Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-15
4 WIDOW BEVITcHED.

the death of Oliver Beauchamp. Why
Mary Vane had married him nobody
could ever make out. He was such
thoroughly uncomfortable person that
even his money could scarcely have been
a sufficient inducement to the most merce-
nary girl in England to consent to pass
her life with HIM. Mr.. Beauchamp had
been in the habit of spending the greater
part of his time in the pleasing occupa-
ton of coquetting with one fashionable
physician after another, for, truth to tell,
he was malade imaginaire.
The doctors found Mr.. Beauchamp to
be anything but satisfactory patient, for
so fond was he of fresh woods and pastures
new that he had the playful habit of de-
serting his medical advisers just as they
had begun to fatter themselves that a
really full-feathered fool had come into
their professional net. Then Beauchamp
would try quackery and doctor himself
with one weli-adyertised nostrum after an
other, so that the only wonder is that he
lived as long as he did.
Now, it was owing to the advice of Sir
CELSIUS Gorget that Mr.. Beauehamp came
to marry Mary Vane When she
came out at the country ball at Loamshire
he took her down to supper, and half an
hour afterward proposed to her and was
accepted. Young ladies of eighteen years
of age have habit of accepting their first
offer. A good many explanations, more or
less possible, have been given for it, but
the real reason, no doubt, is that the
charming creatures honestly believe that
they never will be lucky enough to have a
second offer, and that, therefore, they will
do well to make hay while the sun shines.
Now, Sir CELSIUS had said to Beauchamp,
as he pocketed that gentlemans two
guineas and bowed himself out of the con-
sulting room: "Why don't you try mar
riage? You seem to have tried every
thing else. Mind, l don't say altogether
recommend it. Still, 1 throw out the sug-
gestion. Think it over"
Beauchamp did think it over. Indeed,
during the following week he pondered on
the great mans advice day and night; and,
just as he would have accepted any other
panacea, so he swallowed Sir CELSIUS nos
trum and married Mary Vane. The nos
trum can scarcely be said to have been
singularly eficacious, for in less than
twelve months from the date of his mar
riage he died, leaving Mary Beauchamp
&c, 900 year. She was good and kind
wife to the unhappy man, and 1 think
that, after all, what killed him was too
liberal allowance of somebody's electric
pills and somebody's African elixir.
\
Captain Graham was a hero of a TO-
nance. He had not a penny in the world,
but he had black curly hair, his teeth
were perfect and his features admirable
Moreover, Captain Graham went to good
tailor, and his boots were undeniable. For
various reasons the Captain had arrived at
stage OF existence when it struck him as
singularly advisable that he should marry
money. He went down to Brighton and
put up at the Bedford He used to
walk up and down the Kings road and
stare out of the windows of his club like a
young lion seeking whom he might de-
your. OF course he came across a great
many pretty faces, but to his mind he saw
nothing half so delicious as that charming
young widow, Mrs. Beauchamp; and as
within week of his arrival the young
lady thought fit to cast aside her weeds
and blossom forth in gentle violets and
delicate mauves, he became more than
ever confirmed in his opinion
1t is scarcely worth while going into de-
tails as to the Captains Vaccinations in
obtaining an introduction to young Mrs.
Beauchamp. Suffice it to say that they
were triumphantly successful. He was to
her as revelation. He came, he saw, he
conquered. He proposed to her one moon
light night upon the west pier. Miss
Jenkins, Miss Beauchamps sheep dog, was
sitting within yard of them; but then
Miss jenkins was listening to the soft
strains of selection from Dorothy
which was being played by the band, and
"Queen of My Heart Tonight" as a cor
net solo, distracted her attention from the
subtler rendering of the same theme, which
was being poured into the young widows
ear by the enamored Captain. Mrs. Beau
champ listened with pleasure to his tale.
81 am poor man, you know, Mary" he
said. 81 have little else but my good
name and my sword to offer you, and
hardly know if we should have enough to
live upon" He almost winked as he said
the words, but they conveyed noble idea
of his own disinterestedness, as he intended
they should. "We may have to wait
Mary" he continued, land l may even
have to ask you to go to India with me
| for my regiment is one of the next for for.
eign service"
Poor fellow, he evidently had not the
slightest idea of the three thousand a
| year.
81 should not mind doing that for the
man loved" said the widow softly.
And then he squeezed her hand, and
| the she squeezed his, and then, and then
it was all settled in the most dignified
manner, and Mrs. Beauchamp became en-
gagged to Captain Graham
Two days after Captain Graham went
into one of the fashionable photographers
| and sat for his likeness and ordered it to
| be finished on porcelain in colors, regard.
less of expense. He did not in the leas;
demur at the FIVE guineas which Mr.
Halftones assistant said it would cost
He only stipulated that it should be ready
in forty-eight hours. At the end of that
period Halftone was in the best of tempers
as he inspected the gallant Captains por.
trait. you have been very successful
Mrs. Smith," he said patronizingly to the
young person, who had done the miniature;
''it is a speaking likeness. And now would
you mind doing me little favor? My
customer is very haw-haw sort of fellow
and insists upon the portrait being deliv-
cred by hand. There is the address, Mrs.
Beauchamp, No. "a Regency square. You
have honestly earned your five shillings,
Mrs. Smith," he continued, as he handed
her couple of half crowns, "and a turn
in the air will do you good"
The pale young woman in a well-worn
plaid dress, with great black rings under
her eyes, thanked her patron.
81 am glad you are pleased, Mr.. Half
Tone" said she; Il shall be only too happy
to deliver the likeness" And she wrapped
it carefully and delicately in paper. Then
she put on dowdy old bonnet and cheap
ulster, drew on her well-darned gloves and
started on her errand. When she arrived
at "a Regency square she knocked at the
door timidly enough; but there was a
hard, determined look on the thin features
and the great hollow eyes sparkled fierce
ly. She asked for Mrs. Beauchamp and
was shown up at once as the young per-
son from Mr.. Halftone's. Mrs Beau
champ was in the dining-room giving the
finishing touch to the floral decorations of