The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-30

4
with all four Of his female companions q
the same time. At Gnt this bachelor low
developed itself in periodical fits OF parsiai'
ty for one or the other Of thvse ladies, JUS
~ it happened, vaciIlating 1t were irn
day to day. Thus for while Miss AmelH
Psttigrew would be the queen Of his atso
tions. He would call to mind some rogus'
dimplc Of her girlhood. and what splendlt
set Of teeth one Of her ringing laugh' wouh
disclose. in those days Of remote antiquity
When Miss Amelia WIS thus boosted on th'
topnost round Of Mr.. Rollins lsdd'r o'
weathercock admiration, she wouli sudden
ly be precipitated to the ground BY . diu
shadowy recollection on the part OF that
gentleman Of tho bewitching manner in
which Miss Ann Maria Atterbury used "a
dance nearly quarter ola century as0.--
Then the tender memories Of his early par.
tiality for Miss Harriet Anodyne would %
stir up poor Rollins's vagrant senslbilitie'
that he almost made uphis mind to popth'
question to her. He probably would have
done 90 Oh certain afternoon, had he not
stepped in ut the Psttigrew's on his way to
DR.. Anodyne's. 1t happened on this occa-
sion that Miss Rachel was at home. and her
tender solicitude in the matt.r OF cold
which Mr.. Rollins had taken, affected him
with such an all-oyerish sort OF sensation.
that for period ofsome forty-eight hours
the lady in question was the mistress OF his
heart. Most certainly, his exclusive predi.
lections in favor Of Miss Rachel lasted no
longer than tho time l specified, aud ho
came at last to entertain compound oflove
for his four charmers collectively. His con-
dition ofmind was truly pitlablc, for b'sido
the nervousness attendant upon 70 anomalous
and whimsical state of tho affections, Mr..
Rollins's knowledge Of the female heart led
him to the well.grounded conviction thai
even should he make proposals to one Of the
four, he would incur the risk of losing the
friendship of the other three. Now this
Was con,in ,ency too pIinful to think Of.
and the poor cnamorod gentleman spent q
whole year in devisiug ways ani means
whereby It might be avoided. Asyet neither
Of the ladies' in question had tho relnotcst
suspicion OF the whirlwind Of eccentric pas
sion which was tarinG away the very foun-
dations of Mr.. Rollins moral being for il
at any time hc happened to make some eI-
traordinary demonstration, it was credited
to the account Of u seldom and unexpected
twinge Of rheumatism with which he was
occasionally ,flicted.
One vening in the month Of November,
while Rollins was sitting in his lonely room
medi,ating on the past. and wondering
whittier the tempest wo..ld eventually lead
him, he suddenly bounded from his chair,
snapped lis fingers, looked out Of the win.
dow. put more coal on the fire. pumped
himself again in his chair, and then soilo-
quizcd. ats of no use.' said he, "to endure
this confounded perplc,ity any longer
One thing is certain, love them all, and
why should not / at once declare? am
sure they must seo my sincerity, and con
clude that | am man Of an immensely large
heart, thus to be able to love all four OF
them with this inextinguishable ardor. Yet
as can marry but one, the selection must
be made by their casting lots for me. and
passing strange it is too, that this happy
thought should never occurred to me until
the present hour. And then. in this deli.
cious lottery, am very SURF on my part Il
draw a prize for the goo reason that there
are no blanks. But will the ladies enter
into this arrangement? BY my soul they
must. My proposed plan will ut least show
that am not partial, and there will bs nc
occasion for jealousy"
1t was to Mrs Harriet Anodync that Mr.
Rollins first intimated the tender sentiment,
she had inspired, and on the mention of il
the young lady hlushcd overpoweringly.-
But as Mr.. Rollins further declared thai
the strength Of his affections were equal,
great for their three mutual friends, hel
countcnance underwon mt an expression Of tn
most comical curiosity; and US ut last th'
profound 'hene vi sdivulscd whereby q 81
lection Was to be ina do. Miss Harriet laugh
cd until she was wei nigh choked.
"Ah, Miss Harrio you may laugh, bu
devise a better plan e r me. ifyou can. Yo'
know very well that il were to select an.
one Of the other three and leave you, yo'
would consider yourself sighted and neg
lected. You sec, then, that it is quite nee
essary for the ha ppiness Of all concerned tha
I should carry uy point, and US l profess ''
beab1vo b,,rd in all my Transactions,
all state tho case to your worthy father
and ask him u supsriutend the drawing.
"Of cours %, Mr.. R'llins." replied Mis-
Harriet "y 'ou can ask Pas corporation IL
anything you choose to, but the whole pro
cedure W ,uld be so strange and unusual
that 80 G. ir rs lam concerned, must beg
"Now Mis- harriet! If you please be
nothing interrupted Rollins, "for rel!
upon, l 81 ,all excuse none Of you, and wheT
you have seriously considered the subject
you will 'ot wish to b. excused yourself
What scns would there be. ask you, i
my gcing out ofOur precioss little circle 70
u wife,"
On tho day Of this interview, Mr.. Ro'
,.,us mads known his delicate intentions t
tho other thres ladies', and ut fist they wer
disposed to regard the matter in jocala
light, bur on being assured by Mr.. Rollin
that no loved them I'll with poetic ardo
of n never-dying affection 1t Is difficult TO ~