The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-12-06
Mr.. tlintShlre'S Marriage.
BY HENRY LABOUCuERE.

M1s C1luVollllC MullldSts
BY HENRY LABOUCHERE.
Mr.. Fliatshire retired from the Indian
Civil Service at the age of Fifty, re-
turned to England with the fixed h.;en-
ton Of marrying for money. Being a
bachelor his pension was more than sui.
ticient for his wants, and his savings
amounted to considerable fortune. But
he was very careful man. to say at
least, and he had always cherished the
idea of marrying rich wife who would
keep him. Htiert, he had been I'm.
successful, because he had to a limited
:xtent, allowed sentiment 10 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 "a this he had comparatively
little difficulty in discovering his oppo,-
unity. He was chatting one day with
his doctor in rather a respondent mood.
in consequence Of the unsatisfactory
state if his liver. when the medical gen.
tlenan, to cheer him, remarked.
"My dear sir, you need not feel un-
easy. You will be we'll in q month, AMI
you will live to be as brisk and lively at
eighty. four as old Mrs. humble wood"
who is Mrs. Mumblewood?" inquired
Mr. FIintshire.
IA patient Of mine-a wonde, FIJI ,dy.
AS tell you she il eig:ity-tour, and yet
comes to see me in all omnibus to save
a cab fare" i'd the doctor, laughing.
You will hardly believe it when I tell
you she is enormously WeA!thv'
"ls she widow inquired Mr.. Flint.
shire, D: ckiny w his Ears.
Yes. Her husband was old Mum
blewood, the contractor, who died
worth, as they say,a quarter Of a mill
lion. TIE Old Tel ow came from moth
ing but tue widow Is 4 s'Irewd, clever
vid lady, So brBk "a you or l."
''She can't last much longer, I sup.
pose?" remarked Mr.. Flinishire, ab-
sen,ly.
We'll, that is a professional secret"
said the doctor laughln. again. "Hnwev.
er. it is safe to predict that she has lived
the best part of her life"
~ should like to see her." slid Mr..
F|in1shire, IN quite hearty tone for him.
line sight OF Ler will do one more good
than Il course OF medicine"
"tf viii. Do cheaper, at any rate" said
the doctor, with unconscious irony.
Let me see-I should like to have a
look 1T you next Week. Now, Tuesday
morning at twelve o'clock IS uli Mrs.
MunDlewood hour, and you might ar
range your visit accordingly"
Probably the doctor had no other de-
sign III his mind than the wish 10 secure
smother fee, and in this he succeede, ,
tor Mr.. Flintshire at once undertook t.
call on the day and at t.le hour men
toned.
1t seems incredible that any man
should seriously think Of paying court
70 an old lady Of e'gnty-four. Ye, Mr..
Flintahire was quite prep ,red u do so
ii it turned out that Mrs. Mum blewool
was anything like as rich rs Was sup
posed. and he made the appointment
with the most deliberate attentions
He had nc difficulty III learning all
about tie old lady. who resided in
Sloane street and was Well known in the
ueig'i''orhood. The result OF his ,nuui-
r'es was highly satisfactory, for though,
:He deceased contractor had not left
'nythiny like quarter Of a million, the
widow had Inherited q large fortune.
vhlch must have COnsl,!era-
her penurious habi,s. She lived in a
'"all house, attended bv two old serv
ants who had been, respectively, cook
ho1t ~ hNr Lott h,,-,l,
could hardly be spending $500 year.
to judge from the stories that were toll,
tbout her, and the natural inference
*as tl'at'Ser savings must alo..e amour,
TO q fortune.
Under these circumstances Mr.. Flint
hire did not fail to Keep his appoint
'eEt. He considered the widow an OK
client chance, and though her miserly
'rOpensities rather interfered with his
original design of being supported free
of expense, this drawback was counter
balanced by the probability OF her speedy
4, mise. He therefore quite made up his
mind to marry her. nor did his purpose
waver when he found Mrs. Mumbie-
wood an iliterate old lady, with skin
parchment, face that might have been
c,rved from 4 block OF woud, and u
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 in an old lady ofeiyhty-tour
Mre. MumbIewood was evidently fiat
tered by his attentions, and though size
SOON jntimltatcd to him that she susp' e
ted he bad designs ON her fortune, tre
readily accepted his assurance that his
polileness arose from pure friendship.
Before long, Mr.. Fiintshire got into the
nabit Of calling nearly every day. and
though the hospitality he received vas
of a very mcagrc kind, he could not he lp
admirng the strict economy which the
widow practiced in her domestic arrange
ments.
1t was only natural, however, that the
Old proverb about the course of true love
never 'unnin. nooth should have been
exemplified in NJ. flintshre's case. If
the widow received his attentions with
complacency: he was much less favora-
bly, regarded by another n.emoer Of the
household. He perceived tn It he had
an enemy in the butler from the first
moment that ancient retail ,er opened the
door to him, This individu Il was sur
ly, not overclean individual OF sixty, or
GhCICouOuCSS W hOoc CiIIcl uuLicS appeared
IT, be to keep of intruders lro IL his mis-.
tress, since he apparently discharged no
other functions. 1t was perfectly obvious
that old Numb was jealous of every one
who entered the hou G, and, probably,
had an eye on his nlistress's fortune.
He was never polite to Mr.. Flin,sl,ire,
who did not intend to be refused when
he made his proposal OF marriage, real.
lied that he must not leave Mr.. Numb
out of his calculations. The consequence
was that. after mature deli e Grafton, he
one day askel the butler 10 give him !.
'ew words in private, and thus delivered
himself
Mr.. Numb.,' he said mysteriously,
"has the possibility OF your mistress
marrying again ever occurred to you?"
''No. it huin't" ,saidt he man, shortly.
well, Mr. Nunb," perhaps not,
though you hardly have ina lined that /
could see so much of that excellent lady
70 l have done lately without c ,nceiving
Il very great regard for her Now, sup
posing" said Mr.. Fiintshlre quite locose-
Iy." supposing I were to aspire to gain
your mistress's hand, what would you