Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-09-04
M | S c E L L A n Y.
ARCHIBALD BLOSSOM, BACHELOR

Mr.. Benjamin Blossom was guilty of three
faults which his brother Archv. the bachelor.
could not fully forgive first having a family |;
second going to California; and lastly, diving
when he got there. The news of the iamented
Blossoms decease was brought to Archv one
morning. like Cleopatras asp, with his break
fast The surviving brother, unconscious of the
sting prepared for him, comfortably seated him
self to nibble the bread of single blesSedness,
spread his landlady's neat white napkin on his
lap, tucliing the corners into the arm-holes of
his waistcoat, stirred his coffee. read the morn
ing paper, ate three eggs out of the shell with
little ivory scoop, and finally broke the seal
of the feminine looking envelope beside his
plate.
Il knew there was something deuced disagree
able in that letter" said Archy, turning first
purple and then pale. 'The best | can do, am
| always being made a victim"
The epistle was from the mother of Benia-
minis children; and in cramped chirograpRv,
and style full of grammatical errors italics
and tears, indicating good deal of grief, and
not much education, it informed the bachelor
that his sister-in-law was a widow with two
d's.) and his nephews and nieces 'orfens The
news would have been very apt to spoil his
breakfast, but for the precaution he had taken
to open the eggs before he did the letter.
Archy walked the room with his napkin. and
thought of good many things-poor Ben dv-
ing away off there, among strangers, and no
doubt in very improper clothes; how he (the
surviving brother) would look in black; and
what was his duty respecting Priscilla and her
orphans. There is no other way, as see,' he
mused, wiping his forehead with his napkin,
but to submit and be victim Think of me,
Archibald Blossom, suddenly called to be the
father of four little Blossoms and a brother to
her whose heart is left desttoot-I, double-o. t.
toot " groaned Archy, holding the letter up to
the light. Poor woman. poor woman! no
doubt she was too much afflicted to give atten-
ton to her spelling. A brother to her | WON
der she didn't say husband while she was
about it And Archy smiled grim smile in
the glass, mentally contrasting his fastidious
habits of life with the disagrceable ties and du-
ties of paternity.
To the bachelors love of nicely and sleepless
solietude for himself was Joined an amiablc dis
position, which was forever getting the other
traits into trouble. On the present occasion he
was perfectly well aware, as we have seen, that
he was TO be made victim nevertheless, even
whlle heaplng reproacheS upon the late Denia-
min calling his children hrats, and cursing the
man who first invented widows, he resolved to
visit his brothers family-brushed his wig, col
ored his whiskers, packed up carpet bag, and
made other preparations for the pious pilgrim
age. 1t was the first time he had ever thought
of fulfilling the scriptural injunction. TO visit
the fatherless and widows in their Affections :
although it had long been a personal habit of
his to keep himself literally unspotted from
the world
1t was half days journey from Archy's res
idence in town to the rural locality which he had
no doubt was all this time resounding with the
lamentations of the bereaved family. Arrived
at the village hotel, he ordered room and sup