Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-03-15
VOL. XIII.
written 70 the Household Joarnai-I
DoN'T BE TOO SURE.
OF Hunting for q Bride.
By A Confidential clerk .

.
self that have attended to the dull routine o
business under all circumstances My pos
is my desk. and winning post ] have Away
eDdeavoned to make it.
/ was, as times go, happy man. haC
seven hundred and fifty dollars per annum
and the implicit confidence of my employers
As was cashier, all the other clerks were, oI
course, deferentially subservient, and my dis
position to be obliging and civil, gained mt
the general good viii Of all with whom l did
business. But spite of this, and though dub
bed "a good fellow" by my acquaintance,
| felt there was still something wanting to com
pleie the measure Of my felicity. The fact is,
began to think it high time that I had a
Mrs. Y. In short, I determined to commit
| matrimony, and eschewing all stale bachelors
comforts, boldly to dash into the beatitudes
which belong TO the life Of Benedict.
Nor was long, after had come to this
conclusion, in making my selection. A dainty
| little damsel, neatly dressed, once by chance
honored me by accepting half the shelter Of
my umbrella, one evening as was returning
| from Stroll to Hoboken. asceriained her
address and found that she was dressmaker
of some talent, and had a good business. ]
was fortunate in protecting her, as she had a
hinsy ball dress under her arm, which would
have been spoiled by the sudden torrent but
for my timely aid. What great effects from
little causes spring!" This act of attention
won her heart, and when l told my love,
after a proper delay. she blushed and accepted
me. The course of our true loyc at least, did
raA smooth, and in The coming month Of May
the happy day fpr our union for life was fixed.
Hitherto had been in the habit of spend
ing my Saturday evenings with my elub-mates,
who rcjoiced in the name of the Harmonious
Owls" but on neditating matrimony deter
mined, Of course, TO cut the acquaintance Of
my cOnvivial companions. But on the last
Saturday night, the one Immediately proceed
ing my marriage, my spirits rose to such an
extent that displayed an opulencc and gen
crosby not exactly reconcilea6l9 with my pre-
viouI prudent habits I treated TO cigars, and
even went so far us champagne, laughed at
everything within fifty degrees Of IL joke, and
with still stronger and more commendablc
species Of pleasantly broke out with u hearty
guffaw when the rest of my associates were
merely mctlitatine merrimcut.
As wendrd my way home ] could not re-
frain from rubbing my hands, rejoicing with
in myself, and as the moon shone brightly
could not avoid passing and contemplating the
spire Of Trinity Church, beneath which soon
my happincss or misfortune would be scaled.
Plucing my back against the park railings l
involuntariiy exclaimed, oh, next Monday,
next Monday then will my fate be decided /;
and by The blessing of heaven it Shall be the
brightest day of my life"
am not n supersitious man. by any means,
but | lad hardly uttered this. exclamation
when voice struck upep, my. car. and the
words, slowly and claary enumerated, Don't
count ycu'Fe chickens before they're hnfebed" !"
rang through my brain. | started. looked
round, but raw no'hing, save the shadow, a.
| imagined, Of a crouching body stealing along
under the Gins For time | was in great
frepitlation, but after waiting minute or two
I walked slowly homc, forgctful of all. my
mind being solely filled by the blissinl antici'
patton of Monday, when in pride Of heart
should lcad Mary Gilliaower to the alter, re-
turning from it with Mrs. Yawkins.
The Monday came-bright and glowing sun
shine usherCd in the day. ana gave goodly
promise of u goodly continuance, when Caleb
Yawkins, having obtained three days leave Of
absence from my employers, On the plea of
visiting q sick relation at o distance. gaily and
jauntiiy attircd, started from my abode to es-
cOrt my intended to church due time being
allowed OF COURSE to admit Of the arrival of
Miss 1ilda Twitchcll, Mary's particular friend
and bridesmaid. must here state that had
determined on keeping my marriage profound
secret hence my subterfuge of the sick rcla
tion to my employers / calculated on q
pleasant four and twenty hours on the banks
of the Hudson, and a rapid return TO New
York by railway. Nobody would be q bit
the wiser In order to forward proceedings
engaged cab to take a carpet bag. portman-
Ieau and bandbox, containing mine and my
spouses temporary wardrobe during our ex-
cursion aud which was to convey them TO the
railway depot. Everything, in fact, was done
with the tact of gcncral-ofdivision and
everything went of satisfactorily.
The ceremony was performed was in
rapture Mrs. Yawkins seemed delighted
The weather was lovely in the extreme. T'ilda
| TwitcheII kissed, with tears in her eyes, Mary
Yawkius, late Gillihower-a salutation which
was returned with equal pathos. Indeed l
was quite elated, and, after handing my spouse
into hack, could not refrain from exclaiming,
in the JOY of my heart:
"Wel, dearest Mary, this promises, indeed,
to be the brightest day of my existence !"
had scarcely said the words when the
same voice fancied had heard by the park
railings, again rung in my ears-"Donf count
you're chickens before they're hatcted :" The
hackman whipped on for the depot. Mary
fondled and looked charming, and after mo-
ment's flush a. the repetition of the warning, |
thought nothing more of it.
In due time We reached the depot, paid our
fare, and had our baggage marked. We were
but Just in time. The locomotive was Kissing
away with q twenty thousand snake power
Mrs. Yawkins had, already entered q car. and
1 was just on the point of following her, when,
in voice indicative of the deepest dismay, she
discovered she had either left her little satchel
| in the hack, or at the church, or had dropped
it.
"Oh, Caleb, love, It's gone :"
"What, dear?'
"My satchel."
Pooh! never mind only handkerchief
smelling bottle, gloves, eh?"
"More, Caleb my gold watch and small
trinket-box. I would not lose then for the
world Run Caleb, run Oh, dear Offer q
reward What shall do?"
/ was petrifed; but prudence whispered
show can you stand the loss ?" So without
hesitation, i rushed to the entrance in hope oi
finding the hack. At that moment the omin-
ous bell sounded. and running back to the
platform, beheId the long train gliding from
the depot. My feelings were beyond the power
of pen to describe. They may be conceived
but cannot be told.
stood stupifed, but was aroused by rail
way officer, who asked me why l stood stand
: ing there? s