Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-10-26
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THE OLD BACHELOR.
~ Vas. rpMlnn rnor,s

Get me, said ! again. for about the hun.
dredth time, to my still wondering fooiman,
change for this five pound note, all in silver
and mind, Thomas, as many sixpcnccs as YOU !
can with it,
yes. SIR
What can master possibly want with so
much silver Always on a Saturday night
too heard him say TO Martha, my pretty
house maid twirling the note between his ]
thumb and finger while was slipping on my "
new India rubber goloshes, ready 10 sally
forth
No good, depend on t!' she rejoined I
going out, let the weather be what it WILL /
and tramping in the rain and mud. | should |
Just like to watch him. the old sinnern
So invariably do the ignorant and narrow
minded Judge of any thing the least mysteri-
Gus in our actions by the wors, possible stand
ard vicc--as if virtue never sought the veil of
secresy for its outgoing
Martha had no idea that anything but wick
edness, or no good as she emphaticalIy call |
ed it, could take me from my comfortable fire. |
side and book TO brave the inclemency ofthe !
season at my age too verging on seventy
old enough to know BETTER thought Martha
most certainly, had my motives for these al
most nocturnal rambles been any other than
the purest, the most charitable. saw by the
significant shake of Thomas's head, that Mar
tha's shrewd and natured conlecturcs found
ready echo in his bosom
was undoubtedly the richest old bachelor
in the large and populous market town of
D in the south of England, and am not
ashamed to confess, NY wealth was chiefly
made in business
! | was considered rather mean by some Of
my acquaintance, who ostentatiously paraded
their names, and few guineas together, as
annual subscribers to every public institution
in the place. But while George Frederick
! Thompson Esquire was bazoncd forth in all
the glory Of English type, for two guincas a
! friend, for ten, light be seen in modest brew
cr In truth my sole delight now was TO
8 do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame. ,
Why | was n bachelor, with heart so
| warmly alive as mine was, even at that frlgid
period of life, to every tender and generous
sentiment was owing alas 70 the early blight
of an affection which cost me twenty years of
grief and sorrow, and which | cannot even
think Of now without the bltterest tear of re-
greet, shed with all the poignancy of youthful
feelings.
had for years, winter and summer made it
point TO attend our large meat market of a
Saturday night with such supply of loose
possibility Of that cold and heartess excuse
really would, but have no change for so
transient is the glow of benevolencc some
times, as actually TO be extiagushed at the
bare idea of the trouble of changing money
wet what a sickness Of the soul do these few
almost UNDECIDED words cost the forlorn being
i who implores our add Then as ] sauntered
D leisurely up and down before the tempting
stalls, Illuminated by the strong and vivid
r light ofthc gas lamps, could mark the coun'
Il tenances of the different purchasers-obseryo
: the wishiul gaze Of the poverty plnchcd moth
or, bargaining for that breast of mutton which
would make her seven furnished darlings sucl
delicious Sunday dinner, see her lips quy-
er with hope and fear as she cnqulred The
price, and detect the nervousness OF her grasI
as she tremblingly aud hestatIngly turned
:, over and over again the delicate morsel. Sh'
! evidently, methought, belonged TO that trul,
4 deserving and industrious class called char
a women-out all the week working like slay'
II 10 procure few comforts for the Sabbath, t
n enjoy al least one day out OF the weary sever
:, with her children and husband, brcklayer
c laborer. perhaps thoughtless and lmprovlden'
&C spending nearly all his scanty wages m bee
10 and tobacco; still he was her husband-ih
D. father Of her children--the handsome Kich
'a ard oi her early 'D'e, almost Us HhhusoHt nov
" and it was no hardship to toll for creatures
Re precious 10 her heart
II At the moment she was convinced II va
IN indeed beyond her small means, and she wa
IL turning hopelcssly away to seek less da'ni
d and cheaper bit, out came the additional sii
? pence or shilling, as might be, TO compel
~ the necessary purchase; and Tie meat was
= her basket, and the tear 81 gratitude IN 10
" eve. CO. whispered, slipping two moi
shlliugs lnto her hand, and buy lltlic nc
tea and sugar. an sure You ike NJ
waited for no thinks from the wonderin
woman: | had no desire to be assured vi
- an angel Of goodness. knew was bot
3 frail and errlng mortal and was content 10 !
-, blessed in her prayers, aiming only 10 e'en
:, pify the poet. description Of truly chaHi
BE ble man,
he a. mean the man who, when TIE dlAtani poet
70, Need help denie. them noa4ing bu' his Ia ne
Ct, viii candidly confess. that when | hf
commenced these perambalations, had