The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-08-15
THE DIFFICULT LOVER.

never cosld outlive another such a ride as !
took to-day" ~
THE DIFFICULT LOVER. 45s4s
"a ssNlay trouble you to inform me what
gentleman that is yonder; he is about forty
years Of age, Of an elegant appearance,
good figure, well dressed, and 1 meet him
everywhere? lie is always alone; whether
at the play, in the park, in the streets, |
never yet saw anybody walking with him..
He looks about with an anxious and scruti-
niz;ng eye atseyery one who passes; he does
not seem to be uncomfortable or dissatisfied
with himself, and yet he never smiles. Who
is he? Do, pray, tell me; and whit is nc
looking for ?'' s}fst 8
'.That,' replied the friend Of whom /
made these somewhat rapid inquiries, sis
the modern Diogenes; not that, like the
Diogones Of old, he is looking for a man;
on the contrary, o woman is the object of
his search, and his eyes serve him for a
lantern. He is rich, good looking, of agree
able manners and excellent understanding;
and yet, for these twenty years, he has been
in search of wife, and hitherto in yain.--
The reason is, that he has created chimes
ra, and afterwards set himself to the pur-
suit of it. l will tell you his history, and
you shall Judge whether he is not one Of
the most singular men you ever met. .j9s
"When he was twenty years old he fell
in love with young lady, very well educa-
ted, Of good family, and possessing a
thousand excellent qualities: He paid his
addresses to her-was most assiduous in his
attentions-asked her parents consent, and
obtained it. q, Everything was arranged,
when one evening he happened to be at a
ball with his intended wife. 1t was then
very much the rage to dance the gayotte.-
Diogenes could not perform the CAV otte, but
his intended did so admirably. A very
agreeable young man asked her to dance
with him; she did so, and acquitted herself
to the admiration of all present. On the
following day our friend asked her how she
passed the night; she confessed, among
other things, that she had dreamt Of her
partner in the gavotte. Diogenes got up,
wished her good morning, broke off his
marriage, and never saw her again.
ga short time afterwards he was smitten
by a young lady who had no fortune, but
who was extremely beautiful, and not less
virtuous. He succeeded in making her love
him also, as he might do with most women,
and every day their mutual affection seemed
to increase. When the marriage was near
ct hand he questioned her about the state
of her heart. Did you ever love any one
before me p he was asking her necessarily.
"sNever,' she replied, you are the first
person that ever possessed my heart: Yet,
should tell you, that when was only thir-
teen years old was very fond of my cousin,
and used to call him my little husband.'-
this was enough for Diogones, and again he
was off.
"Some years elapsed without his making
another attempt, and then he was fascina-
ted by a lady whose beauty and wit might
have induced any man to overlook some
slight faults. The wedding day was again
fixed, when, coming to visit her one day un-
expectedly, he found her taking pinch Of
snuff. He quilted her abruptly and went
abroad. He soon returned, and the first
thing he did was to fall in love with mil
liner, young, pretty, and perfectly inexpe-
rienced. He would have put up with the
want Of family fortune; but one day he found
her telling her fortune with cards. He
quilted her at once, swearing he would never
unite himself to q woman who practiced
such superstitions.
"Since then | cannot tell you how many
engagements he has made and broken. One
lady was pretty, but coquette; another
was not a ccquette, but she had not grace
enough; one was afeetionate, but jealous;
another was gentle, but without sense; one
had wit, but too much conceit; another
made verses, OR was too fond of dancing, or
of laughing, or was too prudish, or too vol
atile, Or too reserved. In short, Diogenes
had a thousand passionate engagements,
none Of which have lasted more than eight
days. Easily caught, and as easily loosen
ed again, he seeks every where the imagi-
nary excellence on which he has set his
heart. 1t is in vain that his friends tell him
a woman might make an excellent wife, and
yet have little superstition; that a lady is
not less fair for having taken one pinch Of
snuff; that she may love her husband, and
yet dream of her partner; and that a heart
may be perfectly free, although its owner
might have called cousin her little hus-
band. But his hair is turning gray, and
each year it will become more difficult to
please the charming sex which he wishes to
find perfect, and which is yet so delightful
that a man of sense might easily pardon
some slight defects for the innumerable
good qualities they possess ~.