Year: 1873

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was young man, possessed OF SUM-
cent 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 living.
The blow came in the shape of the failure
of large firm in which my capital was in
vested.


After securing clerkship in the house
of a creditor of our late firm, my next care
was TO look up a less expensive boarding
house than the fashionable one in which l
was living. 1 inserted an advertisement
in several widely circulated city papers,
asking for reasonable board in strictly
private family, and of course received
multitude of answers by the next post.
Out of this motley instalment OF cpistles
there was but one which pleased me, and
that one decided to answer in person i'm
medately.


Grace Kingsley was the name of the IA
vored landlady writing to me, and the let
ter stated that her house was entirely pri-
vate, having no boarders whatever. Twas
much pleased with the fair, delicate hand
writing, and the idea took possession OF me
that Grace was young and fascinating
widow. / was not disappointed when
reached the house, and my ringing at the
door bell was answered by the lady her
self. She invited me into the paror in
manner so courteous and yet so modest
that had fallen desperately in love with
her before could cross the threshold.


I enjoyed a very pleasant chat with Mrs.
Kingsley. During the conversation she
said that her late husband had been in
fair way of business, and that at his death,
which occurred year previous, left her in
pretty comfortable circumstances they
had but one child; and this item of NOR
taity was permitted to look upon, as it
lay peacefully slumbering in its cradle. l
also learned that the lady was living in the
house quite alone, and desired male
boarder more as means of protection than
as a 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 inviting, and she SEEM
ed to trust in me and look upon me so fa-
vorably that / would have been a heather,
dead TO all the charms and inducements of
the sex, If had not engaged board on the
spot


The next day had my trunk removed
to my new boarding place, and permanent
ly established myself there. Before leav-
I'M my boarding house, n letter was hand
ed to me by Il @ postman, but did not find
time to examine it until was comfortably
ensconced in the parlor of Mrs. Kingsley's
cosy house.


Opening the letter, 1 discovered it to be
from wealthy uncle of mine residing in
Vermont, who regularly sent me letter
once year; but whom / had never seen.
His epistles were always short aud to the
point, generally consisting of an account
| OF the weather in his locality, and good ad-
| vice TO me to take care of my money, as /
might be burdened with some of it before
| was much older. l was always very glad
| to get this advice from him, as | regarded
| il as an intimation that l was to inherit his
wealth on his decease.


|
I received letter from him, which con-
tanned another topic besides those l have
mentioned. My uncle made some inquir-


les regarding my matrimonial prospects
and stated that if / was not already mar
ried l should at once enter into the welded
state, aud let him know of ii, or he would
never more be an uncle of mine.


Now, as my uncle lived in Vermont and
in Philadelphia, and 1 never anticipated
that he would pay me visit and discover
the Ialsehood, l wrote and informed him
that was not only married, but the father
of bouncing baby. This intelligence SC


pleased my uncle that he sent a gold COB


let and silver pap-spoon TO DO presented tC


my child. at first sat down and wrote ,


romantic letter to my uncle, thanking hin


for the present, and then visited the near


est jewelry store, and turned both the COB


lot and spoon into cash, which pock eted


had received no further letters from


my uncle until the one which / read il


Mrs. Kingsley's parlor. The postscript 4


this not only astonished, but absolutel,
] frightened me. I read as follows: