Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-09-03
BROWNS WIFE.


duced the finest pines in England-that's
what the last census but one cost me-"
remarked my friend Brown, as we sat
slipping our wine in his hospitable man
sion after the ladies had left us.
When man makes remark like the
foregoing one, it invariably means that
he has some story or anecdote ready,
which will explain his apparently am
biguous words, and is hoping he will be
asked TO repeat it. was not so un-
friendly as to misunderstood the hint,
and inquired, with due surprise and in
terest, how the census of 18-c came to
be such costly affair to Brown.
"Ah," replied my friend, that's n
long story Q had thought it would be)
but it's true one, all the same. But
for that blessed census paper, Minnie
and | would have stepped into snug
little fortune twenty years ago. You
know, l suppose, that was left an or
phan very early in life, and that my old
uncle, my only surviving relative,
adopted me. You didn't know itP Well,
you do now, then. My poor mother
was my uncle's only sister; they had
been left fairly well off by their parents
My uncle embarked his money in busi-
ness and grew rich; my mother married
in opposition to his wishes, lived mis-
cradle life for six years, and then was
left penniless widow, with one child
myself. My father, whom / don't re-
member, lived just long enough to break
his wife's heart and gamble away her
fortune-she only returned to her
brothers. house to die. 1t must be con-
fessed that my uncle's experiences of
matrimony, as seen in his sisters case,
were not encouraging; perhaps this was
the reason of his settling down into the
confirmed old bachelor that he did. lie
had loved his sister extremely-there
was considerable difference in age be-
tween them--and he had been her guar
dian and protector till the day of her ill
starred marriage. That produced cool
to her in her trouble, and accepted the
charge of her orphan child. | was
brought up in his house, educated
at his expense. believe he was
really fond of me after his fashion; but
the one great trouble of his life had
soured him. He never recovered the
loss of his sister; he never forgave the
memory of her husband, the man who
had stolen her from him.
+" You'll have every thing here one
day, William he would say, in mo-
ments of rare expansion, 'and hope
you'll keep things together as I've done.
But remember, don't make fool of
yourself, and marry. Look at your
poor mothers lot; why, if she hadn't
thrown herself away she might have
been alive and happy now. None but
fools, sir, fools or knaves, go and get
married.
"I listened dutifully enough. Ny
temptations to commit the sin of matri-
mony were small. We had no visitors
at Clapham except business friend or
two of my uncle, generally old bache-
lors like himself. Mrs. Corbet, the |
housckeeper, encouraged my uncle in
his solitary habits. 1t would have been
q sad misfortune to her had he been
converted from his anti-matrimonial
views, and led to install mistress at
the Lawn. Mrs. Corbet had good sit
uation and she knew it. She had lived
with my uncle a great many years, and
was handsome, well-preserved woman
OF fifty or thereabOuts, almost lady in
appearance and manner. My uncle had
a great opinion of her; had not. From
my childish days l knew she had re-
garded me with jealousy and aversion,
although concealed under studied
smoothness of manner. She was
widow with one son, youth some wears
younger than myself. l believe she
looked on me as the great obstacle to
this boys fortune. do not think she
could have cherished the idea of ever
inducing my uncle to marry her; but |
am sure she fancied that if he were
quite alone in the world he would be as
likely to bequeath his money to his faith
full housekeeper as to leave it to the hos
pitfalls. Then her darling, her idol,
wonld be a rich man. will do her the
justice TO say that it was rather for the
sake of her son than herself that she
coveted the old mans money. A cold
hearted woman, not too scrupulous in
comprising her ends, she yet loved that
boy-a somewhat graceless youth-with
an intense devotion. But for me she
might have been able to make him rich.
Children are keen observers; and Mrs.
Corbet's stihed dislike was no secret to
me in my boyhood, although l did not
think my uncle perceived it. As grew
up she disliked me yet more; it was
gall and wormwood TO think of me as
my uncle's heir.
But when l was just twenty-five
new era opened in my life. 1t began in
avery commonplace fashion; some new
dodgers came into the rooms over nina.
l think | should have hardly observed
this fact had not their predecessor been
noisy medical student; and the bliss
ful lull that took place after his de-
parture Induced me to inquire one day,
when | paid my rent, if the upstairs
rooms were now tenanted at all Yes,
they were; widow lady and her daugh-
ter had taken the rooms; | should find
them quiet neighbors. Il suppose So
said, carelessly, thinking that at least
they would not bring home party of
noisy students late at night; and then
thought no more of the new dodgers.
But after that day constantly met
them on the stairs as | was going to my
work; two slender figures in deep
mourning, each carrying what looked
like a roll of music, whence i inferred
they went out giving lessons.
g suppose it was the monotOny of
my life that made me observe any trife
that varied it; but | began sometimes
70 think little about my fellow-lodgers
/ did not even know their names, and
Of course had never addressed them;
but one day, in descending the stairs,
the young lady had dropped her roll of
music, and picked it up and returned
IT, receiving a THANK you,' in what
struck me was the sweetest voice had
ever heard. After that | ventured TO lift
my hat when we encountered each 9TH
er on the staircase, and the ladies would
bow in return; but there was something
In their manner that checked any at
tempt at further acquaintanoeship
quite the ladies, and hold themselves
rather high, my landlady informed me,
although they went out teaching. Mrs.
Morton was clergyman's widow, and
obliged 70 do something for herself.
Very regular with their rent, like your
self, sir
"I can not trace how that casual