The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-14
Mr.. Flintshire7s Marriage.
BY HENRY LABouCHERE.

BY HENRY LABOUCHERE.
Mr.. FIJI ltshire retired from the Indian
Civil Service at the age of fifty, re-
turned to England with the fixed lhsen-
ton Of marrying for money. Being a
bachelor his pension was more than suf-
ticient for his wants, and his savings
amounted to a considerable fortune. But
he was a very careful man. to say at
least, and he had always cherished the
idea of marrying q rich wife who would
Keep him. Hitherto he had been I'M
successful, because he had to a limited
extent, allowed sentiment to interfere
with his choice. But now that his in
come had diminished in consequence Of
his retirement, he resolved to be guided
entirely by expediency, and to permit
neither age or any other disqualification
to balk his design.
1t is hardly surprising that with such
broad views as this he had comparatively
little difficulty III discovering his oppor-
tunity. He wa chatting one day with
his doctor in rather a Respondent mood,
in consequence of the unsatisfactory
state if his liver. when the medical gem
tleman, to cheer him, remarked.
"My dear sir, you need not feel I'M
easy. You will be we'll in a month, and
you will live to be as brisk and lively at
eighty.four as old Mrs. Mumblewood."
'Who is Mrs. Mumblewood?' inquired
Mr.. Flintshire.
"a patient Of mine-a wonderful lady.
AS l tell you she is eie.lty-four, and yet
comes to see me in an omnibus to save
a cab fare" said the doctor, laughing.
you will hardly believe it when 1 tell
you she is enormously wealthy
els she a widow" inquired Mr.. Flint
shire, pr,cking up his ears.
Eyes. Her husband was old Mum
blewood, the contractor, who died
worth, as they say, a quarter of a mil
lion. The old fellow came from moth
ing, but tue widow is a shrewd, clever
Sld lady, IS brisk as you or l."
''She can't last mnch longer, / sup
pose?" remarked Mr.. Flintshire, abb
sently. T.
"Well, that lisa professional secret"
said the doctor laughing again. "Hewev-
err. it is safe to predict that she has lived
the best part of her life"
81 should like to see her." said Mr..
Flintshire,inquite a hearty tone for him.
"lne sight OF Ier will do one more good
than a course of medicine"
&"It will BIZ cheaper, at any rate, !" said
the doctor, with unconscious irony.
LET me see-I should like to have a
look at you next week. Now, Tuesday
morning at twelve O'Clock is old Mrs.
Mumplewood's hour, and you might ar
range your visit accordingly"
Probably the doctor had no other de-
sign in his mind than the wish to secure
another fee, and in this he succeede.,
for Mr.. Flintshire at once undertook to
call OF the day and at the hour men
toned.
1t seems incredible that any man
should seriously think of paying court
to an old lady of eighty-four. Yet Mr..
Flintshire was quite prepared to do SO
If it turned out that Mrs. Mumblewood
was anything like as rich as was sup
posed. and he made the appointment
with the most deliberate attentions
He had no difficulty in learning all
about the old lady, who resided in
Sloane street and was we'll known in the
neighborhood. The result of his inqui-
rles was highly satisfactory, for though,
the deceased aoM:ras to- had mot left
anything like a quarter of a million, the
widow had inherited a large fortune.
which must have considera-
bly, increased in consequence OF
her penurious habits. She lived in a
small house, attended by two old serv
ants who had been, respectively, cook
and butler to her late husband. She
could hardly be spending $500 a year,
to judge from the stories that were told
about her, and the natural inference
was that her savings must aloL.e amount
to a fortune.
Under these circumstances Mr.. Flint
shire did not fail to Keep his appoint
inent. He considered the widow an ex-
cellent chance, and though her misery
~propensities rather interferod with his
original design of being supported free
Of expense, this drawback was counter
balanced by the probability other speedy
d, mise. He therefore quite made up his
mind to marry her, nor did his purpose
waver when he found Mrs. Mumble-
wood an illiterate old lady, with a skin
parchment, a face that might have been
carved from a block o.. wood, and a
tongue that was constantly saying bitter
things.
The meeting at the Doctors house,
which was their first introduction, soon
| ripened into intimacy. Singular as it
may appear inan old lady ofeighty-iour,
Mrs. Mumblewood was evidently fat
tered by his attentions, and though Aie
soon intimltated to him that she susp.c
ted he bad DESIGNS on her fortune. Inc
readily accepted his assurance that his
politeness arose from pure friendship.
Before long, Mr.. Flin,snire got into the
nabit OF calling nearly every day. and
though the hospitality he received was
of a very meagrc kind, he could not help
admiring the strict economy which the
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