Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-07
SLAM VI K VILE.
[COHTINUED.I

Mrs. Brown reclined in a huge Boston rock
ing-chair, with handkerchief in her hand,
and tesrs in her eyes. Biddy was perched
upon her trunk, in the centre of the room, ug-
ly - ever, but with glow Of triumph in her
one green eye, and the nine young ladies were
grouped, like 80 many Niobes, in various Dos
lures Of despair. They were so much occupied
that they did not notice my entrance, but con-
tinued their discussion in ignorance of my
presence.
Bridget" said Mrs. Brown, "stay one
month longer, and I'll double your wages"
Stay, indade A purity goose I'd be to do
that same, an me own Elegant farm waitin'
far me-" CIRCULATED Bridget. "I'll have a
husband of me own to morrow, and 1 wonder
ye expect poor girl to be an old maid TO suit
Blu: hall wait, Budget" pleaded Miss
Miranda ~ m sure he'll wait"
Faith, I'm lot sure" answered Bidly.
ANY wsy a bird in the hand is worth two in
tue BUSH I'll be married whilst I've the
chance
And what will we do?" sobbed Mrs
Brown.
"Ye can work Meanwhile" replied Bridget
coIdly. I'm ask no wages for the few days
I've been wild We, for l made me match be
them, and IA not name"
You wretched girI,' began Mrs. Brown,
but in the midst of her sentence she espied me,
and broke off with the words, Z" there's
Olivia '"
Immediately the NiObes became animated,
and Biddy, for a moment forgotten. Once
gathered about the tea-table, however, her
conduct became the general topic of converse
ton. One-eyed, red hatred, pitted, and high
shouldered as she was, she had found a suitor
Oh the third day Of her residence at Slammer-
ville-a well-tO-dO, elderly farmer, who knew
by long experience, that the only way to keep
hOusekseper was to marry her.
'YOu ses," said Mrs. Brown, ''there are no
I,l. ka-o ay,lo - H.
under fifty, Is sure to make match"
And following this remark, came 80 many
gixgl6s and blusnss, thst 1 yentured to say
some Of these girls are engaged"
.sAll of them" said Mrs. Brown, in a SOL
emn voice from the foot of the table. "All of
them The nine are to be married tomorrow"
.'Io-morrox. Tnsy've only been here six
veeks!' L CALCULATED
mo one is engaged moro than a month
here" said Mrs. Brown. "They cannot keep
a school mistress without signing papers to
stay fortnight. There is great want of
I thought of Suas silkskin and was no
longer astOnished.
The nine Misses Brown were going to be
married; and on the following evening a ban
guet was prepared, a minister announced, and
the nine br;de-grooms in awfully new attire,
arrived TO claim their lady-loves.
Each Miss Brown wept and blushed in turn,
and 1 as bridesmaid did my duty. Supper
followed, and after that dance, of which /
will only say thatif you never saw western
bail, you cannot imagine to what pit3h the
art Of dancing can be carried
NV partner wGs q stAlwart youth Of six feet
three inches, sun-burnt and blsck-eyed, and
wearing mis- gala suit with a jaunty abandon
which was rather taking. BE kept excellent
time and made considerable noise with his
feet. When the set vas over, we set down in
q quiet corner TO rest, and as / was tanning
IF 5f1v N 10 Ind
(f0r that was his name) had taken the Oppor-
tunity Of encireling the back Of my chair
with his arm. showed my chair little, but
he only edged the nearer.
''Da you know you are the prettiest gal
that's been in these parts for ten years." he
asked. "Ef you don't know it, you are. Now
In considerable sweet on you and / wsnt you
10 hev me. 'TwOuld be good notion to step
up and ask the parson to fl US like the other
nine Wouldn't it Ef you will, will"
The whole affair was So ludicrous that for
the life OF me 1 could not help laughing.
''Ha, Ia, hl!" rOared my sUitor '''Twou!d
make EN- laugh, wouldn't it! Came it's
funny notion, lets DO il " And he pulled my
arm so vigorously thS. [ was obliged TO seize
the back of the settee TO regain my seat.
Il don't mean to marry, Mr.. Siakem," 1
demonstrated. II am going next week. We
don mzrry in such haste in my part Of the
world. Please drop the subject"
Look a here, you don't know who | an, y
demonstrated my suitOr. "I'm a real half
boss, hsIf-slIigat0r feller. / IN death on whis-
key, 1 sm, and can lick any ten men from
anywhere; I've shot down half dozen in my
day, and the way kin handle a bowie knife
is a caution. NJ kinI Of vsrmint kin escape
NE, and I'm q catch for any gal, tell you"
l shook my head and kept my hand upon
the settee.
If you won't hey me now, when will you,
ssy!" persisted the 'illegible match "Cone
speak out, I'm Obligin', and will wait as long
a. you like"
I shook my head again.
You'd better not take a shine to any other
feller while IN round, +" pursued my suitor.
IN put half an inch Of cold steel into him if
you do. Why I Wouidn stand it, wouldn't.
can lick any twenty, I can"
| could not stand it any longer, but freeing
myself from the detaining grasp which my -
ike s1itor kept upon my wrist, escaped from
tae apartment, TOwing to avoid all single gen.
tlemen during the remainder of my stay at
Slsmmeryille.
laid myself in the shadows of my bedroom
until the guests had begun to depart, and such
as were accommodated with beds had begun
10 snore, and then sought old Mrs. Brown and
cOnfded my troubles to her ear.
Most girls like it," was all the consolation
received. after a while you will get used
70 il, and make nice match"
Tne next day and the next passed quickly
IN the hustle OF the brides departure for their
new homes, snd on the third Mrs. Brown and
myself sat alone in the parlOr, when q boy en-
tered bearing package Of notes "Mrs. Jones
Is dead, ;" he said presenting one to my hostess,
"snd this here is an invitation to her funeral u
Aud vanished as quickly IS he came.
Poor Mrs Jones 50 she is gone, % said Mrs
Brown. WELL we'll, poor Jones is in trouble
now. We must go 70 the funeral, Olivia"
There will be NO gentleman bold enough to
make proposition on such an occasion,
thought 70 myself, and sadly pondering on the
early death of this young western matron, the
wife Of one short year, prepared myself for
the sad visit.
The house, when We arrived there, was
crammed, and the husband in decorous garb
gt woe, was doing hsnOTs in a manner which
rather surprised me. There was 10 account
ing fer western customs, however, and tried
70 believe him inconsolable. The long funeral
wound along the road, the chief-mOurner in
his proper place, and women sobbed, and men
looked down and sighed A prayer was utter
ei, the earth thrown in, and all was over.