Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-06-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE BRIDE-CAKE.

"Now mind, shall expect slice Of cake and
pair of kid gloves when you are married, Mr. Den
ison that | certainly shall and should think you
would not forget me-"
These words were addressed by.a good-looking
maiden, perhaps she might have been rather on
the shady side of maidenism) TO tine-looklng TEL
low in the well known library of s.. The te-
male, Miss Norris was the respected proprietor
thereof and the gentleman addressed was one Of
her tiaQuent visitants. A greater intimacy might
have Existed between the pair than between Miss
Norris an the generality of her customers; but
the lady waA1n such good terms with all who knew
her, that joking and being joked with on the deli
cate SUBJECT OF ratrimony no very unusual
thing with her. HE reader, then, may wonder
why we introduce o,~ little tale with SO common
place an observation. Let him wait awhile and
we will show him.
Miss Norris, as we have said, was fast approach
ing the confines of that period which is usually al
loted to young ladies to get husband in; though
what the limit OF that period really and tangibly
is, we do not pretend to say. We never yet knew
OF the precise period being fixed at which uvenil-
ity ended and old maidensm began. The line OF
demarcation between these two states was never
yet definitely settled, and fear it never will be
generally agreed on; and yet all the world admit
that there is such line and further that it is Sc
exceedingly perspcuous that it is Immediately dis.
cerned even if lady has one leg across it. How
ever, it matters little to u.s. we may refer the read
err to the ideal line without seeking to trace its Wis
ionary combinations or fix its existence.
We declare, we have got to the end of one par
agraph and the commencement of another withou
progressing an inch in our simple story. We havt
diverged from the narrative itself towards certain
very indistinct visionary something, and are obget
to return to the very tangent from whence we start
ed without accomplishing anything except divert
ing the readers attention, and almost losing tn
thread of the story. Miss Norris then
eyes, yes, understand" says some kind reader
Thank YOU sir, you have saved us a deal Of troubl
and yourself the perusal of a few lines of tautolc
gy. Well, having settled what Miss Norrlss ag
was, permit us to tell you what were her circum
stances.
The lady, then, was comfortably settled as tn
principal proprieress Of large stationery sho
and reading room in the popuous parish of s.
Two or three sisters somewhat younger than hersc
assisted her in the business, and Idare say, shared
the profits, whatever they might be- tbs true, Mis-
Norris herself would often complain of the badne'
of the times but as this observation happened usl
ally to be addressed to some frequenter of the rea,
ing room rather in arrear with his subscription,
was supposed to be uttered rather as a hint than
complaint. Indeed, some persons who professC
to know the worldly circumstances Of every one
town, roundly declared that Miss Norris had
ground for grumbling about pecuniury matters, Sc
ing that for many years she had drawn a very pre-
ty income from her business, which income W
somewhat sweed by small patrmony which 81
inherited. 1t matter of wondement to ma
that the knowledge Of these circumstances had 7
induced one individual amongst the many, ma
needy bachelors In the town TO make Miss N.
offer but the aforementioned persons uncharitat
limited that Miss ~ attached herself SO much
business, and paid such close attention to mon
matters, that she was slipping into the state whit