Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-10-12
SELECTED STORY.
ssTho wife for Nos,

bls, enterprising teacher, ofsome seven
and twenty years, who having obtained
q sxeelieutgsputstion rAis industgl]
and integrity, and having made himself
useful in the mercantile firm in Boston,
with whom he had served On appren-
ticeship, Vas at length admitted to !
partnership in the firm. Forsome time
he had been encouraged to anticipate an
elevation, and he soberly and energetic
cally entered upon the new duties of
his position. When business crowded
he had little leisure to mourn OVER his
celibate condition; but whom the Aur-
rying season was over, and hours each
day hung heavy on his hands, he could
not help thinking how delightful it
would be, had he 5 house and : gentle
wife of his own. HE pecunisry cir
'cumstances now warranted such luxu-
ries, aad he resolved to marry when he
found lady just suited to his mind.
Near country village in Maine, not
thousand miles from Bangor, lived
an old friend Of his fathers and be-
ing on collecting tour in that region.
during the autumn months, he deter
mined to accept an invitation to spend
few days with the old gentleman, and
sent . note announcing his coming.
At the appointed time he reached tho
residence Of his old friend, and found
that the family were prepared and
pleased to receive him as guest. In
the parlor we're two young ladies well
dressed and quite handsome. He was
duly introduced to Miss Jane and
Charlotte, and found them accomplished
and sensible young ladies. Being just
now very susceptible to the tender pas.
sion, he was easily pleased, and exerted
his power to render himself agreeable
to the aattered maidens. He succeeded
Of ccuse. Sensible men Of his age
and prospects always do when they try.
And his eyes wandering in conversa-
ton, from one handsome intelligent
face to another, he caught himself sew
eral times mentally inquiring, Switch
would make the better wife ?"
The mother and . neat looking maid
were seen several times passing from
the kitchen preparing supper. The
girl who set out the table andspread the
white stainless cloth, and arranged the
plates, seemed to do it gracefully and
quietly, as if she had made such duties
q study as science, and won glanc.
ing admiration as . very neat and
pretty servants model Of a "help."
Altogether he thought it was a charm
ing family. When they sat at the
cheerful supper, and tasted The light
home made bread, and the sweet, fresh
butter, and the thinly sliced home-cured
beef, and hot, well favored tea !; the
excellency and good taste manifested
in the whole ordering, he felicitated
himself upon having found SO pleasant
a home, even if it was only for a few
days. After the supper was. over and
the table cleared, third young lady,
neatly dressed, entered the room, and
was formally introduced to him as one
of the sisters, Miss Sarah. He was
little SURPRISED to find that the neat
servant girl whose handiwork had won
his admiration, was one Of the sisters.
He found her sprigbtly, cheerful and
accomplished, and he thought a little
more graceful than sister Jane, who
was younger than herself. He thought
little more meanly of himself, for
having taken her to be a hired girl in
the family, but not whit less of her
for having revealed herself in that Ca
pacity. And his perplexity was some
what increased as he sat down on his
bedside in the chamber to which he was
shown by his host, and said to himself
(which of the three?"
In the morning, after nights sound
sleep-for he was not sufficiently in love
to keep him awake-he entered the
breakfast room, and soon was joined
by Jane and Charlotte. Sarah was
not visible, but when they had sat down
OF the table, and Jane had poured out
the coffee, Sarah came smiling in, be-
hind clean white apron, and with
steaming pile Of buckwheat cakes in
her hand, which, from the hue Of her
cheeks, she had just been baking. If
there was . blush on her cheek, any
eye might see it was forced there by
the FIRE, and not by any sense Of deg
radiation, on account of the Office she
so gracefully filled. She greeted the
guest with welcome smile, deposited
her load of edibles, and returned to the
kitchen, whence she tripped again in a
few moments, with another plate Of
cakes, most beautifully baked by her
own skill. Horace ate large quantity
Of them, more than enough merely to
satisfy hunger, because Of the beautiful
little hands that made them. And
then he wandered over the farm with
the old man, and prated Of horses and
COWS, and crops, as though he krew
something about them, as we'll as broad
cloths and calicos. At dinner time
Jane aud Charlotte we're in the parlor
waiting for him, and Sarah, as usua',
was bustling about in the kitchen. II
do wish," said he, soto voice, ''that
one of those girls would take Sarah's
place in the kitceen q little while, that
/ might find out some Of their house.
keeping qualities, and that ! might have
little more chat with herr
But he waited for such change in
vain, though he found some opportu-
mites of converse, and discovered all he
wished to know just then, about her
mental qualifications and requirements;
and at the close of the fourth day, lust