The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-02-05
Tho Brief and Decisive Experience
OF Paul Pike.
Prom rhs y. y, Is,sniug Po.t

/ Paul Pike, harness maker, Ia bachelor,
thirty-lwo years Of age, who hos .apde about
as many efforts 10 get married as he has
made tugs or hold-baed straps, but has never
/ yet succeeded In hs laudAble design.
Mr., Pike is one Of tho ysiaest men that
brenthes, lIe listens 10 sou With a loot Of
I impatienoe aHd pain, as though Il we're mere
Nh,te u Tine, nnd when you have hnishsd
proceeds, with a triumphant sneor 10 demol-
Ish, as he thinks, all tho fallscies TO which
you have given utterancs,
Mr. PIKE, in short, thinks himself a model
morally physically, aud intellectually aEd
hrliegos that tho woman whom he maTries
viii be the moot honored aud distinguished
woman in the city Of New York.
but, unfortunately, Mr.. Pike IL the only
person who thinks so aud several ladies 10
whom ho has uade advances, unable 10 np,
prceiato the royal qualities which so elevate
him In his own esteem, have treated him with
indifference or contempt,
j. Mr. Pike, to his intense Amazement aud
great Indignation, had recently met with this
unaeooun,ahls treatment At the hands Of o
lady when hs ESQ rested upon a matrimonial
advertisement in which il WAS represented
b. that oung woman of education and refine
ment desired to make the acquaintance Of a
gentleman Of good intellectual abilities, who
was manly, industrious and economical
qualities which the advertiser esteemed more
highly than wealth or position. Any sincere
gentleman Of this description was invited TO a
/ free interchange Of views through the Post
Office.
Mr.. Pike thought Il sensible advertise.
meni, aud Immediately conceived that in him
/ the lady might find full realization Of her
ideal His industry and economy we're pro-
verbal, and II the lady waI as penetrating ~
her advertisement indicated, she could no,
! fail 10 discover that his intellectual parts
we're brilliant;
I Therefore, Mr.. Pike answered the ndycr-
tsement, lie stated his worldly eircumstan-
ccs and prospects with the great minuteness,
FOR which he is celebrated, and then proceed
ed 10 bestow upon himself an elaborate eulo-
/ IS, IN which he enumerated all his good quail.
tiles, and praised them as they appeared to
deserve. lie spoke with less hesitation
he wrote, 'sinco Miss Gay has requested nm
honest interchange Of views and he felt per
sundcd, from the high tone Of her adyertise-
mcut, that if they should ever become nc
qusintcd, sho would not fail to propeily esl-
mate his qualities Of mind and heart"
I'm short wrote Mr.. Pike, 'it has been
my lot 10 live, move, and have being
among grovclling worms Of the dust who
have not the soul, heart or mind, either TO
aspire TO the high intellectual standard set
~, it, sevthr s,,d hare attained only by the
most severe and perseveriug labor, or TO ap-
precaie the gifts Of genius and the accom-.
plshment Of study, in those better than them
selves
vffi model rFiSJir, Hr. PIKE IN diJfe
time received highly ha,tering answer in
which he was assured that his letter, "in eve
ry line, bore unmistakablc evidences Of sin
ccrty and superior intellectual brillianey."
7 Mr.. Pike, believing that he had at last
found a woman capable Of appreciuting him,
wrote an ardent reply urging an immediate
interview, and clearly intimating that he was
ready TO marry Immediately, provided he
was as well satisfied With the personal APP
pcarance and social faculties Of the fair un-
known, as he was with her letter.
The second epistle which Mr. Pike received
was as prompt and decisive as he could pos.
sibly have wished. lie was assured that
Miss Gay "had read his letters over and
over again, with oyer-increased pleasure and
edmiration, not only for the deep tone Of sin
cerity which rcryaded them, but for the high
mental qualities which could not fail to be
I discerncd." She was anxious to sec him.
and begged that he would condescend to
mcct her in Union square, the next Wednes.
day evening. "lf it is pleasant" said she,
II will walk with my brother, and hope to
find you at The south gate AZ precisely nine
o'clock. Please wear a white ribbon in the
left -buttonhoc of your coat, If the coat is
black, and black one If it is white. will
say to my brother, "IIere is an old friend, "
and thcn speak to you. You ptust be pleased
to see me, inquire after myNelfare sinec our
last meeting, and finally beg leave to escort
me home. This little deception can harm no
one. I live in Hoboken, some distance from
the ferryi and will frankly tell you that it
would do much to win the esteem of my fam
lily, who arc somewhat vain, if you should
order fine carriage after we cross the river
and invite my sisters to ride with us, aftei
tyeu Rre introduced. say for the good Of
our plan, that pretty liberal way of doinf
things at the commencement will be likely t,
turn the scale in your favor with the othe
members Of the family, Do not think cart
for these vain things, but it is best some
times TO conform TO the wishes Of Others"
Mr. Pike forthwith wrote. n labored reply
in which he signifed his "entire npproba