The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-04-15


green and black teas, and was well posted il
cough and rheumatic medicines generally. Since
he had got along in years, he had likewise CONT
to take great interest in such mstters; he KEEP
the run of proceeding of all Of the annual con
yentions, and was supposed to be familiar with
the private opinions of several of the Bishops
Now, none of these subjects were indifferen
ones to his fair companions, and as such human
weakness as love and marriage seemed out o.
the question, the intercourse between them was
calm and cool as moonshine in winter. The
condition Of ancient beaux and bellies, who had
retired from the drawing rooms of mirth and
fashion, and have taken to chess and to sober
reminicences Of the heart conflicts they have
undergone is not of the cherries character
which some consider it. 1t may be likened tC
that of pensioned soldiers carefully housed in
some snug harbor provided by the State, where
they may rest and smoke and talk of the Mighty
deeds they have done for the residue of Their
lives. The wars are over, the battles have
been fought; Gnd What though one may have
lost an arm, another leg and third has been
Topped of all his limbs, yet the pain arising
from the wounds has long been forgotten, and
now they remember but the incidents and the
glory OF the conflicts.
One OF the other families that Mr.. Rollins
used to visit, was chat Of the we'll known DR.,
Anodyne. The DR.. himself was gentleman oi
the old school, and his lady could give you the
history Of every family of note in the metropo-
lis, but the great attraction to Mr.. rollins was
the society of their daughter Harriet Miss
Harriet aaG been in her day celebrated beauty
but had now attained her fortieth year, it was
generally supposed that the meridian of heI
charms had passed. In early life there had been
some talk of match between her and Mr.. Rol-
Inns, but this had long blown over, and the con-
7ersation was now, to all human appearance, as
rational and unimpassioned as though they were
a couple of prosy philosophers.
! The remaining family honored with the ac-
quaintanceship of Mr. Rollins, was Mrs. After
bury's, widow lady Of considerable wealth and
position. She was the sister Of Mrs. Anodyne,
and consequently her daughter, the ami
able Miss Anna Maria, was own cousin to Miss
| EFafriet, and very nearly of the same ripe age.
Both these young ladies' were upon terms of the
most agreeable intimacy with the Misses Ra-
chel and Amelia Pettigrew. They had been
companions in girlhood, had promenaded on the
Battery, had taken moonlight walks in company
with each other and their lovers through the
grapeled walks of st. Johns Park and would
doubtless sometiafes have extended their stroll
to the Fifth avenue, were it not that the time
treat Of was anterior to the discovery of that
fashionable thoroughfare. When these fair spin
sters would get together, and grow inspired and
soquacious as they slipped their hyson Mr.. Rol-
Inns was their toast and oracle But delightful
as was the relation subsisting between them
and their antiquated beaux it was temporarily
destined to very singular kind of an interrup.
| ton All at once as one of the wonders ofthe
world, new light sprang up in Mr.. Rollins
mind and this light was none other than re-
flection from the torch of Cupid. How it came
to pass that the heart of adamant, which during
the fervor and passions of youth had resisted
the we'll directed volleys from female eyes of ev-
cry color, and had at last succurnbed must re-
main forever mystery.
| But Rollins love was as droll as it was un-
timely. Worse than the poor ass Of the school
man, hesitating between two bundles of hay,
| poIls ly,I h,Il 50, al ~
his female companions at the same time. AT
first this bachelor love developed itself in peri.
odical fits Of partiality for one or the other Of
the ladies' just as it happened; vascillating, as it
were, from day to day. Thus for awhile Miss
Amelia Pettigrew would be the queen of his af.
fections. He would call to mind some roguish
dimplc Of her childhood, and what splendid
set of teeth one Of her regular ringing laughs
would disclose in those days'o Of remote antiqui
/ ty. When Miss Amelia was thus boasted up or
the ladder of weathercock admiration, she wod
suddenly be precipitated to the ground by q
dim shadowy recollection of the bewitching
manner in which Miss Anna Maria Attlebury
figured quarter of century ago. Then the
memories Of his early partiality for Miss Harri-
ct Anodyne would so so stir up poor Rollins
vagrant sensibilites, that he almost made ul
his mind to pop the question to her. He would
propably have done SO on a certain afternoon
had he not stopped in at the Pettigrews on hit
way to DR.. Anodyne:
1t happened on this occasion that Miss Rachel
was at hUrue alone, and her tender s0licitnde in
the matter of cold which Mr.! Rollins had ia.
k.n, affected him with such an all-overish sen.
sation, that for period Of some forty eight
hours the lady in question was the mistress oi
his heart Most certainly, his exclusive pred-
lections in fasor'cf Miss Rachel lasted no longer
chan the time have specified, and he came al
last to entertain collectively. His condition Of
mind was truly pitiable, for besides the nervous.
ness attendant on so anamolous and whimsical
state Of the affections, Mr.. Rollins knowledge
of the female heart led him to the well.grouud
cd conviction that even should he make propo.
sails to one ofthe four, he would incur the risl
of losing the friendship of the other three. -
Now, this was q contingency too painful tc
think Of and the poor enamored gentleman
Ispent whole year in devising ways and means
whereby it might be avoided. AS yet, neithe,
Of the ladies in question had the remotest sus.
picion Of the whirlwind of eccentric passion
which was tearing away the very foundation o
Mr.. Rollins moral being; for at any time h,
happoned to make some extraordinary demon.
stration it was credited to the account Of q sud