The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-12-08
Gclcct Storm.
4 Bachelors Love Making.

You would have known it for bach
elor's room the moment you put your
head in the door! Blue, spicy wreaths
of cigar smoke circlipg up to the ceiling
newspapers under the table-castile
soap in the tiny bronze card receiver
slippers on the mantlepicc, and general
confusion everywhere. And yet Mr..
Thornbrooke-poor, deluded mortal
solemn y believed that his room was in
the most perfect order. For hadn'S he
rokcd the empty champagne bottles un-
der the bed, and sent the wood box to
keep them company, and hung his morn
ing gown over the damp towels, and
busted the ashed sprinkling hearth with
his best silk pocket handkerchief 3
He'd like to see a room in better trim
than that: guess he would! And now
he was mending himself up, preparatory
to going calling, to call on the very
prettiest girl in the town. 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 is
time to repair damages.
Now, as MIR. TLornbrooke's whole
stock of industrial implements consisted
of a lump of wax, an enormous pair of
scissors, and one needle, the mending
didn't progress rapidly. His way of
managing the button question, too,
necessarily involved some delay he had
to cut all these useful little appendagcs
from another shirt and sew them on, and
next time when the second shirt was
wanted, why it was easy enough to make
transfer again. See what it is to be
bachelor of genius, as it never occurred
to him to buy few buttons extra.
Buttons are not much trouble"
SAID Mr.. Iornbrooke to himself, as he
wiped the perspiration from his brow -
"but when it comes to coat sleeves
what the mischief is a person to do! |
haven't any black thread either" aud
lie looked dolorously at small tear just
in his elbow, where some vicioua nail
had caught in the broadcloth. GA
black pin may do for tonight, and to-
morrow I'll send it to the tailor. The
fact is, ought to be married; and so |
would if dared to ask Lillian. o, dear
] know she wouldn't have me-and yet
am not certain eithcr-ifI could only
muster the courage boldly to put the
question But just as sure as APP
preach the dangerous ground, my heart
fails me And then that puppy Jones
with his cured moustache and hair parted
in the niddlc-always hanging around
Lillian, and quoting poetry to her. If
could have the privilege of kicking him
across the street I'd die happy He
isn't bashful, not he! If somebody
would only invent new way of popping
the Notwithstanding that wasn't
quite so embarrassing !"
Our hero gave his black, glossy curls
an extra brush, surveyed himself criti-
cally in the glass, aud then with deep
sigh, set forth to call on the identical
Lillian Raymond, resolving, as lie had
done thousand tines before, that if
perhaps-may be.
Oh the bashfulness of bachelors!
When Mr.. Thornbrooke arrived within
the charmed precincts of Mr.. Ray mond's
handsome rarlors, velvet carpetcd,
chandeliered with gold and ormula,
crowded to the very doors with those
charming knick knacks that only a
woman's taste provides, Miss Lilly was
sat home" in bcwildcrment of pin k
mcrino dress, edged with white lace
around the pearly shoulders, and GRIM
son moss rose twisted in among the rip
ping 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 thcrc-a tall,
slender, black-eyed girl, with such lips,
and cheeks as red as Spitzenberg apple.
y, how Thornbroke wished that Miss
Esther Allen was at the bottom of the
Red Sea, or anywhere else except in that
particular parlor. And then her eyes
we're so sharp-hc hadn't been doing
the agreeable more than four minutes
and half before she exclaimed
"Dcar me, MIR. Thornbrokc-pray cx-
cuse-but what on earth is the matter
with your elbow %
Mark turned scarlet-the traitorous
black pin had deserted its post.
"Only a compound fracture in my
coat, Miss Allen," said be, feeling as
though his face might do the duty of Mr.
Raymond's chandeliers put together,
"you know we bachelors are not expect
ed to be exempt from such things"
"Hold your arm, sir, and I'll set all
right i'll one moments" said Esther, III
stantly producing from some secret re.
cess in the folds of her dress, a thimble
and needle, threaded with black silk,
and setting expertly to work.
"There now consider yourself whole"
"Ilow sk,lful you are sad Mark, ad-
m,ringly, after he had thanked her sim
cerely. But you have so many little
concerns to work with. have only a
needle and some wax beside my scis-
sors ~
"You ought to have housewife,
Mr.. rhornbroke," said Miss Lily.
timidly lifting up her long lashes in his
direction. Lily never could speak to
Thornhroke without soft, little rosy
shadow on her cheeks.
GA what" demanded Mark, turning
very red.
" A housewife"
eyes," said Mark, after moments