Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-02-29
&" THE WIFE FOR Me-

z.
| terprising bachelor, of some seven and twenty
years, who having obtained an excellent rep
utatiOn for his industry and integrity, and
having made himself useful to the mercantile
firm in Boston, with whom he had served ar
apprenticeship, was at length invited to a
partnership in the concern. For some time
| he had been encouraged to anticipate thi;
elevation, and he soberly and energeticalIy
entered upou the new duties of his position
When business crowded, he had but little lei.
| sure to mourn over his celibate condition but
when the hurrying 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 pecuniary circumstances now
warranted such Injuries, and he resolved to
marry when he could find lady lust suite
to the mind"
Near a country village in Maine, not thou
sand miles from Bangor, lived an old friend
of his father; and being on collecting tour
In that region during the autumn months, he
determined to accept an oft-repeated invita-.
tion to spend few days with the old gentle
man, and sent a note announcing his coming.
At the appointed time he reached the resi-
dence OF his ole 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 Char
lotte, and found them accomplished and SEN
sible young ladies Being just now very sus-
ceptible to the tender passion, he was easiIy
pleased, and exerted bis powers to render
himself agreeable to the hattered maidens
He succeeded, Of course Sensible men, Of
his age and prospects always do, when they
try. And his eye wandered in conyersatioo
from one handsome, intelligent face to ano-
ther, he caught himself several times men
tally inquiring, Which would make the bet.
ter wife 90
The mother, and 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 q study as a science, and won
passing glance of admiration as a very neat
and pretty servant-a model Of help. -
Altogether, he thought it was a charming
family. When they sat at the cheerful sup
per, and he tasted the light, home made
bread, and the sweet, fresh butter, and the
thinly sliced home-cured beef, the hot, we'll
favored tea, the excellency and good taste
manifested in the whole ordering, he feI.ci-
tated himself upon having found so pleasant
home, even if it was for a few days. AZ
ter the supper was over and the table was
cleared, third young lady, very neatly
dressed, entered the room, and was formally
introduced to him as one of the sisters Miss
Sarah. he was not a little surprised to find
that the neat servant girl, whose handiwork
had won his admiration, was one of the sis
ters. He found her sprightIy, cheerful, and
accomplished, and he thought a little more
graceful than Jane, who was older, or Char
lOtte, who was younger than herself
He thought a little more meanly Of him
self, for having taken her to be hired girl In
the family, but not 4 whit more meanly Of her
for having revealed herself in that Capacity
And his perpleXity was somewhat increased as
he sat down on his bedside in the chamber to
which hc was shown by his host, and said to
himself, - which of the three ?''
In the morning, after night 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 vet
visible but when they sat down at the table
and Jane had poured the coffee, Sarah came
smiling in behind a clean white apron, and
with steaming pile Of hot buckwheat cakes
In her hand, which, from the hue Of her
cheeks, she had just been baking If there
were blush on her cheek. any eye might see
1t was forced there by the fire, and not by
any sense of degradation, on account of the
effice she gracefully filled. She greeted the
guest with a welcome smile, deposited her
load of edibles, and returned to the kitchen,
whence she tripped again in a few minutes
with another plate of cakes, most beautifully
baked by her own skill. Horace ate a large
quantity of them, more than enough merely
to satisfy hunger, because 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 be knew something about them, as
well as broadclcths and calicoes. At dinner
time Jane and Charlotte were in the parlOr
waiting for him, and Sarah, as usual, was
bustling about the kitchen. II do wish"
said he, soto Uocs, 4" that one of those girls
would take Sarah's place in the kitchen. a
little while, that 1 might find out some of
their housekeeping qualities, and that might
have little more chat with her"
But he waited for such a change in vain.
though he found some opportunities of ,on,
verse, and discovered all he wished to know
just then about her mental qualifications and
requirements; and at the close of the fourth
day, just before he got into bed, he slapped
the white counterpane emphatically, and
said to it-ss there was nobodyjin the room
suppose he must have spoken to the counter
pane or the bedpost =" She's the wife for
me'
The next day was the outer limit of his