Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-11-16
HlisrEllauEBus.
For the Spirit Of the Age.
WHY I'M A BACHELOR.
ny "uEcLE BILL"

well, Maggie, rs you have been asking
why Uncle BiP is a Bachelor, and as no
one else can tell, l must, | suppose
In the DAYS Of my boybood, l loved
many a sweet little Mary, Sallie, Sue, Jane,
Carrie, and Elsie. Well do | remember
the road that led from fathers gate to the
old school.house, by the roadside. And
I can now sec those bright little faces that
40 often charmed uncle Biz in days gone
by. thought not then of the present, but
only Of my future happiness. How |
longed for the day to come when should
be a man, that | might lake to myself the
frightened little Sue. How meditated
on my future happiness : how huge noun
tains stood mp before Inc, sparkling with
diamonds, and | imagined myseIfa Cresus!
When Kinch. Stokes went over to faith
era and talked Of the false hearts hidden
in the boso1ns Of women, | wondered IT
the heart Of my little Sue would ever prove
false TO me. No, thought ], she Is ever
true and as soon rs we get old enough,
we will marry and then I'll be the hap
Oiest man on earth. But alas ! | was
dreaming; for | saw that little Sue often
turned up her nose at me, as much as to
say-sAhl Billy, Pm no. for YOU And
-rivcu 6vur rhb brzhch 1rcrr 1atner, afd
who always stood at the foot Of the class.
Uncle Bill almost always stood at the head.
well, thought |, | don't care, for here
Ia little Mollic, who so often cuts me down.
I'll have her. She is pfettier than Sue,
and she loves me, | know for when johnny
Late was going to cut me down the other
day, ho told me how to spell the word,
Just TO keep me next to her. I'll have
MoHl, Sue; and if you arc a mind to
have that little fool, who can't even spell
In TIVE syAables, haze him I don't care !
But sbout this time, a little fellow came
from Hsynesville to 60 to school, as there
was no school in that village that year, and
he was going to board with Mollie's father.
lie was a very fine little fellow, and had
a great many TOYS, and could tell of his
ride en- The stage coach, &c. soon found
that he VAS the ~favorite Of Mollie. Well,
this worried Uncle Billy exceedingly
Things csntinucd in this way for some
time Uncle Bill having a new sweet
heart every moon, until l found myself al
the ace u sixteen. Then | was to leave
home 10 20 to the village school sevcra
ulllto 49, hbllCg NhNlO Il raw q SlSd
many pretty girls, prettier than those
had left behind.
well, Uncle Bill was a little shy, ant
did not leave his boarding-h house for tn,
first week. On the Sunday following tn
first week, he, in company with others DIES
tined to be his rivals in c~ontending for tn
prize, went that evening to see a swee
little witch named Elsie. He went, he saw
no loved! lie imagined her his. Hevis
ted her often /; she told him she loved him
Then the words of Kinch. Stokes woul
come up in the mind Of happy Billy, anC
thought be, arc the words of Kinch., reli
tive to Dolly Virgins and others, apple;
bic to Elsici No, thought happy Billy
whatever she says is true.
For a long while did Uncle Bill lo1
bis Rlsie, and many a time did he lose h
lessons on account of her. But never min
thought Uncle Bill il I can only get he
! don't care about lessons. And there'l
no difficulty in getting her, for her faith
and mother like Billy so well, that tn
will never refuse. And so sweet did s
look whom 'Uncle Bill used to put on
airs, and play the part Of a Solomon in I
presence of her father and mother a
the thought often crossed the mind of Il
clio Bill that il all the world were agai
him, Elsie would be for him. But at len.
there came in others, and it had beco
generally understood that Billy's father
not as rich as Elsie's; therefore it
thought by her friends, that young Tc
ney was a moro suitable companion
Elsie, than Billy.
well, thought Billy, as he walked he
one night from Elsie's fathers, since
has sighted me to-day, because l have
as much money and as many negroe:
Tourney, I'll go there no more. Herr
Vestie, right here or the corner-she
older than Elsie, and consequently is n
er the age to marry. Vestie's mother
it is proper for people to marry young
Ill Just fall in, court Vestie, and marry
before next year. Vcstie's mother i
widow, and thinks the world Of Bill,
there will be no difficulty in marrying
l know she loves me, for she gave l
nice present the other night, accompa
by some highly fattering compliment