The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1881-07-14

led with Il mission pregnant with sucs
vital Importance 10 their happiness an
| his ut the same time. MIR. Bullock pledge
| his honor. that he would take no a1vafi
tage Of his opportunity as a delegate t,
edge IN q word or tip even wink, fo.
himself, and repaired at once to the wild,
ow. leaving them in intense anxiety, in {
sitting-room below, for the space Of tifteeH
minutes. /
At the end of that time he came dowf
with blank visage, and they asked thu
result.
',Shc simply says she has no preterenca
between lis. She appears very franz
about it.
"Retween us:' they cogitated. "ThelE
we are on even grounds. But she mayl
have preference for somebody else--@
though who he can be, who knows? G6
up now, Bullock, and ask her point blanks
as she is so communicative to-day, and td
set our minds at rest, if she intends tdl
marry any one else.''
'sI'll do that, but Of course she does.n
Up went Bullock and down he came
again, f#
Sand now What?''
"She SAYS no. She don't intend to mar,
ry anybody else
Again they discussed the reply, and
Bullock was once more sent up to solve ii
long mooted doubt, whether her husbands
wish aud Will left her free to marry again
if she should so choose.
Down came Bullock and brought this,
answer:
"Shc was left free to marry, without
any restriction, and says still that she wills
not marry anybody else. Now, for Gods.
sake, gcntlemcn don't send me up again.a
All our hopes are blasted, and | should
think that would satisfy you.''
But the others refused TO consider them
selves blasted. AS the widow was free,
and had no choice between them, each
secretly determined to do what he couldt
to change her intention in his favor. They
separated in that hope, and it was in
creased Il few days aftcrWard when eachs
received an invitation to Il family party to;
be given by her, when, as she stated in
the note, ''she intended to astonish him. t
''Perhaps to accept me,' each thought, /
and all attended, looking their prcttiest. /
The widow, they thought, never looked
magnificent before, but she did now, andt
they had q gay time. But when supper
was served Il demure and unobtrusiyeI |
gentleman, Of middle age, was noticed .
seated next her, at the head of the table, !
He had been introduced to them in the /
course Of the evening as Mr.. Amos Early. i
s<Ladies and gentlemen, before | pour
out the tea" remarked the bewitching
hostess, with sparkling eyes that outrival- /
ed the glitter of the gilt sprigs on her ]
china. II am going to make n short /
speech, and astonish you as promised. /
Permit me to introduce TO you again Mr.. |
Amos Early. He is my husband.
Here all the Old bachelors and WidoWera
knocked their knees against the table.
II was married to him Just one month
after Nh. Brightly died: Married in pri-
v;te. | should not have been SO hasty,
only that he wished to be sure; nor SO
secret, only that ! wished to escape re-
proach till idle curiosity had been divert
ed from me, and the exact period of the
marriage had not been too closely inquired
| into. Neither should now have made it
known, bud not at last become worn out
with attentions, scrutiny, and gossiping
1 remarks on every side. My husbands
recent return from abroad, where he has
been absent during the interim, affords me
a good opportunity to make this agreea-
BILE disclosure, and ought to be also good
proof that do not intend to marry again.
| would also state, she added, scarce able
to suppress her laughter at the various
looks of wonder which greeted her. ::'that
my husband, Mr.. Early, Will enter upon
the discharge of his duties as landlord Of
the Pelican tomorrow; and any renewed
pledge Of your patronage which you may
be pleased to extend will be gratefully re-
ceived by us both. And here Sally, pass
round the tea.o
Whatever feelings Of hope deferred and
now annihilated might have agltated the
bosoms of the baffled eight, they were con-
cealed, and in the course Of the glee which
ensued, as they had been outdone by each
other, they al wished No. 8 joy Of his
being No. L; and the Pelican Hotel is
| going on sWimmingly.