Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-01-30
MARRYING A FORTUNE:
OF,
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP.
ny HARRY HAMPTON, A. H.

ID greatest Of all goods' Everything
should be regarded as secondary Il
10 the attainment Of money,
Seth was bachelor, aud, as ho haC
" passed the age Of fifty might properl!
enough be considered an Oid bachelor
As housckoeper he employed ~
n elderly female OF tho name Of Peterson
Ruth Peterson. Ruth was not {
u beauty her warmest friends, II sh,
had had any "A circumstance which
o considering the retired manner IL
which her master lived, was more
than doublful-woUld not have
= thought Of claiming it for her
She was, however, a simple, plod'
ding creature and good cook, so
that she seemed very well fitted to
act as presiding genius Of the old
bachelors cuisine.
Mr., Gudgeon was reading the morn'
ing paper IN his office, when his eye
chanced TO light on the following par
agraph, 1t appeared as an advertise.
ment
Information respecting ,or.
w tain Ruth Peterson, who loft England IN
the year 1889, and camo TO America. by tho
death Of q relative In England, she has fallen
heir to considerable property, OF which she
may como into immediate possession, by pro-
sontng herself, with proofs OF hor identity,
at the Office Of Henry Scribe, No. - Wall st
New York.
swell" said Seth Gudgeon, laying
down tie paper, "thal's what ! call
clrcnmstance-ratler IN important
circumstance TO me, If can only work
my card right, Two lived an old
bachelor long enough, and i'll can on
ly marry this property--l mean my
housekeeper, and come into posses
sion Of this property, so much the bet
ter
Seth was of the opinion that il was
best to "striko while the iron was
hot" lle accordingly returned home
at once, much to the astonishment Of
Ruth, for it wanted three hours of
dinner.time.
"What's the matter, Mr. Gud-
geon ?" asked she.
"Why, IL forgot something, and
came back after 1t. y"
"What was it ?"
"The-the-t gimlet, believe"
"I'll find it directly"
"No matter about it just yet. I'm
in no hurry. But want TO ask you
question or two"
"Certainly, sir" said Ruth, courte.
sying, "as many as you like"
I believe you wasn't born in this
country?"
80, Lord, no, sir. I was born in
"When did you leave that coun-
try 2" :
"In the year 1892
"Ahem /! There cant be any doubt
about it, thought Mr.. Gudgeon. 81
think III propose.
"Shall l 60 after the yimlet now,
,irw i
"No, not quite yet" 5
A pause. c
"Rutb, said Mr.. Gudgeon, not ex- n
'clly knowing how to begin, II won- d
Ter you've never married. v
30, Lor', Mr.. Gudgeon," said Ruth, b
| little futtered at this unexp ected Il
question, 'it's no wonder at all. No. q
'ody ever asked me. But if | may G
'e so bold, why haven't you ever mar n
led, Mr.. Gudgeon ?" fl
"True, Ruth, you have me there' 6
Is rather strange. But it's never ST
DO late, you know" "
20, no, Mr.. Gudgeon, OF course k
ot." al
81 dom. look so very old yet, W
mink, added Mr.. Gudgeon. al
80, mercy, no; you're quite in
oung-iooking man ofyour age, and al
cry good-looking, too, as I've always z
sld," replied Ruth. tn
"Well. l don't know but l am," ed
nd Seth, feeling considerably hatter. ca
:and you're pretty good.looking, st
70, Ruth-hey 7" tn
"What an abominable lie" thought tn
, to himself. "But alls fair in war; an
80, master-Mr. Gudgeon," said ph
nth, good deal embarrassed, "you
mt mean SO. Nobody ever called
Z good-looking" w
"But l do, Ruth and what's more, dl,
u have only to say the word, and CT.
] marry you'll will, on my honor We
"Are you in earnest 7" pr
mo one more SO" wa
Then you may take Inc, if you till
e." RI