Page:Female Husband.pdf/12

. After ome reflection, therefore, a device entered into her head, as trange and urprizing, as it was wicked and vile; and this was actually to marry the old woman, and to deceive her, by means which decency forbids me even to mention.

The wedding was accordingly celebrated in the mot public manner, and with all kind of gaiety, the old woman greatly triumphing in her hame, and intead of hiding her own head for fear of infamy, was actually proud of the beauty of her new huband, for whoe ake he intended to diinherit her poor great-grandon, tho’ he had derived her riches from her huband’s family, who had always intended this boy as his heir. Nay, what may eem very remarkable, he inited on the paron’s not omitting the prayer in the matrimonial ervice for fruitfulnes; dret herelf as airy as a girl of eighteen, concealed twenty years of her age, and laughed and promoted all the jokes which are uual at weddings; but he was not o well pleaed with a repartee of her great-grandon, a pretty and a mart lad, who, when omebody jeted on the bridegroom becaue he had no beard, anwered martly: There hould never be a beard on both-ides: For indeed the old lady’s chin was pretty well tocked with britles.

Nor was this bride contented with diplaying her hame by a public wedding dinner, he would have the whole ceremony compleated, and the tocking was accordingly thrown with the uual port and merriment.

During the three firt days of the marriage, the bride expreed herelf o well atisfied with her choice, that being in company with another old lady, he exulted o much in her happines, that her friend began to envy her, and could not forbear inveighing againt effeminacy in men; upon which a