The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-01-08
THE WYDEsWARTHS.
Where and How We Formed
Their Acquaintance.


We were very plain people, Mrs. Crumpie-
horn and I'm Mr.. Crumplehorn-wnen
the death of distant relative made US un-
expectedly rich.
Now I'm notlgoing to be mean enough 10
nut the blame of what follows on Mrs.
Crumplehorn. The dodge of husbands lay
ing their sins at their wives doors began a1
a very early stage of the worlds history,
and small good it did the man that tried IL
first-and served him right, too-lf ne eods
orr federal head and representative. II
lust tell nv story, if you please, leaving the
question of who's to blame to take care Oh
itself.
We hardly came into possession OF our
fortune-certainly hadn't begun to feel at
home in it-when the season at Saratoga
opened, and Mrs. Crumplehorn sandy must
90 there. as every body that was any oooy
did that it was expected OF uS-Dy aOhoH, !
DON'T remember that she stated; in short,
that there was mo getting out OF It,"
really didn't see that there was, and so we
went. -
We found a crowd of people there, none OF
whom we knew. You cans think how unso-
ciablc they were. Why, when Mrs. Crum-
nlehorn. last to be civil asked Il lady where
She had bought the stuff il her dress, and
how much it had cost c yard, she received
for an answer such o stare as made the
cold chills run over her, and, 10 use hef
own expression, "caInc near giving her
turn"
Chops to people thai dcn't dance,
games to people that cant play them and
iostling people enc doesn't know, arc very
t1resomc MOODS Ct killing tin9. In two
DAYS had had enough Of Il, and Mrs. Crum-
plehorn expressed l:creelf ~ltiaicd II three
. We had Just concluded II SCI fashionable
opinion at defiance, ard ~ nome and take
things comfor, al. E..lca. - lack would
have It, we mad 80 ,.e'c ,--i.,t:.lcc of Cen
eral and Ms. IVyt25iT,li.;i.; and SO agreea-
BILE did it prove that or purpose of speedy
departure was at once rcco1sidered, and
promptly dismissed.
During our stay, which was prolonged
several weeks, tho General and myself,
similarly his lady and Mra. Crumplehorn,
were inseDarably. They woe u worry enter
tanning and agreeable couple. quite up to
the highest notch CT fashion, but not in the
least proud Why, bless you! tho General
thought go more CT walking arm in arm
with me, and thought ii no moro q liberty
to be invited to drink ciampagneat my OK
pense, than his aristocratic wife dld to be
offcred-and to accept, too-Mrs. Crumple-
horns finest diamond ring as n marriage
anniversary present, Of the advent Of which
happy occasion she took care TO give Mrs.
c. private AID confidential notice.
When the time camc for going, we had
become so attached to our new friends that
we gave them a cordial invitation to pay us
an early visit, which they promised to do.
While the two ladies Were :'lng an af-
fectionate leave, crying aNi Kissing one
another by turns, the General took me
aside, and disclosed the fact that, owing to
the miscarriage Of an expected remittance,
he found himself little short Of funds If
l could accommodate him with-say five
hundred dollars-it would relieve him from
present embarrassment, and he would re-
turn it the following week. when he and
Mrs. W. came to pay their promised visit.
l was deeply affect d al mis- mark of
confidence, and at once handed over the
amount, and after another pathetic scene
between Mrs. w. and Mrs c., we tore our
selves away.
Punctual to the day our distinguished
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 captiva ed with our
rural abode. He thought of building 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 beginning to en-
JOY ourselves in earnest, when an event
occurred to mar our pleasure.
The house was entered by burglars one
night and ransacked from top to bottom.
Our own loss, though by no means trifing
consisting OF all the plate, and over a
thousand dollars in money-we could have
grlnned and borne; but Mrs. Wydeswarth's
had never seen them, but
they must have been splendid-and the Cen
eral's pocketbook, fat with untold green
backs, that was what crushed US.
Never mind, my dear felow,o said 4be
General, with the fortitude of a h,,ro.,,
. my chief regret is on YOUR account r.
will compel me to defer payment Of that
little loan few days longer On the whole
I'm rather glad didn't think of returning
It sooner, though, as the loss would then
have been yours"
begged him not to think of sucb a tr;Ae.
ana when offered to re plenlsh his nurse
I'LL another remittance Came, he slammed mo
On the back and called me ..trump J,
On Mrs. Crumplehorn's hirtbdav which
followed close upon the burglary. Mrs
Wydeswarth insisted on her aceentance Of
magnificent breastpin. which had some
aow escaped the vigilance OF tho robbers
Mrs. =. would have declined the eift. co,,id
'he nave done so wi.hoct we her
ienu feelings; 'at it was manifest she
couldn't, 50 ,hc t, lit.
just then the ,4saeral put letter in his
wife's hanl. - - N''
-, how s,r'yvoking!' the latter exclaimed
when she h;.d roalit.
What. my tlife?,
why, th-t tanaT Fitz Blodpitt shou,d
lust a1 ms ls.ssA Axe it into bar head to
ses nl; fl.a a.li ,asist on my bling present,
y tsiinie-'s CT 4 promise vre made each
other at school, we An""o
1T Is little inconyr ,+u cola tho
General, graye.,y. '" S- wy
lhere's no help &c r. 7 muet olive II
i e sighed Mrs. w vdeswarth. IT couldn't
Of appsas' .lg on such an occasion
without ie'seis.f'
"Of course not" the General assented.
Ny dear Aspasia,n interrupted Mrs.
Crumplehoy n-she had grown very familiar
with her friend by this time tiny jewels
are at your service. They are very plain,
no doubt, in comparison with those yoI
have been accustomed to wear; but such
as thcy are, you ase welcome to their use. !"
g My dear but hrs. WIS feelings were
too many for her.
The stu ton was extremely delicate.
scarcely knew how 10 act. managed, how
ever, to tap the General a wink, and he fol-