The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-05-01
our FRIENDS THE WYDESWARTHS.


our FRIENDS THE EwY0EswARTHs.
We were very plain people, Mrs.
Crumplehorn and I'm Mr.. Crum-
plehorn-when the death Of a distant
relative made US unexpectedly rich.
Now I'm not going to be mean
enough to put the blame of what fol
lows on Mrs Crumplehorn- Ihat
dodge of husbands laying their sins at
their wives doors began at very
early stage of the worlds history, and
small good it did the man that tried 1t
first
We had hardly come into possession
of our fortune certainly hadn't begun
to feel at home in it-when the season
at Saratoga opened, and Mrs. Crum-
plehorn said we must 60 there, as
everybody that was anybody did; that
it was expected of us-by whom, l
don't remember that she stated; IN
short, that there was mo getting out
of it." l really didn't see that there
was, and so we Went.
We found crowd of people there,
none of whom we knew. You can't
think how unsociable they were.
Why, when Mrs. Crunplehorn, just
to be civil, asked a lady where she had
bought the stuff in her dress, and how
much it had cost a yard, she received
for answer such stare as made the
cold chills run over her, and, to use
her own expression, came near CIV
: ing her turn.
SsHops" to people that don't dance,
games to people that can't play them,
and jostling people one doesn't know,
are. very tiresome modes of, killing
time. In two days I had enough OF
it, and Mrs. Crumplehorn expressed
herself satisfied in three.
We had just concluded to set fash
ionable opinion at defiance and go
home and take things comfortable,
when, as luck would have it, we made
the acquaintance of General and Mrs.
Wydeswarth; and so agreeable did it
prove, that our purpose OF speedy de.
parture was at once reconsldered, and
promptly dismissed.
During our stay, which was pro
longed several weeks, the General and
myself, similarly his lady, and Mrs.
Crumplehorn, were inseparable. They
were very entertaining and agreea-
BILE couple, quite up to the highest
notch of fashion, but not IN the least
proud. Why, bless you, the General
made no more of walking arm and
arm with me, and thought it no more
q liberty to be invited to drink cham
payne at my expense than his arlsto-
cratic wife did to be ofered-and to
accept, too-Mrs. Crumplehorn's fin
est diamond ring as a marriage annI-
versary present, of the event of which
happy occasion she took care to give
Mrs. G. private and confidential no
tice
When the time came for going we
had become SO attached TO our new
friends that we gave them cordial
invitation to pay us an early visit,
which they promised to do.
While the two ladies were taking
an afectionate leave, crying and kiss
ing one another by turns, the General
took me aside and disclosed the fact
that, owing to the miscarriage of an
expected remittance, he found hlmselfa
little short Of funds. If could &C
commodate him with-say S500-it
would relieve him from present embar
rassraent and he would return it the
following week when he and Mrs.
W. came to pay their promised visit.
was deeply affected at this mark of
confidence, and at once handed over
the amount, and after another pathet-
ic scene between Mrs. W. and Mrs. Z.
we tore ourselves away.
Punctual to the day our distinguish
ed guests arrived, and right glad we
were to see them. Our country home
had seemed dull since our return,
mainly owing, no doubt, to the absence
of the dear friends to whose society
we had grown accustomed.
The General was captivated with
our rural abode. He thought of build
ing Just such house himself; and
nothing would do but must show
him over the premises-which | did,
pointing out every nook, corner and
apartment, with a conscious pride
which my friends praises served IN no
way to abate.
The first furry over, we were Just
getting cleverly settled down, and be-
ginning to enjoy ourselves in earnest,
when an event occurred to mar our
pleasure.
The house was entered by burglars
one night, ransacked from top to bot
tom. Our own loss, though by no means
trifing- consisting of all the plate,
and over thousand dollars in money
we could have grinned and borne;
but Mrs. Wydeswarth's diamonds-we
had never seen them, but they must
have been splendid the Generals
pocket book, fat with untold green
backs, that was what crushed us.
Never mind, my dear fellow, said
the General with the fortitude OF a
hero; my chief regret is on your ac-
count. It will compel me to defer pay
ment of that little loan few days lon
ger. On the whole, I'm rather glad l
didn't think Of returning il sooner
though, as the loss would then have
been yours.
begged him not to think of such
trihe; and when | offered to replenish
his purse till another remittance came,
he slapped me on the back, and called
me "a trump.
On Mrs. Crumplehorn' S birthday,
which followed close upon the burg
larry, Mrs. Wydeswarth insisted on her
acceptance of magnificent breastpin,
which had somehow escaped the vigil
ance of the robbers. Mrs. G. would
declined the gift, could she have done
so without wounding her friends feel
ings; butt was manifest she couldn't,
so she took it.
Just then the General put a letter
IN his wife's hand.
ssvro ,o>,o,-o1-;,o," +ba 1otta,. ay-