Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-05-30
BACHELORS LOVE-MAKING.

BACHELORS LOVE-MAKING.
You would have known it for bachelors
den, the minute you put your head in the door
Blue, spicy wreaths Of cigar smoke circling
up to the eceiling-newspaperS under the table
CASTLE soap in the tiny bronze card receiver
slippers on the mantle piece, and confusion
everywhere. And yet Mr.. Thornebroke-poor
deluded mortal-solemply believed that his
room was in the most perfect order For
hadn't he poked the empty champagne bottles
under the bed, and sent the wood box to bear
them company, and hung his morning gown
over the damp towels, and busted the ash
sprinkled hearth with his best silk handker-
chief! He'd like to see a room in better trim
than that-guessed he would And now he
was mcnding himself up, preparatory to 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 hole in the northeast toe of
his stocking, and there inst button on his
shirt, it's time TO repair damages.
Now, as Mr.. Thornebroke' whole stock of
industrial implements consisted of 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 delay; he had to cut all
these useful little appendages from another
shirt and sew them on,and next week when the
shirt was wanted, why il was easy enough to
L
bachelor of genius it never occurred to him to
6uy few buttons extra
ssButtons are not much trouble,'' said Mr..
Thornebroke TO himself, aS he wiped the per-
spiration from his Erow, ssbut when it comes to
coat sleeves, what the duce is fellow to do
/ havnt any. black thread either,' and he look.
ed dolorously at small tear just in his elbow,
where some vicious nail had caught in the
broadcloth. ga black pin may do for to- night,
and tomorrow I'll send it to the tailor. The
fac. is | ought to be married and so / would,
If only dared to ask Lillian. Oh dear, L
know she wouldn't have me-and yet I'm not
so certain either-if / could only muster the
courage boldly to put the question But just
rs sure as approach the dangerous ground,
my heart fails me! And then that puppy,
Jones, with his curled mustache, and hair
parted in the middle-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 some
new way of popping the question-something
that wasn't quite so embarrassing .''
Our hero gave his black glossy curls an ex-
ira brush, surveyed himself critically in the
glass, and then with a deep sigh, set forth to
call on the identical Lillian Raymond, revol-
wing, as he had thousand times before, that
if-perhaps-may be-
Oh the bashfulness of bachelors.
w nen I0OrneDr0ko arrived within the
charmed precincts of Mr.. Raymond's hand
some parlors, velvet carpeted, chandeliered
with gold and ormolu, crowded to the very
doors, with those charming knck-nacks that
only awoman'S taste provides, Miss Lily was
eat home" in bewildering pink merno dress,
edged with white lace around the pearly shoul-
ders and crimson moss twisted IN among the
ripping waves of her soft brown hair. She
never looked half so pretty and thank Prov
alpct hanI for in h
life. But what was almost as bad ,Lily's cousin
was there--a tall slender, ,black-eyed girl, with
arch lips, and cheeks as red as SpintZb berg
apple. how Thornebroke wished that Miss
Esther Allen was at the bottom of the Red
Sea, or anywhere except in that particular
parlor. And then her eyes were so sharp-he
hadn't been doing the ssagreeable'' more than
four minutes and a half before she exclaimed:
"Dear me, Mr.. Thornebroke-pray excuse
me-but what on earth is the matter with your
elbow 10
Mark turned scarlet-the .raitorous 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 Raymond's chandeliers
both, put together, ssyou know we bachelors
are not expected to be exempt from such
things"
'sHold your arm, sir, and I'll make it all
right IN one mcment," said Esther. instantly
producing from some secret recess in the
ioids OF her dress, thimble and needle,
threaded with black silk, and setting expertly
to work.
"Ihere now, consider yourself whole"
"how sSiilini you are," said Mark, admi-
ringly, after he had thanked her most sincere
ly, ''But then you have so many nice little
concerns to work with. 1 have only needle
and some wax, besides my scissors
"You ought to have housewife, Mr..
Thornebroke," said Miss Lily, timidly lifting
up her long lashes in his direction. Lily new
er could look at Thornebroke without soft.
little rosy shadow on her cheek.
"Awhat demanded Mark turning very red.
IA housewife
"fes, said Mark, after moments awkward
hesitation, "my-my-friends have told me
90 very often-and really think so myself,
you know. But what sort of one would you
recommend, Miss Raymond 7''