Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-02-24
THE STORY TELLER.
From Chambers Journal.
GRANDMOTHER HOOK.

being stared at as a curiosity, take his place
an circle around round table, dominated by
steaming Urn. [ would describe this tea
drinking as relic ofthe Olden time; but just
now have something else to do. Suffice it to
say, that beside myself there were at table, an
old maid, a young maid, the father and mother
of the latter, and gentleman-like man some
where on the wrong side of forty. This man
was the lion of the party and performed won
'derfully we'll. He was not like the Gagged an
imal, strutting up and down to show his PAGES,
and growing, grinning or yawning at the spec
tators; but resembled rather the free denzen
of the forest, leaping and rompng, by turns,
digni6ed or playful as occasion called; now
making the room ring with his voice, and now
roaring you 'an 'twere a nightingale In
short, was prepared to like the man very
much; and seeing also, that he was unusually
good-looking for male animal, you may imag-
inc that was not little startled to hear that
he had recently been made Benedict, and
strange to say, with a lady recognized under
the aPpellaton of Grandmother Hook.
The company, however, made themselves
very merry with the poor genteman's caIami-
ty; and the old maid especially, was never
weary of asking questions, seeming to derive a
certain savage comfort from the idea of lady
getting married in her very grandmotherhood
The gentleman was at first little embar-
rassed but his tormentors being his near re-
lations, it was necessary to answer and at
length making up his mind to what could not
be avoided, he pulled a desperately grave face
and began TO tell them 'all about it,
You may WONDER said he, 'that at nv ma
ture years ] had fallen SO completely into my
uncle's power as to give him the almost abso-
lutte disposal of my hand but such was the
fact | was brought up, you know, to the
very worst thing under the sun-expecta-
tions; and consequently, was good for moth
ing else but to keep on expecting spent
many years as walking gentleman of society
of London, and many more in wandering back
and forth on the continent; but at length when
actually within hail of forty, found myself
with my legs under the mahogany of the
Atheneum, and with nothing TO pay for the
good things above it but what came out of the
pockets Of tough and somewhat peremptory
old man.
He had never before insisted upon my mar
rying; but the reason was, that he had re-
malned In constant expectation of the occur
renee taking place through my own conni-
vance. Indeed, it had been his business for
many years TO interpose gently between me and
the catastrophe; suggesting now that did not
know enough Of the lady, and again that knew
100 much-and so 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 she diff
Guilty was on the side of the lady, and was at
length So much disguised by the unreasonable
ness of the sex, that was determined 10 live
and die bachelor. Just at this moment re-
ceived letter from my uncle, which can
repeat from memory, as ii was short and 10 the
purpose:
DEAR NEPHEW am glad to hear Of what
you call the vacancy in yonr heart, as you will
thus have no difficulty in obeying my wishes,
and Obeying my solemn injunctions. You
have promised several times to marry, and you
must now do so. | never interfered with your
choice, and you are not TO interfere with mine
The widow and heiress of my old cOmrade
Hook is in the market. Our estates run into
each other in such way that you might COM
prise them both in the same ring fence. She
is healthy woman and not too young; and
the arrangement is, that you are TO be married
at the end of her year Of mourning, if she can
fancy you.
If she could fancy me The widow of old
Hook and healthy woman, indeed That
touch was horrible. / thought my uncle must
have intended TO try the strength of my loyal
ty; and do not know that / ever had fit of
more bitter reflection than while coniuring up
the idea it conveyed
Here the lion paused and wiped his fore
head. The old maid bridled and tossed her
head as much as to say that, in her opinion, the
like Of him was not SO mighty a catch for la
dies beyond their girlhood; while the young
maid trusted, sympathizingly, that as aged
men sometimes have youthful wives, the case
might not turn out so very dreadful after all.
That. said the gentleman, did not fail to
occur to me, and it gave me considerable COM
fOrt for owing, l suppose, to the idle life
had led, had not yet got rid Of the ideas of
romance that are so unfit for mature years like
mine. 1t was one thing to indulge nv despair
in old baehelorhood, and quite another 10 car
ry my broken heart into the domestic society of
an old woman. confess did hope that Mrs.
Hook owed her good condition at least To some
lingering remains of youth but second letter
from my uncle, in reply to my remonstraDces
dissipated my fond illusion, by informing me
that the widows family could be no possible
objection, her only daughter being well mar
Tied!
There was no help for it. 1t was necessary
for me to turn my meditations from the lady to
the estate; and if thought of the ring at all to
fancy it in a ring fence. But the affair could
not be slept over any longer; and | set out for
my uncle's seat, having previously signi6ed to
him my full acquiescence in his plans.
In due time arrived at the little town of
EHderly, distant only few miles from my des-
tination. And here