The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-03-06

ing to cost | had been so confident
of success, that | had made proposals
of marriage to a young lady and she
had excepted [ began to wish | had
not been in such hurry, for besides
having counted on the salary for a
living, the modification would be
. doubled
I had nearly abandoned the whole
project-not of matrimony, but OF
Office seeking-when the Legislature
conven q, and some other applicants
put off to Harrisburg. | had made
up my mind to give the thing no fur
ther thought, but catching the old dis
casa relapse l suppose it was-I,
too, hurried up to the capital as if life
depended on it. I was almost total
stranger there, knowing nobody but
other Office seekers, and they had their
own affairs to attend to, not mine. /
saw them getting the members to sign
their petitions, and forthwith got
new petition and set to work, but with
out much success. Everybody said
that the place was already given to
some Col. Butler, but my old faith in
the Governor sustained me, and [
would not believe it. In few days
spent there, Learned some new things.
One was that every man thought he
had good chance, and that it was
between himself and one other man
all Others being nowhere. Another
new piece of knowledge was that every
man tried to make the impression On
the others that the thing was settled,
and they might as well all go home.
That was done to discourage compe-
tition, and paralyze their efforts. 1t
fooled me all the time, but | guess it
made no difference in the result, ex-
cept that it helped to let down my ex-
pectations so low that the final tumble
did not hurt me much.
When the new Governor arrived
there was perfect rush to get at him.
I stood back for I saw by the length
of their faces that they had not got
much encouragement. Growing des-
perate to know my fate, [ asked gen
tleman who had twice excepted my
invitation to oysters and ale, to try to
learn fer me. He did, and / started
home.
My matrimonial engagement, which
had troubled me of late, began now
to present itself in a new light |
heard of women bearing their hus-
bands misfortunes with great forti-
tude, loving them better than ever be-
fore, and making cloudy life bright
again. I found great comfort in the
idea. Bnt for my engagement l
would have BEEN miserable indeed
1t was no longer a source of trouble
to me, but a consolation With a
wife to comfort me, to sympathlze
with me, to encourage me, to divert
my thoughts from the modification of
defeat, could still be happy. deter
mined to make a big wedding and
then settle quietly down, and never go
into politics again.
At one time, when troubled about
the COMPOUNDED Office, I had actually
been mean enough to entertain the
thought of breaking the engagement
ard going West in the Spring How
thankful now that / had resisted the
temptation to do so despicable thing
I was evel glad / had not got the
Office, for saw in matrimony and a
quiet home more pleasure than | could
have had while engaged in the duties
of the Office. Thus / unused as the
cars bore me rapidly toward home and
happiness
The remainder of my experience
may be imagined when say | am go
ing West in few days ] heard yes
terday that Araminta is engaged to a
fat headed fellow, who don't know Sc
cession from a sack of salt j am done
with politics and women too. ]
wouldn't have an Office if you would
give it to me for nothing. nor a wife
neither. If you ever get ont West,
Inquire for me.
A wag happening to go into the
shop of tailor just as the latter was
in the act Of patching an old garment
with new cloth, thus addressed tht
knight of the bodkin :
"You are no man, l can prove il
by the highest authority"
How SO ?" replied the unsuspect-
ing tailor, as he piled his needle will
double activity II should like to
hear the evidence Of your assertion
You shall be accommodated, says
the wag, at the same time asking i