The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-18
From Chambers Journal.
Grand mother Hs~k,

A lew evenings ago, was at one of those
oid-woTid houses in Edinburgh where man
may actually invite himself to tea, and,
without being stared a. as a CURIOSITY. take
hts place in circle round q round table,
denominated by steaming urn would
describe this tea-drinking as relic Of the
olden time; but just now have something
else to 90. Suffice 1t, that besides mvself,
there were al table an old maid. a Young
maid, the father and mother of the latter,
and gentlenan-like man somewhere on
the wrong side Of forty. This man was the
lion Of the party, and performed wonder
fully well. He was not like the Gagged ami
NAL, s;rutting up and down to show his pa.
ces. and growing, grinning, or yawning at
the spectators; but resembling rather the
free denizen Of the forest, leaping and romp-
ing BY turns, disni6ed or playful as the oc
caslon called now making the room ring
with his voice, and now "roaring you an
'twere any nightingale" In short, | was
prepared TO like the man very much and
seeing likewise that he was unusually good
looking for male animal, you may imagine
that was not little startled to hear that he
had very recently been made Benedict,
and, strange to say, with a lady recognized
under the appellation Of Grandmother Hook.
The company, however, made themselves
very merry with the poor gentleman's ca
lamiy; and the old maid especially was
never weary Of asking questions, seeming to
derive certain savage comfort from the
idea Of lady getting married in her very
grandno.herhood. The gentleman was at
fst little embarrassed; but his tormen.
tors being his near relations, it was necessa.
ny to answer; and al length, making up his
mind to what could not be avoided, he pull.
ed desperately grave face, and began to
tell them "all about il"
you mar wonder" he said, "that at
my uatule years | had fallen 90 complete
ly into my uncles power as TO give him al
most the absolute disposal Of my hand; but
such was the fact. ] was brought up you
know. to the very worst thing under the sun
-expectations; and, consequently, was
good for nothing else but to keep on ex.
Pecting. ! spent many years Is walking
gentleman OF society in London. and many
more in wandering to and fro upon the cont.
nent; but at length. when actually within
hail OF forty. ] found myself once more with
my legs under the mahogany of the Athe-
nsuIn. and with nothing to pay for the good
things above il but what csms out Of the
pockets Of q tough, and somewhat peremp.
tory old man.
HE had never before insisted upon my
marrying; but the reason was, that he had
remained in constant expectation of the
occurrence taking place through my own
connivance. Indeed, il had been his bust
ness for many yean 10 interpose gently be-
tween me and the catastrophe; suggesting
now that did not know enough of the
lady, and again that | knew too much ::
and 80 forth. The fact is, had never been
without expectations Of that sort; always
voluntarily abandoned, till my first crop Of
gray hairs appeared. After this, the diff
Guilty was on the side of the lady and
was at length so much disguised by the un-
RESPONSIVENESS of the sex, that determined
70 live end die bachelor. Jus, at this mo.
ment received letter from nv uncle.
which ] can Tepea, from memory, as il was
short and to the purpose. DEAR NEPHEW
II am glad to hear Of what you call the
vacancy in your heart, as you will thus have
no difficulty in fulfilling my wishes, and
obeying my solemn injunctions. You have
promised several times to marry, and Won
must now do 50. | never interfered with
your choice, and you are not to interfere
with mine: The widow and heiress of nv
old comrade Hook is in market. Our es.
tates run into each other in such a wsv.
that you might comprise them both in the
same ring fence. She is healthy woman.
and not too young; and the arrangement
il, that you are to BE- married at the and n