The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-07-19

When l was about IA years old,
my father. who had been widower
since my birth. took for his second
wife the widow of his old friend.
Captain Spinner My father was
quite an elderly man already, and
the widow was nearly his own age
The terms of his offer were these:
Mrs Spinner, l have fine old
house with no one to keep it. You
are the best housekeeper know and
have no house to keep You have
hard times. know. So have /, in
another way Think 1t over"
You see, it wasnot romantic WOO
ing As for the widow-a portly
woman with a high color, who re
fused TO let her hair grow gray as
long as there were dyes in the drug
stores-she replied frankly:
''Oh. don't need to think long
over it It's too good an offer. But
j never do anything without consult
ing the captain"
As Captain Spinner had now been
dead 10 years this might have star
tied a new acquaintance, but my ia
ther knew very well what 1t meant
and said:
Very well, ma'am."
Then Mrs Spinner brought forth
a little triangular candle stand and
sent her compliments to Mr.. Mad
der, and would he spare her an hour.
Mr. Maddler came at once. He
was a remarkable youth of the
neighborhOOd, in whose presence
tables danced and raps were heard
mot a professional medium, Mrs
Spinner used to say with a sigh,
they came too expensive for her, =
but gifted amateur. Under his
long. white fingers the table danced
about beautifully and these words
were spelled out:
Ship ahoy, my heartyl Shiver
my timbers could choose better
mate for my late consort Take her.
with my blessingr'
Now, Captain Spinner had never
said ''shiver my tin1bers" or called
my father my hearty" in life. But
no ones attention was called to that
fact, and the result was that Mrs.
Spinner became Mrs Hardman very
shortly and fulfilled my fathers
highest expectations. She looked
very well in the rich black silks and
satins she could now afford to wear,
made US very comfortable, petted us
as if we were babies and kept the
house in apple pie order. In return
my father made no objection to a Sc
ance in the library every Friday,
where we hearl-the three legged
candle stand dancing away at a great
rate
Mr. Maddler always attended these
meetings, but my father did not ask
him at other times He was a mere
youth in those days, but l did not
like him either, so he gained no foot
hold in the house.
On the whole, we were very hap
py for four years, and my father
had slowly grown very fond of his
Jane Elza-whom he had married
because she was a good housekeeper
when death stepped in and struck
him q fatal blow.
When he died, thought at first
that l should never-be myself again,
but at is one is elastic. AS for my
stepmother, she mourned in the
deepest Grape and cried a great deal
Then "a change came DER the
spirit of her dream" l detected a
curious alteration in her manner,
and started into curiosity looked for
its cause and found it in Mr.. Mad
der That young man, now our
constant visitor. was evidently pay
ing his addresses to my stepmother,
who was hard on her way to 60.
I liked her, for she had been kind
to me. I detested Maddler, who
seemed to me a very sneaking and
contemplate person. had read the
papers sufficiently to know that such
unions generally ended very badly
for the lady in the case.
As my father had made his will, ]
had only a sufficient sum for my ex-
penses until came of age, and my
stepmother could do what she pleased
during her lifetime.
Poor father never dreamed that
his second wife would marry again
and had wished us to make our home
together and be as mother and son.
I had never doubted the wisdom of
the viii before, but now 1 saw that
once married TO Maddler my step
mother would soon be induced to
place everything In his hands.
l determined to speak plainly to
her, and ! did. She was confused
and simpered a little, but confessed
that was not wrong.
For heavens sake, consider what
you are doing, mammal" 1 cried.
Cant you see the mans motive2"
He adores me, she said
do you believe that7' 1 cried.
She simpered again.
He's young enough to be your
grandson, +" said
Not quite" she replied But,
at all events, years make no differ
ence. The spirits that hover above
me, Mr.. Maddler says, and so does
his particular friend, Mr.. Tucker,
preserve my youth by making me
inhale flower essences in my sleep.
Really walked up the other night
with the smell of lavender all about
me. They say 1 don't look 80, Mr..
Maddler and Mr.. Tucker do"
You don't believe all that, do
you, mamma7'' asked.
'Wen yes, do, " replied my step
mother seAnd then Mr.. Maddler Is
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