The Red Cloud chief., 1880-03-18
wIDOwFLUsKEY'sF FIFTH HUSBAND

WIDOW FLUSkEY'S FIFTH HUSBAND
Mrs. Euphemia Fluskey had entered
her forty-third year, and began 10
think il was time for her Ia be looking
for another husband. Euphemia had
had a few husbands in all. The
first one she lett at The end Of five
months; the second died within four
years; the third within two years, and
the fourth left her AT the end of three
weeks, having suddenly recollected that
he had another wife living. These mat
rimonial experiences, although covering
small part of Euphemia'S life, had
given the widow an adventurous turn OF
mind; and the work of planning for
another entertainment of that sort was
easy and quite natural. After looking
the ground over carefully, the widow
concluded that it would he best to select
a preacher for her fifth husband, if she
could find one who was not either mar
ried o r engaged.
As for religion, Euphemia had never
allowed her thoughts 10 run i'm that
channel, but she realized now that "A
little religion of some sort would be re-
quired in husbandizing a preacher, and
this van was easily supplied. The next
thing in order was 10 find the right sort
of IA preacher, and one who would be
likely To appreciate her religious expert
ences rs well rs her personal charms.
Fortune has always a few more favors
To bestow on brave men and shrewd
women, and the widow was at once
placed ON the list of those to whom
special and immediate attention should
be given.
A conference meeting was about To he
held within thirty miles Of the widows
residence, and she just then fortunately
remembered that she had a third cousin
living in that vicinity, Mrs. Arilda
Lemons, whom she had seen but oncein
her life. To this lady Mrs. Fluskey I'M
mediately wrote, addressing her as
dear Cousin Arilda;" but say ing moth
ing about love or matrimony in that
letter. There was a good deal about re-
ligion, however, to which the widow
had, rs she said, determined Ia conse-
crate the remainder of her life, deeply
regret;ing that SO much precious time
had been lost; and she would like very
. much to attend the conference.
An invitation to come and be Il guest
of her cousin was received the next day,
and TO the letter was added the ~inevita-
BILE postscript:
Elder Sanford, n Widower, whose
acquaintance you will, | am sure, be
delighted To make, will also be enter
tanned at our house during the confer
ence.'
"What a happy coincidence" said
the widow, as she pressed the letter to
her heart and then to her lips. "How
delightfully."- prognosticacious, The star
of my destiny guides me-" and she set
out on her Journey with her mind full of
rose-hued anticipations.
"Mrs. Fluskey, Mr.. Sanford" said
Mrs. Lemons; then added, "You will
have the parlors and grounds to your
selves, unless some other visitors may
occasionally call"
alt will be a mutual delight, | hope"
said the Elder.
"And to that hope | respond" said
the widow, ~graciously, permitting the
Elder to conduct her to a seat at his side
on the sofa.
The widows recent religious expert
ence was the ext thing in order. The
Elder heard her TO the end. with great
satisfaction, and then tenderly init
mated that the only sorrow he realized
was caused by the regret he felt at not
having been the instrument of her
happy conversion.
The widow laid her hand gently on
the Elders arm, and the look she gave
him Just then said, so endearingly and
e~ncouragingly: al do wish L had been
converted by you, my dear Elder San
ford"
"Dear Cousin Arilda," said Mrs.
Fluskey, on the morning of the third
day after the acquaintance began, :. FL
der Sanford is in love with me. You can
see it in the way he looks at me, but
more especially in his stones. But 1 sup
pose see it more plainly than You do.
Last evening he told me all about the sick
ness and death of his dear wife, and
how fondly he loved her. It's Just thir-
teen months, he says, since she died. At
the end of his story he laid his hand on
my arm, and gave me such a curious
look Of course / saw right into his
thoughts. He then said, There is
something else, my dear sister, / would
like; but he was SO embarrassed that l
could not allow him to 90 any further.
"'Elder,' said L, leaning my head on
his shoulder, please don't say any more
in regard 10 that matter now. Of course
/ know just what you mean / wanted
TO spare his feelings: besides, L didn't
think it would be delicate or proper to
let him propose so Do you think
it would have been, cousinpn
Scarcely, Euphemia," answered
Mrs. Lemons. alt would, / think,
have been getting along rather fast"
$50 it seemed to me, Arilda; and as
the dear man had a troubled and anxious
expression, L just threw my arms
around him, and kissed him good
night"
The conference continued two weeks,
and each day and evening, coming and
going, at social meetings or at home in
the parlor, Elder Sanford and the widow
were as near together as they could be
conveniently. Some twelve times, per-
haps twenty, the widow related her ex-
perience to the sympathizing Elder, and
each time heard his solemn admonition,
not TO be led away any more by the
pomps and vanities Of the world.
81 have the Elders whole story at
last, Cousin Arilda," said the widow,
the day before the close of the confer
nee "I know all about every thing
at bis house, just as well as if [ had al
ready been there. He has five dear
children; he has shown me their photo
graphs, and l think l shall like them
very much. No doubt they viii keep
out of doors the most of the time, espe-
cially in pleasant weather. The Elder
has a farm, but doesn't work it himself ;
he keeps " hired men, whose wages
he pays with what he gets from preach
ing. Isn't that nice?"