Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-11-10

frederick Mcpherson and Berthe
Shorthouse. Eight of them.
Clancy a woman writing to eight
men to express her perfect willing
ness to marry any one of them! The
only circumstance that prevents me
expiring with horror at my own te-
merity is the fact that all of them
have proposed to me, and in their
different ways expressed q perfect
readiness to fall in with my views if
ever / could persuade myself to re-
consider my decision"
Yet all the time curious hesitan-
cy mingled with her air of determi-
nation.
Twice she laid her pen on her pa
per, as though to add ninth name
to those already written.
The third time her fingers traced
the letter R, but she scratched it
through hastily.
81 think ! must be mad. The
idea of my offering to marry Regi-
maid Beresford Reggie,with whom
II quarrelled. Reggie, with whom I
played in my baby days. Reggie to
whom I was engaged when I was in
short fsseks, before he was first sent
to India.
ct was married to Mr.. Venning
| when he came back, and then-then
poor Reginald began to racket and
| spend his money and ruin his health.
Heaven forgive me /! l laughed at
| him--he was so poor-for, though
my heart ached for him, my head
was too light to remember anything
but that I was young and pretty. It
serves me right that, after all / am
obliged to marry some man I hate
anyway. Now for it !"
In her slender writing she penned
eight letters to the men who within
the last few months had wooed and
tried to win the prettiest widow in
London.
She playfully claimed the preroga-
tive peculiar to her own sex ofchang-
ing her mind and wrote plaintivelY
of her lonely life and her longing for
a guiding hand and strong arm.
When the task was completed, she
rang the bell, and sending for her
maid told her to prepare for weeks
stay in the country.
"Who has called ?" Mrs. Venning
asked as she entered her fat on her
return from the country. A sheaf of
cards and q packet Of letters were
handed her. The first she tossed
aside; the second demanded peru
sal.
"Now, / wonder how many men /
shall find myself engaged to buy the
time I've read all these?n
She broke the seal of the first.
Sir Roderick So glad to hear
/ am well-fears Scotland would
scarcely suit me-kind regards.
How Scotch
"The bishop rejoices to see I am
taking a more serious view Of life.
Has changed his mind about marry
ing and thinks the clergy should be
| celibates.
Gluckstein has looked up my
husbands will and considers that my
readiness to become his wife is act.
uated solely by desire to possess
his millions. Gracious |! What else
| could he think!
Colonel Dingwall is engaged to
a young girl-all blue eyes and gold
en- hair-going to be married next
week. How foolish he must have
felt when he read my letter! Well,
four of them are out of the running
A slight flush rose to Mrs. Ven
ning's cqeeks as she opened the fifth
letter, which she quickly tore across
and across.
"What shameful letter to write
/ always did hate that horrid old
duchess.
" Umph Lord Arthur St.John's
valet writes for him. Says bis mas.
ter has got softening Of the BRAIN
BERTHE Shorthouss informs me
that he Is stone broke and has got to
marry an American heiress, but will
/ dine at the Cafe Royal one night
There are Eve mistakes in spelling.
"Now for Lord Fordwell. He al.
ways was dear old thing. What
he would be delighted but his daugh.
tiers won't hear of his marrying
again.
"And to think that / should be
refused by eight menl By men who
vowed they loved me for myself
would defy the fates to win me
would wait for years for me. Oh
this humiliation is aufnll / shall