Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-06-01

So N1esmcrisn ana NIatrimony; :
OF. scriacE VERSUS WIDOW.
Maftin Speed was bachelor. He
had backed and filed, and hesitatsd and
doubted about entering upon the "bliss-
full estate" Of matrimony; until the FIRE
Of youthful passion was spent, and
matrimony had become . problem to
him Is dry and formal as one in old
Walsh's arithmetic, to1lbe ciphered out
for an answer as much as that prop
o6ition about carrying the fox, goose,
and bag Of corn across the creek, that
everybody "problemly = remembers. =
Bsing aphrenologist, he left the prov
ince Of hearts altogether, and went to
examining heads, to ascertain by crsnio.
logical Developments woman's fitness
for the position Of q wife to Mr.. Speed,
Esq, as letters came addressed to him
at the Speedwell post Office. The town
of Speedwsl was named for an ances-
ter of his, and boosted of several thou
sands of inhabitants; and as it was
factory place, it had q goodly share of
good looking manageable girls.
Martin studied Combe, and Spurz-
helm, and Gall, and grew bitter as
disappointment saw him enter his forty
first year . bachelor. He looked back
on the past, and saw the chances he
had neglected, and the happiness Of
those who had started with him, and
were now portly people, the heads and
fronts Of families /; and the delicate
damsels he had sighted, respected
mothers in Israel, and exemplary and
amiable wives. He sought every OPP
portunity for examining the heads Of
such as woald submit themselves to his
hand with hope of catching the bache-
lor 4; for they knew his weakness, and
he was well to do, and an eligible
match. But in vain he looked for per-
lection. The bumps would not be ar
ranged as he wished them. If he took
liking to . pretty face, phrenology
impertinently gave the lie straight, and
he at once avoided it.
It was at this juncture that biolog-
ical Lecturers grave professor in that
science-came to Speedwell and gave .
series of exhibitions. These Martin
attended, and biology at once became
as ''intensity" with him-a s'new emo
ton" He attended all the exhibitions;
saw men personate roosters and crow,
hens and scratch /; SILVER with cold or
burn with heat, at the will Of the oper-
ator; saw q miser endeavor to clutch
an eagle held out to him while under
the influence Of the wonderful spell,
and the tongue of a woman stilled who
for twenty years had been the pest Of
Speedwell by her loquacity.
This put the mind of Martin on a
new track. He sold his old phrenolog-
ical works and devoted himself to the
study of tho wonderful science through
which such marvels were performed
The professor was q fine teacher, and
Martin placed himself under his tuition.
He succeeded admirably. In q short
time he surpassed his instructor, and
had more than his powers in influence
ing the susceptible among his weak
brethren and sisters.
He formed resolution to himself
that through this means he would gain
q wife. Could he find one his science
could control-one that at . glance he
could transfx, like the man that was
stopped by the mesmerizer half way
down, as he-was falling from the roof
Of a house-he would marry her fol
the reason, dear reader, that Martin
had not married wac, that he had heard
of wives wearing the -- authority
over their lords, and he was a timic
man. In this new science he saw Sc.
curity, and sedulously sought for one
of the right description. At every par
ty where he was invited, at every sew
ing circle, at every knot of factory girls
in which he mingled in the summer
evenings, he tried his art, but without
success. At last when on the point Of
despairing, accident gave what he had
failed of obtaining by earnest seeking.
A widow = dangerous to bachelolie
peace, as edged tools aret to the careless
hands Of the inexperienced - came to
the village on visit. The weeds had
not been removed that marked her be-
reavament, and the merest touch of
melancholy rested on her brow but
her eye was laughing, and a sweet curl
strayed away aud lay like chiseled
eddy upon the marble of her cheek
She had a jewel on her hand, and the
black dress she wore was cut judicious-
ly, the milliner that cut it had been a
widow herself, and knew how to man
age. such matters-showing beautiful
white shoulder, and revealing bust OF
rare loneliness. Fs
Martin met the widow at the residence
Of friend and liked her. He had
never seen so prepossessing woman,
and that was rather q drawback. On
visit led to another, the liking still in
creasing, until he preached the subject
Of biology, with a wish frequently fell
that this might be the4woman he sought
She was fully acquainted with it,
and, in answer to his question if she was
susceptible to its influence, she replied
that she didn't know, but was willing
to have the fact tested. What q posi-
ton for Martin! Seated by her side