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Squire Richard's Second Wife

Squire Richard's Second Wife image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
October
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

"What? No, you don't say so'? SSquire Etfehards goin' to marry agln, and liis wife only dead three nionths'. Good gracióus me!" "'Tis iwfui: Yim may well be astonished, Mrs. Wilkes; it la terrible I link oí. Such deception! Why, ;t his wifc's tnneral, ora wouW hav thoiiiiht liim aetually heart-broken; and thén the crape on his liat is half a 3 ard deep!" "Ah, me, Mrs. Hanson, tlxore is no depeudence to be ut on 'pearanees. world gits siniullcr and sinfuller 3 day, and ie can'1 be coyered up witii silk or broadcoth. As I said to husband, Mr. Wilkes. the otlier a i. 'Slmon, things are eomto an a-vinl pass! Kveryliotly wlll gl1 into the state prlson In two years al ihis ra te.' And ways Simón, says he, 'I don't doubt it, Mariah!' " And you and Mr. Wilkes wit rlght, perfeetly righ. lt is just s; and tiiis dreadiul conduel ol the Sqnire's Jias made me more conseious ol the trutii ol it. Strange that a sensible man Sbould behave so." "Yes, it is wonderful! but how did it git out so quick ? TIn' Squire ain't no hand to teil thinge, you know." "Betty Higgine found ii out last night. She was taking fcea witli the Widder Towne; you know ahe's ali always a-visiting somewhen s. tliouuli 1 wouldn't mention it to a livia' person except you, Mrs. Wilkes; and while they were at eupper the sguire rode by in a new buggy, goin' toward tlie depot. People don't git new buggles tor nuthin', you know." "No, that they don't, Mrs. Hanson, widderers especially." "Well. he wasn't gone more than half an limir. beiore back lie carne drivin' upon the gallop; he didn't use i-, abuse liis horse wlieu poor Mrs. Richards Aas alive, and, ol, and be - hold! Bittin' in the new buggy with nis arm aetually 'round lier waist in feroad daylight, was a little girlishlooking woman in a pink dress and silk bonnet! Only think of it! a pink dress and a green silk bonnet! and iis arm 'round hei-! It Is abominable!" "'My iiraeious! (ioodness! 1 want to know!" '■Yes, it's every word of it as true as our minister'B djacourses, and Mr. Sampwell nevor exaggerates; he's a tinc man. Mrs. Wllkes. And the Wiilder Towne and Betty run up Ín thi' garrel - thry can ser Squire Rlchard'a lionse jplain froin the wldder's garret winders - and the Squire drove up to the front ■door. as if the side door wasn't good enough, and tlirn he got out of the tmggy and liït-! the woman on to the leor stone! Took her rlght in liis Etrms in broad dayllght, and Ufted her on to the door stom:' ■My goodnees! as if Bhe eouldn't f31 ou1 harseli! It's indecent; now. nift it ?" "To be sare it is! and lic a middleiged man. and a member of the ihurch! Mr. Sampwell ought to know of it. so tliat he could preach a sermón on the duties of men to their families. Only think of poor, üenr, dead Mrs. Richards' little daughter, Elmetta, bein' ruled by a stepinother hardly older than herself. It wlH break the poor ehild's heart!" Wal," recommended Mrs. Wilkes, "I think sich doin's are awful. fiettin' married agin afore nis wlle is oold'. :Now, I 'spose that's no excuse, lor niy Mary Ellzabetb or Julia Ann would ia-re been glad to have gone. Mary Elizabeth is a great favorite with littlo Elmetta, and Mary Elizabeth is a grand hand at managing children." "Yea, Mary Elizabeth is a fin.' girl. Mrs. Wflkee, but lier bealth ton't hardly good enough to take no mueh care ns there would be in Squire Richards' fnmily wlth all his company, but t.hen Julia Ann could have done it Avell enough. Julia Ann is a rcinarkable hand for children; can't help learning them something all tlie time he is with them. Her example is .so beautiful, you know." "Wal, for my part, I think somebody ought to go and talk to the Kqulro about it. It ain't right for us_sí,sUts in the church- to let him go and ruin hisself and darter a-marrying nobody knows who. He ought to be reasonerj wlth." ïhat's just what I think. Mrs. Wilkes, and I called over here on purpose to ask you to go with me to the Squire's to-morrow morning and talk with him about it. It'w the best thing we can do." "I'U go and lo glad to. I hope I m -never backward in doing my duty." "Well, I must be going; I've made ■a long cali; to-morrow rnorning at 8 o'clock. It's best to go o.arly. I'll cali over for you. Do come and see me, Mrs. Wilkes! You know it's au age slnce you have been to owc house." "Dear me, Mrs. Hanson, I don't ,-fimo hall as oft-en as I want to, but ïm ashamed to keep comin' all the time. As I told my husband, Mr "Wirkes, the other day, says I, 'Simón ïin actilly afraid I BhaU wear mj ivelcoraf out over to Mrs. Ilausou's. And say he, says Simon, 'Iishouldn't wonder if you did, Mariah!' " Eight o'clock the following mornini; jound our fricnds. Mrs. Wilkes and Mis. Hanson, standing on Squire Rit-h ards' front door-step (the sidi door v-as nol good enough for the lady in pink and of courae it was not auitabli for ladics óf their "calibre, ") await ng ui be admitted. A Irouzy-headec ïrish glrl answered their ring. "Is Squiro. Riehatrds in?" askfli Airs. Hanson. "In V to ha sure he is; safe in bod ma'am. -Is it after seeing !iim bha i re '.'" "Yes, - 'o see him on lm portanl business, " replk'd Mrs. Han on, frigidly. ■surc tuin. ril i1 after calila' him; hougii the ould jiiitleman's sound slape, for 1 heard him snoorla' but USt when I carné forniust his bedocim door. ('ome in witli vees," and üdily ushcrcii the ladlea lato a room vhere the toeakfaat table was stamlig in walting for the tamil?. ■Hum!" sáld Mrs. WÜkes, looking lgnlflcantly ai the table. "She ean'1 no iiiv.it shakea layln' abed tül reakfasi time. Poor Mrs. Elcharda used to bt' np in season." .Tusi al lliis moment the Squlre i'iiered i" elegant dishabllle, thai is without a coal and minus ehoee and bockings. He advanced htolding out is hands eordlally. "Good mornlng, ladles, sood mornng. I'm a Uttle late yon ser. Hope yoifll excuse niy toilet; fai-t is that I sat ui rather late last night and lelt drowsy i'nis mornlng. Fine ioraing, sn'i ii V" "Very enchanting," replied Mrs. lanson. ulio ahvays prided herselt ,, the elegant propriety of her lanuage; "it is beautlful enough for a lornlng in the gorgeoua land of the Irentials. liul tO ehaimv tfee suli■cl; we ca lied on a matter of busiess - " "What's the dllfleulty aow, Mrs. [aneon ! A new earpet lor the paronage or is $.") wantod by the misionary Boclety ? ('ome, speak out:" "Ah. Squtre, il's wuss ilian that," iclaimed Mrs. WUkes, no longer able o keep sllent, "lt is somethlng that onaarne you, Sqnlre, consarns your viiiastin' and eternal well-bein'." "Indeed! Well, go on," suid the quire, looking very mueb surprised. Mrs. Ilanson drew a long breath ad began: "Sqnlre, we QaUed to oe if you thinkiuf; of marrylng again; we - " "You ivitc not going to propose o me, were you, ladiea ? 1 should te ezceedingly happy to recelve such u-oposals, luu I Bhould have Deacon Jansou and Major Wiikes in my hair orthwith. lt wonld not do. ladies." "No, we supposed you had already nade your selection oï the person who s to fill your dead wlfe'a place, and ve have eallcd to talk with you about ïor. W have understood that Bhe -.-s in your house, and if agreeable vc wonld bo pleased to see her. Our ntcrot in you and your motherless liild has Indnced us to do this." Mrs H;inso'i spoke with BOlemn dignity ind her tone was evldently lntended o Lmpreee the Squire powerfully. ■And we want to ktiow whcrc you not acqnalnted wlth her. Bqnlre, and ïow old sho is; and if she knows how to do housework," said Mrs. Wilkos. "How did you leara anything of this?" asked the Squire, evident ly Bomewhat nonplussed by this extraordinary knowlodge of liis aöalra displayed by tlie visitors. "We hoard of you ridin' out wlth lier, Bqnlre, she dressed all In pink with a green silk bonnot. lt don't look very well. Sqnire, to sec a man of your age, ridin' out with sich a young gal." "Well, lidies, suppose I should take a notion to get married ? Here I am wlth no housekeeper, and a hired girl to oversee things, and my home 8 noue of the most orderly. Elmetta needs some one to care tor her, and it would not be in nature ïor a father to be unmlndful of the lnteresta of his child." "Whj, no, of course not, but then if yon needed a housekeeper, my Julia Aun would come and look after tliiiiprs. lie's a capital manager and very fond of children. She and Elmetta, sweet little thing, would git on admirably." "Yes, or my Mar y Elizaboth, either. Bhe'd ! tickled to death to come, kIh' thinks so much of Squire Richards iiid his litüe sal. And, U I do say it. Mary Eliiabeth is a uice gal as tliere is anywhere." ■Mary Elizabeth'a licalth is too feeble for much exertion, Mr. Wilkes; you don't do right to put anythlng hard apon her; you know she has a pain in her slde half the time." Well," said the Squire, at last, "I don't know what to think about it. I don't believe Elmetta would give up thi.s 'lady in pink," as you cali her, at all; she has taken a wondi-rful likiiiR to her." "Where did she eome from, Squire ? You hain't told us anything about her yit." "To be sure, Mrs. Wilkes. Well, I found her in a milliner's shop in the city of liuffalo." "In a milliner's shop! Then she's a milliner, is she ? Well, I never!" "WL11 you be kind enough to favor us Wlth an introduction ? I should be happy to see her before I form an opinión of her character." "Well Mr(3. Hanson, it will be an advartage to form the acquaintance of twö such estimable ladies as my present corapany, and I shall be very glad to present her to you. Pray excuse me for a moment." "Stop, Squire!" exclaimed Mrs. Wilkes. "What's her name ?" "Jennie Ray," replied the Squire, as he disappeared in the passage. "Jennie Eay: a regular story name! She's some city highflyer, I 'spose." "Very Ukely, Mrs. Wilkes, but I I eoe the Bqulre'8 mind ís made up, and it is no use to say anything. We must make the best of her." Just as Mrs. Hansofl lct lall this magnanimous speech the door opencl and the Squire appcaivd. "Ladies," said the Squire, bowing politely. "permtt me to present to vovi Miss Jcnnii: Ji;iy. m.v daüghter's wax dol], wliicli I purchased in Buffalo last Avwk. and willen arrlved the Say beiore yesterday a1 the depot by expresa. Hie rost of it was $45, and at present I have no intention oí making it my wile." Poor Mrs. Wllkesl Mortified Mrs. Hansciu! "Witli burnlng (aces they took their leave, and slnoe then, I believe, they have mlraculously minded their own buelnees.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier