Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-10-10

DItu llCLthlull.
There is something of character Of sacred
grandeur almost, as well as a most solemn
interest, which attaches to these researches Of
Colonel RawlInson.
A Story ofan Old Bachelor.
There was a fine old General once, who hav-
ing spent most of his life in the field of Mars,
knew very little about the camp of Cupid. He
was one of those rough and honest spirits often
met with in his gallant profession, innocent as
an infant OF almost everything save high lnteg>
rty and ndomltablc bravery. lie was nearly
fifty years old, and his tolls were over, when
master Dan Cupid brought him acquainted with
n widow Wadlnan, in whose eye he began to
detect something that made hun uneasy. Here
was the result Of leasure.
During his service he had never seen any
thing worthy of notice in wonanS eye. In
fact, he would scarcely have observed whether
a woman had three eyes in her head or only
one; for 10 matter where his own eyes wcre
his thoughts were ever among guns and drums
and wounds" and love was thing that lived
in his memory Just as he remembered once
reading Missionary story book called the ARA
ban Nights Entertainments when boy.
We'll, the General had settled down into an
amiable, gentlcmanly old fellow, living alone,
with comfortable wealth around him, and hay
ing little to do. save now and then to e terrain
an old comrade in arms, which companlonshp
afforded opportunity for him "to fight his bat
ties DER again. But alas DER this calm even
ing of the old Generals day a deal Of per-
pleXity was doomed to fall, and he soon found
himself in troubled waters, the depth of which
he could by no means understand. He iloun-
dered about like Gagged rat under a pump
and such another melancholy fish out of water
never before swallowed the bait hook and all,
of the angling god of love- The poor Gene
raj. We must give him name or we can't tell
the story, and the best name for such a story is
Uncle Toby. Poor General Uncle Toby de-
bated abstractcdIy about his new position and
never had siege or campaign given him such
perplexity before.
At length, however, the blunt honesty of his
disposition rose uppermost among his conflict
ing plans, and his course was chosen. At school
he had once studied "Othcllo's Defence" to re-
cite at an exhibition, but made great failure !;
and he now recolected that there was some
thing in this "detencc" very much like what he
wanted to say. lie got the book immediately,
found the passage, ciappcd on his hat with Il
determined air, and posted off to the widow
Wadmln's, with Shakespeare under his arm.
"Madam" said General Uncle Toby, opens
mo his boo, at the marked place. with the So
lemnity of special pleader at the bar-"Ma-
dam
.'Rude nm in speech.
And little b, ss'd with the set phrase of peace
M MFor since these arms OF mlne had seven years ph'
rr u. moT so,e .,,e '"oI,s ,nTy nave D'eu
And ittie Of This oreot world cnn sneak
More then pertains TO frats OF brol and battle;
And therefore,
Here the General closed the book, wiped his
forehead, looked up at the ceiling, and said
with spasmodic gasp. n rant 10 ret Married.
The widow laughed for ten minutes by the
watch before she could utter Il syllable. anl
then she said, with precious tears of humor rol
ling down her good-natured cheeks, "And who
is it yon want to marry, Generally
YOU said Cncle Toby, hourishing his
sword arm in the air, and assuming a military
attitude of defiance, as if he expected an as
sault from the widow Immediately.
CIVIL Won k;ll mo if marrv vor ., said ,hf
widow win a merry twirkIe IN bor eve
M madam ~ ,enI;ad JIncIe Toby. "bu
oro ,hinr .,n h,,rnG IN ,oII vnn or madam
,renrs n ,,;g i"
,rho -, s,or,oJ ro,,,i,od elan, mo
ment, and then went INTO longer, louder, and
.helrlef laug,. 'nah sue ''au lhuuIseu II, oe'ore