Year: 1873

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was O young man, possessed of suf.
ficient means to enable me to live at my
ease and refrain from labor of any kind ,
when suddenly there came blow that
scattered my prosperity to the winds,
and forced me to employ my labor and
wits in the general struggle of gaining
a living. The blow came in the shape
of failure of large firm in which my
capital was invested.


After securing clerkship in the house
of a creditor of our late firm, my next
care was to look up a less expensive
clearinghouse than the fashionable
one in which I was living. I inserted
an advertisement in several widely-cir-
culated city papers, asking for reasona-
ble board in strictly private family,
and of course received multitude of
answers by the next post. Out of this
motley instalment of epistles there was
one which pleased me, and that one
decided to answer in person immedi-
ately.


Grace Kingsley was the name of the
favored landlady writing to me, and
the letter stated that the house was en-
tirely private, having no boarders what
ever. 1 was much pleased with the
fair delicate handwriting, and the idea
took possession of me that Grace was
a young and fascinating widow. was
not disappointed when reached the
house, and my ringing the door-bell
was answered by the lady herself. She
invited me into the parlor in manner
SO courteous and yet so modest that l
had fallen desperately in love with her
before could cross the threshold.
I enjoyed very pleasant chat with
Mrs. Kingsley. During the conversa-
ton she said that her late husband had
been in fair way of business, and that
at his death, which occurred year
previous, had left her in pretty comfort
able circumstances; they had but one
child; and this item Of morality I was
permitted to look upon, as it lay peace
fully slumberins in its cradle. 1 also
learned the lady was living in the house
quite alone, and desired male boarder
more as means of protection than rs
source of revenue. In conclusion,
the landlady looked so pretty (she was
quite young, not more than two or
three and twenty, and the board so
moderate, her companionship SO invit-
ing, and she seemed to trust in me, and
look upon me SO favorably, that I would
have been heather, dead to all the
charms and inducements of the sex, if
1 had not engaged board on the spot.


The next day I had my trunk removed
to my new boarding place, and per-
manently established myself there
Before leaving my boarding house, a
letter was handed to ME by the post
man, but I did not find time to exam
inc it tuntil was comfortably ensconced
in the parlor of Mrs. Kingsley's house.


Opening the letter I discovered it to
be from wealthy uncle of mine resid-
ing in Vermont, who regularly sent me
a letter once year; but whom I had
never seen. His epistles were always
short and to the point, generally con-
sisting of an account of the weather
in his locality, and good advice to me
to take care of my money, as might
be burdened with some of it before
was always very glad to get this advice
from him, as l regarded it as an init
nation that was to inherit his wealth
on his decease.


One day however about year pre-
vious, I received a letter from him,
which contained another topic besides
those I have mentioned. My uncle
made some pressing inquiries regarding
my matrimonal prospects and stated
that if 1 was not already married I
should at once enter into the welded
state, and let him know of it, or he
would never more be an uncle of
mine. ........


Now, as my uncle lived in Vermont
and in Philadelphia, and never an
ticipated that he would pay me visit
and discover the falsehood, I wrote
and informed him that 1 was not only
married. butt the father of a bouncing
baby. This intelligence SO pleased my
uncle that he sent gold goblet and
silver pap-spoon to be presented to my
child. I at first sat down and wrote o
romantic letter to my uncle, thanking