Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-08-29
embarrassment.

embarrassment.
'Well," said, at my wits end, after
few moments silence, ''you ought to Macy
to marry-can't you marry-son1e one
else first?"
"Whatp' she sobbed, "and wait for Harry
till Pm an old, old woman?"
mot exactly" said l; "your husband
might mean you might div-I mean
your marriage might be put an end to after
a time, or he might die!'
She did not answer at once, and 1 felt /
had been recommending a divorce by col
fusion, with the alternative suggestion of
murder, and had perhaps said enough for
the present
"He might die" she said, meditatively,
apparently rather struck with the latter
suggestion.
"Of course he might " said, cheerfully,
''and his life might not be of much value"
''Then he would be sure to live unless he
was very, very old to begin with"
'Do you know any one very, very old?"
I asked, new light dawning upon me.
mo one," she ssaid, Except old Blif-
kins. He is 1927
'He's the very man!' I cried
'Nonsensen' she answered. "Hes poor
old man in our village and lives on brandy
and snuff
cold Blifllins is the very man." I re-
peated. look here! If he's 1902 he can
not last much longer, and if you don't like
to take him to church go to a registry of
fee. He will be glad to end his days in af-
fuenee, and if you will send him to Jersey
or some such place where liquor and snuff
are cheap
ooh, Mr.. FairbairnI' she exclaimed, 81
couldn't
''That settles it,'' I said rather dryly,
rising and looking out of the window as I
lit fresh cigarette, ''but of course if you
could L understand your uncle's fortune
is q very large one; there are your brothers
and sisters to be thought of, and then
there is what's his-name, Tom, Bill, Harry
as said the last word the door clicked
behind me, 1 heard whisk of feminine
draperies brushing the banisters and the
stairs outside, while a silvery voice grow
ing rapidly more distant called back some
thing about "good-by," and about my be-
ing SO clever, but l need not repeat that
again.
have not seen her or heard of her since.
My friends could not or would not tell me
anything. l was much mystifed then, and
now the fine spring afternoon has reminded
me of her and | have recalled the whole
history of the visit of my fair client.
Five o'clock, by Jove~ I must hurry
home at once and take my wife for stroll
in the park. Euphemia never could stand
being kept waiting. wonder who that is
knocking. A good brief, hope. Probably
Sc le little paltry county court case. What
do you say, William? A marriage settle
ment to draw. You know never do any
conveyancing; send it away. What solic-
itors? Sharpe & Wiseman; very good
people, and new cEents-about the biggest
firm in London. What is the fee? Five
hundred guineas William! Five hundred
guineas for drawing marriage settlement!
They must be mad Who is it? Let me
look. Settlement on the marriage of
Capt. Henry Scott-Shackleford'' Owe heard
that name before somewhere) land Con-
stantia Blifkins, widow Constantia
Blifkins sounds rather high class! Steady,
though, Blifkins Blifkins? Where have
heard that name? Aha, begin to I'M
derstand. My little client, this is indeed
gratitude. But if we ever meet again,
Constantia, it will be for you to blush and
for me to say with Talleyrand, "Oho,
madame. st. James Budget.