Little Falls transcript., 1886-01-22
Her Uncle's Strategy.

Inc folloWlng true story might per-
haps furnish matter for 5a little come
dy, It is generally the case that the
moro beautiful and the richer the girl
IS the more difficult are both her par
ents and herself in the choice OF hus-
band, and the more offers they re-
fuse. The one is too tall, the other
too short, this not wealthy, that not
respectable enough. Meanwhile, one
spring passes another, and year after
year carries away leaf after leaf of the
bloom OF youth, and opportunity.
MISS Harriet Selwood was the richest
heiress IN her native town Of
shire, England, but sne had already
completed her 9th year, and beheld
almost all her Young friends united to
men whom she had atone time or 9TH
er discarded. Harriet began to be set
down for an old maid. Her parents
became really uneasy, and. she herself
lamented in private a position which
is not natural one, and to which
those to whom nature and fortune
have been niggardly of their gifts are
Obliged to submit; but Harriet, as we
have said, was both handsome and
very rich. Such was . the state of
things. when her uncle, wealthy mer-
chant in the north of England, came
on q visit to her parents. He was O.
jovial, lively, straightforward man,
y tn otL oly ILL
boldly and coolly. "You see,' said
her father to him one day, Harriet
continues single. The girl is hand
some; what she is TO have for her fort
une, you know; even in this scandal
loving town, not a creature can breathe
the slightest imputation against her,
and yet she is going to be an old
:"True," replied the uncle; "but, look
you, brother, the grand point in every
affair in this world is to seize the right
moment; this you have not done-it is
q misfortune; but let the girl 90 along
with me, and before the end Of three
months l will return her to you
as the wife OF man as young and
wealthy as herself" Away went the
niece with the uncle. On the way home
he thus addressed her: mind what
am going to say. You are no longer
Miss Selwood, but Mrs. Lumley, my
niece, a young, wealthy, childless wild
ow; you had the misfortune to lose
your husband, Col. Lumley, after g.
happy union of q quarter OF year, by
fall from his horse while hunting"
"But uncle" '.Let me manage, if
you please, Mrs. Lumley. Your
father has invested me with full
powers. Here, look you, is the we'd
ding ring given you by your late hus-
band. Jewels, and whatever else you
need, your aunt will supply you with;
and accustom yourself to cast down
your eyes, The keen -witted uncle in
troduced his niece everywhere, and the
young widow excited a great sensa-
tion. The gentlemen thronged about
her, and she soon had her choice out
OF twenty suitors. Her uncle advised
her to take the one who was deepest
in love with her, and rare chance
decreed that this should be precisely
the most amiable and opulent. The
match was soon concluded, and one
day the uncle desired to say q few
words to his future nephew in private.
"My dear sir, he began, eve havetold
you an nuntruth." "Hows so? Are Mrs
Lumley's Affections" "Nothing OF
the kind. My niece is sincerely at.
tached to you" "Then her fortune, ]
suppose, is not equal to what you told
me?" "On the contrary it is larger" !"
"WeIl, what is the matter, them" IA
joke, an innocent joke which came in
to my head one day when I was in a,
good humor-we could not well recall it
afterward. My niece is not widow"
"What! is Colonel Lumley living?'
"No, no-she is a spinster." The low
er protested that he was happier
fellow than he had conceived himself;
and the old maid was forthwith met
amorphosed into ayoung wife.