Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1859-07-28
SELECTED STORY.
WHY I AL A BACHELOR,

My name is Smith John Smith, | am
SIXTY years OF age mex, birth Jay and uu-
married. have beer in love, however
hopeiessly IN love and yet am a bachelor
Why | am so have now 60 tell
During my young days, hal no time to
think Of the other sex. / determined 1
would make my fortune frs, and see about
. wife afterwards. ] worked aud strove-
accumulated and denied myself the harm
less pleasures tha, eos; none. yet did
10, get rich NJ fast as expected. and had
reached iorty years Of age before thought
vas justified in looking about me Tor a
wife
When that time came, | sat about nv
task earnestly. am a business man aud
always 60 to work systematically. la the
first place looked all ihrough my acquaint.
soces and friends They were not numerous.
and soon found there were no young la
dies amongst them Who would suit me
Then tried the boarding house scheme,
BY which mean, | advertised for board
and answered all the replies in person -
Whenever ! saw any young girls in house.
there l took bosrd-but none Of them would
suit me. At last received an answer TO
my advertisement from widow lady with
one daughter | called at the house and
was sshered into m elegantly furnished par.
lar where young lady vas seated playing
piano. ln.'piie Of Shakespeare, denun,
ciation o! man who has no music in hi,
soul, | never had any music in mine |
don't know Yankee Doodle from Old Hun,
dred-and yet strange TO say, tho music
sounded pretty as il ticklod from her hu-
gers. She did not hear me enter. so con-
tiuucd TO rlsy. listened for some minutes.
aud then coughcd gently. She turned her
head, and with blush, rose from her seat
i think bad never seen so beautiful girl
before She was not more than eighteen
years of age tall and graceful her form
beautifully rounded-dark suburu hair bunr
ia natural ringlets on swanlrke neck In
short, the moment I saw her I performed
the imaginary pantomine Of Slapping my
trowers pocket, aud exclaimed mentally,
"Heres the girl FOR my money"
"Did you want TO see my mother 2" asked
the lovely creature in a musical voice
Have the pleasure Of speaking 10 Miss
CIatksos | sskei
Yes sir
Il have called, ma1im. in reference 20
note | received believe from your moth
er-statipg that you wished to take sinsle
gentlemsn to board With YOU
Yes cir / viii call my mother
And the fairy bounded out Of tho room.
In minute or two aftcrwar,i the mother
entered the room IL the daughter uss
pretty, the widoH vas decidedly ugly. She
was PISS, forty thin, scrsggy wore false teeth,
islse rsir when locked at her almost
felt tempted 90 leave ,hc house but then
CARED at the daughter, and the next dsy
took up my abode uuder the roof the VIZ
dow ClaTkson
soon felt quite ~ ho ne snd detefmin.
ed 10 make myself ~ sgrcoabie a. possible
/ wss polite 20 the mother tender 70 ths
daughter, and evidently pleased tie old
woman, for ate bus hi'ie oar evenings
we're very plca'snt-s Joang friend e the
family used % drop ~ occasiousIlr and ue
played ~his; The youbg man vas I. cousin
Of tho tsmily-a rather pleasant young fsl.
low. and The nms passed very asreeabiy
away
In the mesStime rroscc u'ed M salt
earnestly have sissys held e. as 40
sIion. that n you uaot % ssccsed vith the
young b.sbebss of fanny. yoa must tsy
attention % the bead there - nothing ike
procuring "frisbd 81 coart % TLis tisn I
f0lloSsd uas very polite 20 Mrs Ciark.
sou | waited on her ~ the table ,ssor.
ted her % The tbeatsr shd opers sbd read
T. Der Cobbs last ! got on hosly soon
nutbss she sas vtrg partial e. N Ismss
time ! did tot Degise, my suit viih The
object of ny sheeti1ns gsfsi % her
;eBdstly pfssssd her hasd sleusssr I
hsd 40 opportunity. a1d believed that bad
made eonsidsrsblo imrfsssien on her young
heart
Thing. usnt 90 is the vsy fof more ,hsb
too mottbs vhsn iboasit it iiga tine
that ! should briugs nsttefs tos crss
Ons evening ebtsfed ibs sittioR room
ssd fcuad the ebsruisg girl slspe Ths
cousin hkd not sst e0me. although be noe
visred the house every nigbt Ihis "a. 100
good 90 opportunity % ~ lost
Mrs Cisrtson, ssid ! spprosehiuE her
I J visb 70 hsvs httls conversation uith YOU
thick ! eau guess sba, % y sbsa,