Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-10-11


brought in, laden with cold chicken. ham
veal Iatties, and other slvory yiauds, to
gether with a decantcr Of sherry and som
bottled ale
Mrs. Cunley began 10 feel herself quite q
home. She drew her chair 10 the table an,
took of her gloves, thereby displaying a pal
Of delicatcly white and well shaped hands
She was certainly a very pretty woman, Wit
sparkling black eyes, white teeth and goo
complexion. Her age might be 81 or there
abouts it is unnecessary 10 be particular OF
that polnt-3j would be ucar en0agh 10 Oh
mark, even for a census paper.
i te,c-a-tete luncheon is often lgasIu
thing.
"It's a rum coup stairs, said James &.
the two dlmscls OF the lower regions. "
sn0uidn' IT wonder II masters caught at last
and that's what she's up to. it my OPTION
for | heard her tel him she q a widder.
Wei, never 30 exclaimed the house
maid. 80 Ii would be droll 10 get a husband
in that way, wouldn't it James,
" Why it would, rayther, my dear bot
there's various ways Of getting husband
you know"
And he favored her with a slgacious
wink, which caused her to blush like pcony
and turn away laughing.
The cook, however, who acted as house
keeper, was not inclined to make SO light OF
the matter as these youngcr ana more
thoughtloss denizers Of the household.
d" For my part, she said, u don't &c
any thing to laugh at, and l wonder that
/ man at Mr.. Hazlett's years should let him
| self be taken n in such n barcfacei manner
but it VAS a true saying, sure enough, thu
/ there's uo fool like an old fool q 50
Having thus expressed her s9ntilnon : wifi
regard to her master, she continued t. mani
fest her dislpproval Of the proceedings in The
dlniDs-room, by sundry vituperative remarks
on widows IN eenerl, as particular and
/ distinct species of the human race
d" We'll, bat, cook, 1t all happened acci-
dentalIy,' said James, whatever comes of
it
ooh. don't tell me accidental indeed III
be bound she knew very wellwho lived here
and did it on purpose to get her foot in, or
else why couldn't she as well have knocked
at any other door, | should like to know.
But it's Just like them widders there aint
one OF them but is Just rs artful as-I won't
say what.
In the mean while the tete a-tete above
was progressing chalmingly. Mr. Hlzlett
had not enjoyed his midday rejection 50
much for considerable time, and this was
most extraordinary anomaly, for be would
have shrunk almost with horror, or at least
with a nervous fear, from the bare thought
of deliberately inviting lady to a lunch with
him alone, yet now that the fates had
brought this visitation SO Unexpectedly upon
him, he did not feel it near 50 embarrassing
as fancy would have depicted, had he known
beforehand that such an event was actually
about 10 take place. Yet he was not an
unsOCial man ty nature, neither did he en-
tertain any of those heretical notions respect
ing the arts and wiles of the fair sex thatare
SO often cultivated in the minds of aged
bachelors, like poisoned weeds, choking up
and destroying the liberal and kindly senti
ments that might lead them to adopt a hap-
pier state of being.
The two individuals brought 50 strangely
together seemed to enjoy the joke amazingly
Ii was 90 laughable, and the amusement It
created made them feel as if tn y had been
acquainted with each other for ten years
instead Of ten minutes. The conversation
ran into various channels, and at length
touched on the subject of matrimODy.
"Yes, single lie is all very well, SAID
Mr.. Hazlctt, "while man Is on the right
side Of forty; but alter that, when he takes
to his own frcside, he finds that he wants a
companion begin to feel that way, | as
sure you.
Then why not make Il change said
the lady, with a smile that was quite iasein-
ating.
"Wcll, don't know. 1t wants some
courage to rouse ones self out of old habits.
Now, what age should you take me to be-
This was a delicate question. Tho lady
did not like 10 answer 1t according tD lgr
honest belief, therefore sho deducted about
ten years from what she imagined to be tie
real sum total, and replied, ''Forty-fye.
The gentleman smiled pleasantly, he felt
gratiliod, and drawing himself mp with an
air Of dissatisfaction, said, (in tone that
implied ''you would scarcely believe i-'N
81 am hfty-six."
OF course she expressed all the surprise
that could be expected, and although she
was bv no means a designing person, iJ
would perhaps, be going little too far t.
say that not thought entered her mind
preiudicial to the future liberty OF tie obi
bachelor.
However, all things must come 10 an end,
as WIS excmpifad in the case OF lunch and
fog. The time devoted to the former mad
indeed been prolonged to an unusual length
and the sun was again visible IN the shape
of crimson ball, so Mrs. Cumiey rose 10
depart, and as she was putting on her gloves,
repeated her grateful acknowledge OF
the polite attention she had met with IN her
difficulty.
"Will You allow my servant to get you
cab 2"
ooh no, thank you the. distance Is 50
short, | can walk homo very well. Good
morning, sir; assure you | shall never for
get your extreme kindness Goodbye.
There was something in the sound Of the
"Good bye that fell unpleasant by on the ear
of Mr.. Hazlett, He was unwilling to bid final
adieu to so charming person, and with
reckless disregard of probable consequences
he said boldly then and there,
"Will you permit me to have the honor
of calling to inquire how you got home
To which she replied,
ooh, you are very good 4 dubious
answer. that may be interpreted without any
great stretch of imagination, Yes, you
may come.
As soon as she was gone, Mr.. Hazlett sat
down to finish reading the newspaper. but
he did not find it nearly SO enliyening as the
widows cheerful talk in fact he never felt
SO lonely as he did during the remainder of
that eventful day.
The question put by his lively, entertain
ing guest Then why not make changer"
recurred more than once to his mind and
each time the mental response was She is
quite right thoro is no reason Oh earth why
not
1t was about three months alter the ad-
venture We have just related, when a hand
some carriage aud pair, laden outside with
travelling trunks, portmanteaus, and other
emblems Of travellers returning from a Jour
ney, drove 10 door in Torrington Square,
4 smirking iootmau instantly came out
and let down tho steps Of the vehicle. from
which alighted good looking middlo-aged
| gentleman. who. with smile aud q nod,