Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-02-12
MIS- C. L. LII A n Y.
From peIer,on'. Magazine.
CAUGHT A TARTAR
nr ~ c,nRIE y. TAIRrIELp.

housekccper rather more than a year, and
as tho evenings began to lensthcn, and the
winter winds sounded ,heir premoni,ory
notes through thc lealcss branches, ho be-
gan moro scnsibly to mis-, tho comforts and
cndclrmcu,s OF an urbrokcn home circle /;
and to think seriously Of filing tie vacant
seat by his hcarthsione.
Tho doctor, in spite Of the advice Of his
elders In the profession, had married young
and as a consequence, found himself at the
ago Of thirty with a small family upon his
hands, aud an income somewhat narrower
and moro rrcarious than he could have de-
sired. SIN be was a handsome man, and a
great fvoritc among tho ladies. and had
possessed an excellent professional rcputn.
ton. Under these circumstances ambition
Whispered iha, Il would bo possible lor him
20 contract brilliant alliance to carry od
some dishiug hciross, whose solid charms
would aIlay Lis pccuniary vcation-; while
her beauty. her wit, and her style should
make him the envy Of half the town. To
DO the doctor justice, he did not draw on
hi, Imagination flr al these details, they
we're suggested 10 him ready made. 10 the
person Of Miss Minerva Hall, lady whose
apparent as, WIS Eve or 'iN and twenty.
ON the other hand, he knew a little cot.
msc just out Of town, cmbowcrcd amid
ro,,. and honcysueklc' aud elumps u ever.
green. whore dwcl,, in the retirement Of DO.
nestle peace and tranquility, the solicl and
py OF widowed mother, and the Pet and
IDOL Of the small circle Of ihe cultivated AMI
warm.hearicd people viii whom she moved
sweet Annie Huntington.
Annie wa, gentle aud fiir.hairci; she had
none OF the golden grac,s or sab,ilo asciua.
tilns Of her town rival but she possessed
what was b,i,er, refined and clusatcl
mind an amable disposition, and q warm
loving heart,
The doctors Grs, wilc had been a woman
Of this stamp; quiet and aiI,ctiona,' in dis
position; aud thc doctor had soma rather
distinct impressions tia, these same quail.
tics hal much {, Il, with the happiness Of
,ho.o Few year, Of married lie. H. was a
domestic man beloved his home, and hons
cnoymrn,s, and hume enlearmcnts, yet
nevertheless. Amy bad come t, him a pr.
tioul,,, hril.. and the cons lucnce was, hr
was ia deb, now, and larrassol daily hr
funds.
one drsary November evening, the doctor
came homr irom % round OF most Scz',iou'
professional ca,l. To End tea not ready, th.
bo1.ssspsr cro.., the children in ,e-r'
T. ar, tie cloth was scarce rgmly 4, IA
children were scnt To bcl Tor some trivial
mi.iemran1r, the hou.'kc'psr, irri,Aicd at
.1m, sharp remark iy the d,etor. slammed
,hc doJr b,hiuI hcr aud retired to her own
room
Thus len alone % his own mcliutiou',
u, doctor fll very naturally to soliloquir-
ing, aul bi' soliloquy took very much the
tone Of the dismal rain which beat continue
ais against thc windows.
"What a miserable lilc this is I, will b,
the ruin OF IN, and my children, soon, thai
Is certain. Bat how to mend il? Th,
truth OF the matter is, ought to marry a
fortune. I'm bothered todeath. day by day
with duns; there's the groccr's bill hasn't
been paid ,hcso siE months and the butch.
cr's bill i, about due; AMI tho interest OF
the mortgage on this house mus, b, paid
next month. Tobesurs with the right kind
%. management all thee things coull b,
s,raishtcncd out in the course Of time bot
hou.ckcer2r at the head Of Internal affair
isn't like q good wifo, l'vo seen that; nei'
ihcr, | have a slight suspicion, arc women
Ike Amy. poor soul she was good VIII,
10 mo hut then ought not to have mar
rieI when did: why couldn't / have wait.
cl awhile, and not have plunged mys'lI
hcallong into-l know not what. Well,
experience is dear school, but fools will
Learn In no other There's Minerva Hall
now, that would be a match worth talking
about ten thouaut easy, | suppose, she
will brin: to the man who is fortunate
enough to win her; besides her wit and the
Quccnly air she has. II does one good to
SEQ her come sailing down the street head
up. and such bust; aud her slender foot
fairly scorning the ground she walks on.
They say such women are apt TO have tenn
pers: bot think that Is half humbug and
any way. no man will object to little spirit
OF the right sort. It's spicy. And as to
her being hcarilcss, that's all nonsense, too;
every woman has heart, only every man
hasn't the wit to lay his hand upon 1t.
Trust me to End the soft spot in woman ;
once get your hand fairly wovc IN among
the heart strings, and YOU can manage the
proudest Of them. Now Mipcrva has sort
of weakness, for me | know that, I've seen
1t this long time, and on the whole, don I
believe shall ever do better than to take
her,"
The doctor paused. and think vision
Of the pretty cottage, and its fairer inmate
fitted across his brain, lor he grew more
deeply penslye. and a sleam Of tenderness
soitencd his dark eye. But presently he
muttcred. " Pshaw that will never do.
she hasn the dimes"
Thinss grow hazy in his brain, forawhilc.
and then, US just arrived at sudden re~o.