The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-17
MIR. FIintshire's Marriage.

not poor one either. think we should
live little better. Numb. u were mas
ter here; your wages might be raised;
nnd-and--well. Numb. on my wedding
day dare say might give you . nYes
pound note. What do you say TO mat!
Mr.. FlintShire spoke In his mos; e9rn-
est and persuasive tone, but iailsd 70
move muscle Of Mr. NunD's st'lio
face. So. a.,
"Or--or ten Shall we say ten, Numb?"
said Mr.. ITlintshire, eagerly.
Make Il flfty," said the butler. with
a perfectly impressive caunlenance.
"Flftyl Bless my soul. Ahen! It's a
very large sumG'' gasped Mr.. Flinishire.
..Cin't ne split the dinferenc. and meet
half Way--say twenty or twenty -hHe!
"Fiftv." repeated Numb stu5hornly
nWeli wen! nifty tlcn." said Mr..
Flln.yhife. with resignation. 1t is .
large sum, Out. However, say
nifty" ,,..-
The butler said ffty, apparently rather
10 obllge Mr. Fllntshire than from any
interest ne felt In the dlscussion-Jndg-
ing AT least from hiE tone and manner.
Nothing more passed al this remarkaOie
Interview. hut the next day MT. filnt,
shire proposed 10 Mrs. Mumblewooa anu
was Immediately accepted.
After this matters weh , sLloOsI iI
enough. and though Mr.. Flintshire
Sretted A good deal about the fifty
Mounds he had promised TO Numb. ne dld
no. consider the money thrown away.
The allcrity with wIich Mrs. humble
wood mad accepted him plainly revealed
that he owed his success 20 the buffers
Interference. WheFO once he was mar
ried ne hattered himself that MT
Numb's dominion would soon come 10
an end. Meanwhile. itSwas prudent 10
be polite to him, since he, acted as the
Iady,s confidential adviser, ,Nhe might
make himself dlsagreeable by suggest
ing settlements and other undesirable
Nothing Of the kind occurred. how
ever. and the marriage was performed IN
a nelghborlng church without russ or
ceremony. Mr.. Numb received MS hity
pounds, together with promise OF i rise
In his wages, which Mr.. Fllnisnire m
tended In his own mind as a ptelnln1Ig
10 Diminishing him. The wedains pan
uuet and the suspicious event IN no wa!
disturbed .he even tenor OF the mousse
hold The only change that occurred
was that trtSn henceforth Mr.. FlinishiFe
wds promoted to the dignity OF pay
master Of the establishment. the widow
gtopping all supplies With prompusude
fine moment she had changed her name
Mr., Fllntshlre did not trouble to an
nounce his wedding in the papers. There
was nothing 10 be gained by doing SO
and his wife did not appear 10 desire H.
He settled down readily enough TO ms
new STATE OF life. and devoted himself TO
ministering to his wifs's eontert NJ y
very Iaudable manner The chief aim
he had In view was to prevent her nom
making q Will. He strongly suspected
thai she made one before her marriage,
In which the name OF Mr.. NUMB nguteu
conepfcuously; but that document was
now null and void by operation oil Jaw.
II his wife. therefore, did NOT maze y
fresh one, he would. at her deatl =. INHERIT
evervthiug, as her husband, and he was
accordingly. quite content TO leave MAJ
ters where they were at present.
II Nr. Filntshlre deserved domestic
banpiness as a reward for his perseveT-
auce. he certainly did not attain tiiat ae-
sirnbIe contamination. To begin with.
I,ls wife was crotchety and fractlous' as
aid nsnple generally are, but, In addition
m these feelings, she POSSESSED q re-
,ari.ably vigorous temper. Mr.. Flln;-
sS,jra Ia serve MS own purposes, stayed
hv her Side from morning till night. ana
she made a perfect slave OF him. BENG
mobldIy fearful Of offending her ne
dared not venture to retaliate' anu never
was an unhappy husband more heA-
necked than he Another source OF an,
noyance was that the whole holss5l ,lIl
seemed 20 he In league 10 plumber MN.
The simple domestic aTrat a, l,as,.
which mad sufiiced when the old lady
held the purse were no longer sufileieht'
MS wife was the first TO propose a
more liberal table, and Mr.. Numb mani
Ssstsd nerfec;ly flendlsh ingenuity IN
si,egssting costly little dishes for her.
IN word. the housekeeping expenses
increa sed 10 an enormous extent ana an
attempts at Introducing economy proved
-" The last. but not the least. of the
brjdegroon,'s troubles was the presence
In the house OF Numb. the butler 50
long as this man remained Nc. Flint,
shire felt that he was only the nominal
head OF the establishment. ar. NUMB
aid precisely as he pleased, ana as lu-
nuence with his mistress showed no
signs OF diminishing, Yet Mr. FHhtshlIe
aid not see his way 10 getting RIA OF
him. II he attempted TO exercise ms
authority, his vile might be driven 10
take some desperate course he VEN
tured ON one occasion 70 hint that
Snmb.s services might with advantage
o, dispensed with. but the suggestion
called forth such a torrent Of reproaehes
and inyectlyes, that Mr. Flinshire
trenbled at his temerity. Numb STAYED
an and haunted him like veritable old
/ Mar OF the Seq. drawing high wages,
| i,crsaslnn the weekly bills. anu, wha'
-, fo,. worse. enioTing the larger
share OF his wiie's confidence.
The one bright spot In the must o.
\ ~ F,1intsaire's tribuiation was that
Me yifa evinced no desire 10 make
Mi, He therefore felt tolerably secure
| "hoi,t tbs future. which was great
| Consolation 10 him. Nevertheless, q
war of this anxious life so undermined
| bis consultation, that IN all probability
llH SS'+Sbt .g,,,,I, ,,.o,,f1 have pith-