Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-26

wouiu result F; ana L certainly haQ not the
| slightest notion Of involving myself in per
Sonul collision with any one. Still the pre-
sentiment that it was not destined to be all a
barren joke, pressed upoa me. On Saturday
the advertisement appeared, and | heard its
style canvasscd by all my friends, and it was
jokingly suggested by more than one, that
was the domeSticaly destitute individual who
put it forth,
On Monday morning l sent boy TO the
newspaper Office for p Ps letters. | expect
ed he might be followed bY some curious and
inquiStive persons SO | told him on his way
back to call at bachelor neighbor's OF mine
for book The trick told The lad was
followed 10y some persons who never lost sight
Of him until they ran him to MY friends, and
then went back aud announced that he was
the advertiser. thus discharged in full one
or two practical jokes which nv ueighbor had
played upon me. The answers were Of tie
usual charaCter-Sevaral seeking TO elicit my
name and still more suggesting places of meet
ing, where | was to exhibit myself with bow
or in my button hole aad white handkerchief
in my hand. One only looked like business
II was from q lady who proposed an Interview
! in neighNoring city, about forty miles north.
She said there was something so frank and
straightforward in my advertisement that she
was convinced :! was real, and she could rely
upon my keeping her Rame secret, If after we
met nothing came of the meeting. She would,
therefore, see me at the -, at -, on q
certain day, and if mutual appreciation did not
follow the Interview why there was no harm
done
Most people wonld have put down this as a
trop TO give me journey Tor nothing / did
not. \ preSentiment impeiled me 10 accept
and keep the engagement.
This was in the old coaching days, when
man had time to make an acquaintance in for
tY miles not as now, when Won arc a. Your
ionrney's end before you have looked round
your company in railway carriage There
were but two insdes-myself and pleasant,
laxative elderly gentleman. Shy aud t;mji
Ia female society, was yet esteemed and AMI
mat, and agreeable eauugh amongst my own
sex. We had no trouble therefore in mak.n
ourselves agreeable To one another 50 much
SO, that as he coach approached c., and
the old gentleman learned that | meant to
stop there tina. night, he asked me 10 waive
ceremony anu lave cup of tea with him az
ter had dne1 at nv hotel NJ " fair en-.
gagement was not to come of TIL next dav,
and, as liked the OLD gentleman, | accepted
his offer
After my piat Of sherry, brushed ny hair
aud went in search OF nv coach companion
and my promised cup Of tea. | had mo dI.Ii
Guilty in dndlng him ont, for he was man of
substance and some Importance in the place
| WAS shown into the dra@u--room. My Old
friend received me heartily, aud introduced me
to his wife aud five daughters. \ Il SpinsterS.
sir. Young ladies', whom an undiScrjmjnatiug
world seems disposed to leave upon nv hands"
" Ii we doa'y sell! papa" Saii the eldest,
who with her sister seemed TO reject her fith-
erS fun, /" it Is. not for the want Of pufilr for
all vour intrOduclioAs are advertisements"
At the men,ioa Of the las; word. felt
little djscompo,ei. ani almost regretted my
engagement for the next day. when that very
night, perhaps, ms pr1Yidenual opportunity
had arrived.
l need no, trouble M readers with al our
sayings and do;ugS during tea suffice it to
say. that | found them very pleasant, friend
" family, and was surprised 10 find iorgo;
all my ShyneSS aud timiditv, encouraged BIZ /,
their good tempered ease and conversation
They did rot inquire whether | was married .
or single, for where there were five minated /
Daughters. the question might seem iuYidiuus .
volunteered the information OF nv bachelor /
hood thought had no sooner communi- :
ted the fact ;han the girls passed round a .
glance of arch intelligene from one to the |
other cannot tell YOU how odd felt at the .
ui0ment. My sensation was between pleasure (
and confusion. as a suspicion crossed nv mind (
aud helped, | felt, TO color my cheek Pre-
sently however the eldest, with an air OF n- 4
Il II:
was staying
q" At the - hotel" answered with some {
embarrassment.
II was with dllculty they restrained laugh; (
they bit their lips, and had no longer any .
suSpciou--I was certain. So, after having
some music, when rose to depart mustered .
courage, as bid them good bye, to say aside .
to the eldest
"Shnn ? r consider this NJ interview ?" I
4 blush of conscious guilt, | should rather .
SAY nndcence, told me had sent my random .
arrow to the right quarter so pressed the .
matter 40 further At that moment, bu! did .
her hand
remained in at nv hotel next day, until .
an hour after the appointed time hut no one
made their appearance. Then" thought |, /
brushing my hair and adjusting nv cra7at,
since the mountain will not come 10 Mlhom- .
ct, Mabomet must 20 to the mountain :" SO I
walked across TO nv old friends The young
ladies we're all in. The eldest was engaged in .
some embroidery at the window. | had there
fore an opportunity, as leaat over the frame,
TO whisper:
5 ) is not punctual.n
The crmSoa in her face and neck was now .
So deep, tina, skeptic himself would no long
er doubt | ueed SIR no more that eeeHing