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

tempest within would eventually lead him, he
suddenly bounded from his chair, snapped his
fingers, looked out of the window, put more
coal on the fire, plumbed himself again in his
chair, and then soliloquized: ,'It's of no use,"
said he ITO endure this eonfounded perplexity
any longer. One thing is certain; love them
all; ind why should mot at once declare my
self? Suppose they do laugh at my quadrupled
affections, what then? 1 am sure they must see
my sincerity, and conclude that am man of
an immensely large heart, thus to be able to
love all four of them with this inextinguishable
ardor. Yet as Icannot marry but one. the So
lection must be made by their casting lots for
me, and passing strange it is too that this happy
thought should never have occurred to me until
the present hour, And then, in this delicious
lottery, shall be sure to draw prize, for the
very good reason that there are no blanks. But
will the ladies enter into this arrangement? By
my soul they must. Ny proposed plan will at
least show am not partial, and there will be
no occasion among them for jealousy.
1t was to Miss Amelia Anodyne that Mr.. Roll
Inns first intimated the tender sentiments she
had inspired, and on the first mention of it the
young lady blushed overpoweringly But as
Mr.. Rollins further declared that the strength OF
his affections was equally great for their three
mutual friends, her countenance underwent an
expression of the most comical curiosity; and as
a. Ioet +ba oJ MN ,roc 5;vulrcd VI,
| bya selection was to be made, Miss Harriet
laughed Until she was well nigh choked.
"Ah, Miss Harriet, you may laugh but devise
better plan ifyou can. You know very well
that if were to select any one of the other
three, and leave you, you would consider your
self sighted and neglected. You see, then, that
it isquite necessary for the happiness ofall con-
cerned that Should carry my point, and as
profess to be above board in all my transactions
I shall fully state the case to your father, and
ask him to superintend the drawing"
"0fcourse, Mr. Rollins" replied Miss Harriet
''you can ask PAS cooperation in anything you
choose to, but the whole procedure would be
so strange and unusual that SO far as am con-
cerned | Imust beg"
"Now, Miss Harriet if you please, beg moth
ing" interrupted Rollins, "lor rely upon it, l
shall take no excuse" .3p
4 X
On the day of this interview, Mr. Rollins
made known his delicate intentions to the 9TH
er three ladies; they were disposed to regard the
matter in a jocular light but on being assured
by Mr.. Rollins that he loved them with all the
poetic ardor OF never dying affection, it is diff
! ficult to say whether amazement or mirth was
the predominant emotions of their brests.--
| When Miss Harriet Anodyne related to her
father the singular communication which had
been made to Her. the Doctor was thrown into
such con7ulsons of laughter, that eprotests to
this day that he gained seven pounds of flesh on
the strength of it.
In the evening the four loved ones got togeth-
er and compared notes, what glow and futter
of chattering excitement they were all in to be
sure.
Miss Atterbuy, Miss Anodyne and Miss Ra
chel Pettigrew made a point of treating the
whole subject with dersion; but Amelia Petit
grew very candidly confessed Chat she was at
tracted by the novelty of the thing, and if the
rest of the girls would agree she would cheer
fully fall in with Mr. Rollins humor. "And
girls, why should we not?" she inquired; tone
of us will be sure to get good husband, and
we may be equally sure that unless we consent
to be wooed in this quarterly manner, some 9th
er than our own dear selves will be the winner
Pa says that any person acquainted with Mr..
Rollins might have known that if he ever got
married at all it would be done up in the true
Rollins style, and for his part, he can't see any
particular improperly IN our owning the soft
impeachment, and making ourselves grand
Hymenial lottery at Mr.. Rollns earliest conve-
nience. Besides, girls, it is rather pleasant
| reflection that Mr.. Rollins sights none of us,
and after the lucky one is married and settled,
the three remaining in single blessedness will
have that blessedness augmented in this late tro-
ply to our waning charms"
The ladies' went forth in fresh ordinations at
Miss Amelias playful oration but it was plain
to see that they were beginning to wayer; to
think more seriously of the matter and before
they parted it was--"Well, after all, no one is
to know anything about it but ourselyes-and
if Pa consents--and if Ma consents-and in
short, such is the tendency among the fair sex
for lotteries and matrimony, that Mr.. Rollins
carried his point. ,. ''ons'
II was cold but pleasant evening in the be-
ginnihgof December, that our four heroines and
their lover were assembled in the cozy back
parlor at DR.. Anodyne's. The ladies looked
somewhat excited, but the worthy Rollins was
as comfortable and selfpossesscd as duck in a
mill pond; he seemed to regard the approaching
transaction as in no degree outre but as regu-
lar and business like, and as just the only meth
cd left, whereby gentleman with capacious
heart could be extracted from a dilemma. "Be
satisfied ladies!" he encouragingly said "the re.
suit willbe right! Elosesyou all, but my su-
preme affection will be centered on the prize
draw, for she will soon become my lawful and
welded spouse! And would now say for my
self and in the name Of my dear wife, whoever
she may be, thatour friendship must be perma-
! nent and uubroken" AT this, the ladies' in a
Autter Of amiable confusion simpered little
but just then the heavy tred of DIR. Anodyne
was heard, and their hearts went pit-apat lit
tie. The doctor entered into'the spirit of the
occasion, and with the most luditrous but be-