty,
is as hearty ss ever, and can read Chinese
without glasses just as well as ever he could.
haven't any profession, and as my Uncle
John left me all his wealth at the time of his
death, don't really need one. Yes, Uncle
John left me all his property upon one con-
dition and as the condition wasn't very
dissgreeable one, have always, since my uu-
cle's death, considered myself man of prop
erty, although the aforementioned condition
was not fulfilled until yesterday.
To understand my uncle's reasons for ma
king such singular will as he left behind
him, it is necessary for me to inform you that
he was a bachelor, and knew all about the
discomfor.s of bachelors life; but as he
didn't begin to realize these discomforts until
he became too old-as he thought-to mar
ry, be began to hate himself for not marrying
while be was young. And he extended his
hate to every other bachelor. So you see he
left bis wealth to me, provided I married be.
fore my twenty. fifth birthday. But in case
did not marry, thus forfeiting the property, it
was to be equally divided between six old
maids who all their lives had been willing and
anxious to marry, but never had a chance.
Now the reader will naturally suppose that l
wasn't fool enough to throw away fortune
just for the want Of a wife, particularly, as |
happened to be in love with
"a beautiful and happy girl,
With step as light as summer air."
who loved me in return, and had already
promised to be Mrs. Wadman.
No, had determined to marry, and for
fear that something might happen to my dar-
ling Fanny, had partially courted several
other girls, and I won't deny that l had
thrown one or two tender glances at the Wild
ow Beasely. But the girl that l adored was
sweet Fanny Cordwell. Yes,
.'she ruled in beauty DER this heart of mine,''
as Petrarch said about certain Mrs. Laura
I wonder how Mrs. LIS husband liked that
style of poetry y and she was calculating to
rule my household.
I've given you some slight hints regarding
Mrs. Beasley's beauty, and as I have said that
I admired her. you may imagine that Fanny's
beauty was of similar order, but you were
never more mistaken in your life. don't
cou6ne myself to admiring one particular
type of female loveliness. No, admire your
Juno-like woman, be she light or dark, and
admire round, rosy, laughing-eyed women,
tall, thin, sober.faced women; but | love a
small, angelic creature, with great blue eyes,
golden hair, and a complexion "like rose
leaves swimming in pure milk" and her
name is Fanny, and she's only seventeen years
old.
1t is sad mistake on somebody's part that
Fanny wasn't born several years before she
was, because it was on account of her youth
that her mother persisted in fixing upon the
very last day that my uncle's will allowed for
our wedding.
Yesterday was the day appointed for our
wedding. For weeks and months we had
been making preparations for that great day.
can't say that Fanny and busted ourselves
much about the preparations, for there was
nothing we could do except to sit in the draw
ingroo and talk about how happy we should
be when the time came for she did love me
80, and loved her so, that we were both un-
happy the moment we we're out of sight of
each other.
Well, the night before last, being the last
night, as a bachelor, that should pass on
earth, spent in the following manner from
seven o'clock in the evening until ten. I was
with Fanny; we sat on the sofa together.
had one arm around her waist, and she had
one arm around my neck, and one of her lit
tie hands was in mine, and her beautiful head
was on my shoulder. We talked-O, about
so many things, and we kissed once or twice,
or perhaps twice and half Then the little
clock on the mantel struck ten, and then
tore myself away from Fanny and went home.
1t was just fifteen minutes past ten when
got to the widows. went in and found that
very charming woman sitting at the piano
and singing, "Thou art so near, and yet so
far" When entered the room she looked up
at me so longingly that I really-well, l
wished that there was more of me-two or
three, fo- instance. Then we sang "Auld
Lang Syne," and a tear bubbled up in the
widows right eye, and rolled slowly and sor-
rowfully down her beautiful nose.
"Wash," said Elizabeth, (she always called
me Wash,) raising her dark eyes to mine the
long, beautiful lashes still wet with tear or
two, "Wash, I suppose this is the last night
you will ever pass under my roof"
II am thinking you are quite correct in
your supposition, Elizabeth" l answered, cho-
kinn down q SIGH: for / was feeling rather