The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-12-16

But old Sparkling, who was our shrewdest
head by long way, hearing this question
asked ut Miss Whiffin's house one afternoon,
remarked, with Il comical face to fix our at
tention that we had not disposed of the
mother yet. Surprising that so natural
thought had not suggested itself before! Mrs.
Temple, as we understood, had been married
very early, and our most competent female
critics declared that she could not be more
than forty-iYe, or, rather, should say, they
put it that she could not be less We had
several widows and spinsters Of ripe years,
and those agreed that forty-flve was still
marrying nge; indeed, some Of the ladies de-
clared that it was the best time of all
an opinion in which Sparkling con-
Cured with much yehemence end solem-
nifty, only the old fellow was caught
winking slyly ut a confidential friend
Immediately after, which aroused some sus-
picion That Mrs. Barbara Temple might be
married before any Of her daughters, that
she was yet an attractive and marrying
woman, we ali admitted There was that in
her manner with men which told that she had
not yet abandoned either the hope or the
methods Of conquest; and it was plain to US
all that less likely women are married every
day of the year. Besides, the fortune was
Observation-Disclosures we had discovered on
undoubted testimony; and since the fortune
could not be less than three thousand a year,
we began to see that for the present it was
Mrs. Temple, not her daughters, who was
likely to be the prize in our next matrimonial
race So, having settled this i'll our minds
we proceeded like rational beings to choose a
husband for the animated widow; and with
scarcely dissentient opinion, we came to
the conclusion that our rector, the Rev. An
thony Brent, would be tho happy man. We
were not altogether wrong in this conjecture,
as my story shall disclose But MIR. Brent
does not emerge on our historic page at
present
Let me tell you here that, in the course Of
long life, have never met n woman who
could match Mrs Barbara Temple. Cleverer
women, handsomer women wittier women l
have met in scores; but the secret of Mrs.
Barbara Temple was her utter and hearty
love of this present world OF this present
world she was, believe, the sincerest and
most unquestioning worshipcr that ever lived.
She put no strain upon herself to become what
she was; she quenched no aspiration and re-
pressed no misgiving Worldlness was the
simple honest expression Of her natural dis
position and her Judgment OIL affairs Never
religious devotee was so completely mclosed
in u creed as she. For, indeed, it was creed,
and life, too, and Mrs. Barbara Temple
loved the world just rs Il flower loves sunlight;
she obcvcd Il law of her own nature. But the
cheerfulness with which she obcyed it; her
unouestoning faith in tho power of the
4 tho pl,SDDpn pf
SUSPICION that there could bc any higher
motive in life, or indeed, any other motive
ut all, and the chccriulncSs and alacrity with
which she followed out her convictions,
mude her of necessity Il vigorous and original
rbaraCtnr All that makes what such people
call "the world" she longcd for and prizc6.
Accomplishments, money, taste, health, the
good opinion of society, these, and 4 thous-
and kindred matters, she regarded as sever
ally constituents of happiness To he sought
with the utmost solic!tulc every hour of the
day. She was grateful to the world for
being what it was to hcr-an ercr-running
fountain Of desire or pleasure.
Have | sufficiently skctchCd her figure!
Will Il few strokes more make her il clearer
image in your minis eye: She WAS short. ;ls
have said, trinity built. perhaps trile too
stout, bu. that might be disputed. He" nose
was rather large, but finely cut. like her sec
ond ,!auE Ehtcrs and SHE dressed her brown
hair in short ringlets, which well suited the
style of her face. Her color was good and
high enough to make pcopl. aSs; questions,
and her eyebrows wCrn not free from >'i'-
picious traces Of making up Her dress WAS
always rich and a:!':irahlv 'lI;:"1 +" h"r
figure and years: for .'lr' was careful to luok
full forty She avoided al absurd alice
tation OF youth, and although kind Of
sprightly dancing step, which >iir often fell
into, Nigh. have Seemed rather Il fault III lhis
direction most of lis considered this gait moth
ing hut surplus vitality acting on frame SO
light and plump that it seemed made 10 skip,
or bound like ball.