Eastern times., 1854-10-05
BATH THURSDAY MORNING, OCTOBER s. 1854

to correct him, he has endeavored in this way
to revenge himself
10 prove, then, that you exonerate US from
blame, said Miss Thomson politely, you
must remain and spend the evening here, and
Lisa shall give you some music
For this Mr.. Bliss did not much care, but
when he discovered that the young lady not
only played with taste but sang all his favorite
old fashioned songs very sweetly, he was more
fascinated than ever and returned home COM
pletely victimised
The next day, as his housekeeper conf
dentially told my Betty, she thought the old
gentleman had gone quite crazy. He that
couldn't bear broom or duster, that always
kicked the bucket over when they was scrub
bin,' and would not let body come near his
nasty curiosities, to think of him rousing her
and the girl out at daylight TO fix things up,
all the time, too, in fits for fear they'd spoil
sOmeGhin' then to see him run out into the
garden and pick all his best flowers, and put
em here, and there, and everywhere-really,
she didn't know what to make of it, but she
was sure such change warn't for nothin'
lie was either gon' to die, or get married,
she didn't know which.
Dreadful alternative for poor Mr.. Bliss
who, unconscious of his impending fate, and
happy in the anticipated presence Of his
/ n ,i1b
the hour when he might with proprety ex-
pect his visitors.
How eagerly did he receive them and how
aattered was the elder lady with the empresse-
ment she attributed to her own carefully ar
rayed charms, unconscious that the admiring
glances were intended for Lisa, who, in a
simple white dress, with gypsy hat tied care
lessly over her sunny curls, fitted through the
garden, delighted with the rare flowers, in
exstacies with the feathered inmates of the
poultry yard, and honestly amazed at the he
terogeneous curiosities on which Mr.. Bliss
dilated with the JUNCTION of connoisseur.
! How learnedly did he talk OF his mineralo-
gical specimens with what pride did he ex-
hibt his unrivalled collection of hideous scor-
pions, spiders, centipedes, lizards, snakes, and
every variety Of bottled horrors How did he
exult over his colcopterous insects that Miss
Thomson mistook for reaches with what tri.
umph did he reserve to the last, for their in
spection, the skeleton of rare monkey, at
which she Shrieked, and Lisa feared lest their
host, in his malice, had secretly murdered an
innocent baby 1t really needed the hand
some collation. he offered them to recruit their
nerves after such an exhibition and they re-
turned home, Lisa secretly glad the visit was
over, and her aunt resolving, when she became
Mrs. Bliss, to annihlate the whole brood OF
monsters, and convert the museum into bou-
doir
1t is not necessary for me to give history
of the gentlemans progress in love, from SIM
pie fascination, through the different stages of
infatuation, until he arrived at the interesting
climax when he felt it impossible to live long
er without his Lisa, for the intelligent reader
can imagine all this better than old maid can
describe it. Suffice it to say, his beloved
museum was neglected, his poultry consigned
TO the care of the servants, and his garden full
of weeds, while he paid as many visits to his
neighbor as he dared, without attracting at
tention in the village.
But we knew all about it in Thornton, and
it was the theme of universal gossip that Mr..
Bliss, renouncing his heretical bachelor creed,
intended to commit matrimony, though no one,
| believe, but little Mercy and myself, sus-
pected the object of his devotion. Miss Thom-
som was triumphant, and Mrs. Jones was in
the depths Of despair while Lisa, unconscious
of her conquest, and attributing all his atten-
tions TO her aunt, was busy getting up little
love affair of her own with Frank Leslie, who
was spending the summer in Thornton.
We have very uncivilly forgotten the par
rot, in attending to more important people,
and whether Miss Thomson and Lisa did the
lost her vivacity, dropped on her perch, and
seemed to have no other occupation and amuse-
ment but to pull her feathers out. In vain
did Johnny try to worry her into spirits vain
were Miss Thomson's efforts to arouse her
vain Lisa s caresses and sugar bribes; Polly
would none Of them, and the case became so
serious that Mr.. Bliss was solicited for ad-
vice.
The matter is simply this, ma am said
he, when appealed to, you have been killing
the bird like you women do children, by cram
ming it with sweetmeats and other niceties,
when its only food should have been white
bread soaked in milk. fear it is now too
late to change, but you might try
Indeed | shall not bother myself with it,
said Miss Thomson, who was heartily tired of
her impertinent pet before it had denuded it
self into scarecrow, and was now anxious to
get rid Of it, Il shall send down to the old
Dutchman who sells birds, and see if he will
buy it,
If he does, he's greater fool than / take
him to be, muttered Mr.. Bliss in an aside,
Lisa could not help hearing, while Miss Thom-
son rang the bell, and desired the servant to
send Immediately for the old man, begging
Mr.. Bliss to stay, and help her bargain with
him