The Van Buren press., 1860-03-23
Mgiseella,ly.
HOW he MANAGED.
A Bachelors Love-Making.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES


lOr's den, the moment you put your head in
the doo.! Blue, spicy wrea:hs of cigar
smoke circling up to the ceiling-newspa-
pers under the tablc-castilc soap in the
tiny bronze card rd-receiver-slippers on the
mantel-piece. and general confusion every
where. And yet Mr.. Thornbrooke-poor,
deluded mortai-soIemn.y believed that his
room was in the most perfect order! For
hadn't he poked the empty champagne bot
ties under the bed, and sent the wood box
to bear them company, and hung his morn
ing gown over the damp towels, and dust
ed the ash be-sprinkied hearth with his best
silk handkerchief? He'd like to see a room
i'll better trim than that-gucSsed he would
And now he was mending himself up, pre-
paratory to his going calling, to call on the
very prettiest girl in New York. Not that
he was particularly fond of the needle, but
when fellows whole foot goes through
the northeast toe of his stocking, and there
isn't button on his shirt, it's time to re-
pair damages.
Now, as Mr.. Thornbrooke's whole stock
OF industrial implements consisted Of a
lump OF wax, an enormous pair of scissors
aud one needle, the meniing didn't progress
rapidly. His way of managing the button
question, too. necessarily involved some de-
| ay he had to cut all these useful little APP
| pendages from another shirt and sew them
| on, and next when the second shirt was
| wanted, why it was easy enough to make a
transfer again Sec what it is to be a
bachelor of genius it never occurred to
him to buy few buttons extra
" Buttons are not much trouble" said
Mr.. Thornbrookc to himself. as he wiped
the perspiration from his brow, &" but when
it comes to coat-sleeves, what the mischief
is a fellow to do? l Invent any black
thread, either ;" and he looked dolorously
at small tear just iu his elbow, where
some vicious nail had caught in the broad
| cloth. \ black pin may do for to night
and tomorrow I'll send it to .hc tailor
The fact is l ought to be married and so
would, if | only dared to ask Lillian. o,
dear, l know she wouldn't have me- and
yet I'm not so certain, cither-if | only
could muster the courage boldly to put the
question. But just as sure as l approach
the dangerous ground, my heart fails me !
And then that puppy Jones. with his
curled moustache and hair parted in the
middle-aiways hanging round Lillian and
quoting poetry to hcr--if' could have the
privilege of kicking him across the street,
I'd die happy! lie isn't bashfu! not he !!
If somebody would only invent a new way
of popping the question-somcthng that
wasn'i quite SO embarrassing ~
Our hero gave his black, glossy curls an
extra brush, surveyed himself critically in
the glass, and then, with deep sigh, set
forth to call on the Identical Lillian Ray
mond, revolving. as he had done thous-
and times before, that if-perha2s-may
be
Oh, the bashiuness Of bachelors
When Mark Thornbrooke arrived within
the charmed precincts Of old Mr.. Raymond's 5
handsome parlors, velvet carpeted, chande-
liered with gold ormolu, AMI crowded to
the very doors, with those charming knick
knacks that only woman's taste provides,
Miss Lilly was g at home" in bewller-
| ing pink merino dress, edged with white
lace around the pearly shoulders, and a
crimson moss rose twisted in among the
ripping waves of her soft brown hair She
never looked half so pretty and, thank
, Providence, Jones wasn't on hand, for once
in his life. But what was almost as bad,
Lilly's cousin was thcre-a tall, slender,
black-eycd girl, with arch lips and cheek,
as red as a Spitzenberg apple O, how
Thornbrooke wished that Miss Esther Al
len was at the bottom Of the Red Sea, OF
anywhere else except in that particular par
lor. And then her eyes were so sharp-he
hadn't been "doing the agreeable " more
! than four minutes and a half before she ex
claimed
"Dear nue. Mr. Thornbrooke-pray ex.
! cuse mc-but what on earth is the matte,
with your elbow ~
Mark turned scarlct-the traitorous black
pin had deserted its post.
"Only compound fracture in my coat
Miss Allen," said he, feeling as though his
face might do the duty of Mr. Raymond's
chandeliers put together, you know VIZ
bachelors are not expected to be exempt
from such things
Hold your arm, sir, and I'll set it all
right in one moment" said Esther instant.
| ly producing from some secret recess in the
folds of her dress, thimble and needle
threaded with black silk, and setting ex-
pertly to work.
"There now, consider yourself WHOLE
! How skillful you are," said Mark, ad
miringly, after he had thanked her most
sincerely. But then you have so many
nice little concerns to work with. l have
only needle and some wax beside my scis
sors 20
"You ought to have housewife, Mr.
Thornbrooke, said Miss Lily, timidly lift.
ing up her long lashes in his direction Lily
never could speak to Thornbrooke withou,
a soft, little rosy shadow on her cheek.
A what 2" demanded Mark, turning
very red.
"A housewife"
eyes" said Mark, after moments $ awk
ward hesitation, my-my friends hav,
told me SO very often-and really thinl
SO myself, you know. But what sort of
one would you recommend, Miss Ray
mond 90
"Oh, any pretty little concern. II
send you one. tomorrow morning, il you'll
accept of it," she adden with rosy ligh
in her cheeks again.
"If-I'h--accept it ~ said Mark, feel
ing as if he were in an atmosphere of pear
and gold. with two wings sprouting out o
his broadcloth on either side. And Just a
he was opening his lips to assure Miss Lii
that he was ready to take the precious git
to his arms then and there, without an
unnecessary delay. the door opened and i
e walked Jones