Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-05-08
"THE WIFE FOR ME-"

terprlslng bachelor, OF some seVen-and-tWen-
ty years, who having obtained an excellent
reputation for his industry and integrity,
and having made himself useful to the mer.
camille firm in Boston, with whom he had
served an apprenticeship, was at length in
vited to partnership in the concern. For
some time he had been encouraged to antici-
pate this elevation, and he soberly and ener-
getically entered upon the new duties Of his
position. When business crowded, he had
but little leisure to mourn oyer his -celibate
condition; but when the hurrylng season
was over, and hours each day hung heavy on
his hands, he could not help thinking how
delightful it would be had he but house
and gentle wife of his own. His pecunia-
ry circumstances now warranted such luxu.
ries, and he resolved to marry when he could
find lady "just suited to the mind"
Near country village in Maine, not a
thousand miles from Bangor, lived an old
friend of his father; and being on collect
ing tour in that region during the autumn
months he determined to accept an oft-re-
peated invitation to spend few days with
the old gentleman, and sent note announc-
ing his coming.
At the appointed time he reached the res
idence of his old friend, and found that the
family were prepared and pleased to welcome
him as guest. In the parlor were two young
ladies, well-dressed, and quite handsome
He was duly introduced to Miss Jane and
Charlotte, and found them accomplished and
sensible young ladies. Being just now very
susceptible to the tender passion, he was
easily plased, and exerted his powers to rem
der himself agreeable to the Aattered maid
ems. He succeeded, Of course. Sensible
men, of his age and prospects always do,
when they try. And his eye wandering in
conversation from one handsome, intelligent
face to another, he several times caught him
self mentally inquiring, "which would make
the better wife?"
The mother, and a neat-looking maid were
seen at intervals passing from the kitchen
preparing the supper. The girl who set out
the table, and spread the white stainless
cloth, and arranged the plates, seemed to do
it gracefully and quietly, as if she had made
such duties study as science, and won a
passing glance of admiration as very neat
and pretty servant model of "help."
Altogether, he thought it was charming
family. When they sat at the cheerful sup.
per, and he tasted the light, homemade
bread, and the sweet, fresh butter, and the
thinly sliced ome-cured beef the hot, we'll
favored tea, the excellency and good taste
manifested in the whole ordering, he feliei-
tated himself upon having found SO pleasant
a home, even if it was for few days. After
supper was over and the table was cleared,
third young lady, very neatly dressed, en-
tered the room, and was formally introduced
to him as one of the sisters, Miss Sarah. He
was not little surprised to find that the
neat servant girl, whose handiwork had won
his admiration, was one of the sisters. He
found her sprightly, cheerful, and accom-
plished, and he thought little more grace
full than Jane, who was older, or Charlotte,
who was younger than herself.
He thought little more meanly Of him.
self, for having taken her to be hired girl
in the family, but not whit more meanly Of
her for having revealed herself in that capa.
city. And his perple1ity was somewhat in.
creased as he sat down on his bedside in the
chamber to which he was shown by his host,
and said to himself, (Which of the three?"
In the morning, after a nights sound
sleep-for he was not sufficiently in love to
keep him awake-he entered the breakfast
room, and was soon joined by the two young
ladies who had first welcomed him. Sarah
was not yet visible; but when they sat down
at the table, and Jane had poured the coffee,
Sarah came smiling in behind clean white
apron, and with steaming pile of hot buck
wheat cakes in her hand, which, from the
hue of her cheeks, she had just been baking.
If there we're blush on her cheek any eye
might see it was forced there by the fire,
and not by any sense of degradation, on ac-
count of the Office she gracefully filled. She
greeted the guest with welcome smile de-
posted her load of edibles, and returned to
the kitchen, whence she tripped again in
few minutes, with another plate of cakes,
most beautifully baked by her own SKILL
Horace ate large quantity of them, more
than enough merely to satisfy hunger, be-
cause of the beautiful little hands that made
them. And then he wandered over the
farm with the old man, and prated of horses
and COWS, and crops, as though he knew
something about them, as we'll as broad
clothes and calicoes At dinner time Jane
and Charlotte were in the parlor waiting for
him, and Sarah, as usual, was bustling about
the kitchen. 81 do WISH" said he, soto
uoce, "that one of those girls would take
Sarah's place in the kitchen, little while,
that I might find out some of their house
keeping qualities, and that I might have
little more chat with her"
But he waited for such change in vain,
though he found some opportunities of con-
verse, and discovered all he wished to know
lust then about her mental qualifications
md requirements; and at the close of the
iourth day, just before be got into bed, he
slapped the white counterpane emphatically,
md said to it-as there was nobody in the
'oom I suppose he must have spoken to the
'ounterpane or the bedpost-"She's the wife
or me-"