Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-05-26
A Wife Wanted.
THIRTY NINE WOMEN ASKED TO MARRY.
THE FoRTIETH WOMAN ACCEPTS
THAT OFFER. THE CHIL
DRRN TAKE THE CASE
To COURT.
To COURT.

A correspondent thus writes from
Hartford, Conn: Chauncey Fl. Win
ship is prosperous old Yankee far
mer, who has spent the greater part
of his life of seventy-six years in till
ing the soil of fertile farm in the
Connecticut Valley at Wetoersfeld,
the second oldest town in the State.
Over century ago his ancestors
founded the picturesque little home
stead and christened it the "Winship
Farm House" a title which has clung
to it ever since. Mr. Winship was
married in his twenty second year,
and has lived to see three sturdy
sons and as many daughtersgrow up
about him. His wife, the faithful
partner of over half century, died
a little less than a year ago.
Old Mr.. Winship was inconsolable
for three long days. Returning from
the field the third day after his be-
reavement, he met pretty Nellie Kle.t,
the buxom, rosy-cheeked daughter
of neighboring farmer. Nellie is
only sixteen years old, but the auda-
cious patriarch told her she was the
delight of his old eyes, and that if
she would overlook the difference in
their ages and become his little wife
he would present her with a bridal
gift of $4,000. Nellie was scared
half out of her wits and ran away
without so much as rejecting the
proposal.
Her suitor then turned his atten-
ton to another quarter. The very
same evening be put on his best
black coat with the velvet collar and
his Sunday cravat and started out
for the cottage of Granny" Clapp, a
very bright old laGy of sixty seven
years, who lived about half a mile
down the road. He found the little
woman knitting very vigorously and
swapping fire from her small black
eyes with every stitch.
And SO you're trying to get an
other wife are youl" she exclaimed
indignantly. "Oh' don't deny it. 1
heard all about what you were sayin
to that Klett young one You ought
to be ashamed of yourself, you old
rascal !"
"You mustn't be too hard on me,
Granny" pleaded the old man. "Do
you know 1 came down to make you
the same offer, my
"Well, You jest might have saved
yourself the trouble" interrupted
the little woman, and the rejected
lover departed without another word
He was not utterly cast down, and in
day or two his spirits returned and
with them his self confidence. Sat
urday night he shaved his face smooth
and shiny, and the following day saw
him in his pew at church as spick and
span as the minister himself. He
peeped about him through his fingers
during the long prayer, and his heart
began to hutter when he saw good
old Deacon Wilson's daughter take a
cautious side glance at him. She is
prim old maid on the verge of fifty. |
fairly well preserved, and the old |
gentleman made it convenient to
walk home with her. At the gate he |
told her how lonesome he was since !
his poor wife had died and asked her !
il, for consideration of $4,000, she
would become a second Mrs. Win
ship. The prim old maid blushed
and asked her suitor for little time |
to consider. He called again in the
evening and she declined him. He
offered to raise his price to $4,000, |
and finally to $4,000, but she would |
not accept. At last he offered to
throw in his farm with the rest, and |
even then he could not move her.
The old gentleman concluded that
his courting days were passed, but
he Was anxious as ever to finda wife. /
Two weeks after the death notice OF
the late lamented Mrs. Winshlp ap-
peared in the Hartford papers their
readers in Wethersfeld were surpris-
ed to see an advertisement in which
the widower invited manageable
women generally to come to the
homestead as housekeepers, and, if |
to marry him. The first
answer came the day the advertise
ment was published in the shape of
a sprightly young woman, who said
that her name was Mrs. ABBY. If
Mr.. Winship would give her $50. she
would use it to secure divorce from
her husband, after which she would
consider the subject of remarriage.
She passed the night at the Winship
farmhouse and departed with the $50
In the morning. Her would-be sec
ond chubby" was threatened with le-
gal difficulties from his bargain later.
The second day of the advertise
ment the old gentleman was called
in from his corn field by the announce
ment that lady wished to see him.
He went to the parlor in his shirt
sleeves with $4,000 in bills in his
hand Instead of one be found sew
en- of the fair sex awaiting him. There
were three alleged widows, and tie
rest called themselves maidens. Their
ages, from appearance, varied from
to fifty years. All arose
to meet their prospective lord as he
entered, and he made them a courtly
bow. Then he arranged them in
what he considered the order of their
II.