Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1863-10-14
A Bachelors Reverie.

Fifty to-day Fifty-little chance now of
nv havinga wife and house full Of little
responsibilities" as Fanny Wright calls
them. Hcigho! I'm getting to bc-no, not
"mddle-agcd gentleman" for I've been
that, any time the last ten years; no, I'm
gentleman declining in wears, and may advcr-
tiSc for a houSckccper without giving han
die to scandal TO make free with my charac-
ter. Twenty-Five years ago, and | should
have atrontcd the man who forCtold that l
should be sitting this day i'll an armchair,
newspaper in hand breakfast before me, one
foot on cushion, and only one cup and two
eggs on the table. Newspapers are stupid
things I'd much rather chat over my mOrn-
ing meal.
Why the deuce am I not married? No
body makes tea fit to drink now; and the
toast never comes up to me hot. What cap
ital tea Lucy Smith used to make! Poor
Lucy, IwOnder what made me think of her
People said Lucy and would certainly make
Il match and so we should, l suspect, if it
hadn't been for that cursed cousin of hers.
I'm sure she would have married me if had
asked her; but kept putting it Oft, and put
ting it off day after day, and hc-cut me out,
and be hangedto him. was young gen.
tleman, then, and thought l could marry
whenever liked. They went away to the
west and got rich; he's member Of Con-
greSS, and she has grown fat, and rides about
in her carriage, with two or three grown up
daughters-pretty girls, too, as am told, but
they'll never be like their mother. I've rib
, bon of hers, that she used to wear around
her slender waist, and bribed her little bro
thcr to steal it for me, with the loan of my
fowling-picce; and sometimes, when it rains,
and feel sentimental, take it out of my
writing-desk and look at it awhile and think
I'll throw it into the fre-but | don't,
though; and there it is yet in the secret
drawer, with my mothers picture, and the
last lock of my own hair. They make capi-
tax wigs, now, by the way; nobody seems to
suspect that my crls are not the natural
crop. Lucy used to say that my hair was
beautiful, and Pm almost certain she cut OFT
a lock once, when l was asleep on the sofa.
wonder whether she has lost any of her
splendid teeth; mine have stood it out pretty
well, but they're going. Parmly said hers
would last long time, and he ought to know.
must go to him and get him to make me
couple of new ones.
What shall do with myself to-day? I've
given up business, and made money enough
to last me my time. I've no one to leave it
to when Pm gone. Where's the use of going
on adding dollar to dollar, and acre to acre,
unless one has children to set up! Nine
marriages in the paper to-day! Nine hus
bands and nine wives created since yesterday
morning. dare say they'll all have young
sprOuts-Say four apiece on an average :
that's thirty-SiX little mouths to be stuffed
with bread and butter, and scventy-two little
feet to buy shoes for, and two hundred and
lightweight little fingers to wash and keep
clean No fool of a job that for the nine
papas and mamas! I was always remark
ably fond of children.
There is a newly-married couple moved
into the house over the way, on purpose to
plague me, do believe; they seem to be
very fond of each other, and dreadfully happy.
There's gig comes to the door every after
noon, and he hands his wife into it so care
fully, and she smiles at him so brightly as
they drove off, that Pm almost tempted to
wish they might break their necks before
they come back. That's q nice looking girl
that has come to stay with them during the
honeymoon; she's the brides sister, or some
thing, dare say; the prettiest foot and the
most roguish eyes I've ever Seen-eXcept
Lucy Smiths. wonder if she's engaged to
be married; don't see any very suspicious
young men come to the door, and. But
what the deuce is it to me whether she is or
not? I'm an old bachelor, and must go
down to the grave without leaving any one
to cry for me. 1 should like, though, to sec
the girl nearer; it's easy enoughto get intro
duced into the house, and though Pm too old
to marry, there's no reason that | know of,
why an old fellow like me shouldn't do the
polite thing to a new conner into the neigh
borhood. I've Il new coat coming home, that,
nv artist says, will make me look fifteen
years younger-rather impertinent, by the
way. And I'm not so amazingly old, after
all. When l sat down to breakfast, l felt
rather blush, and thought myself quite a
Methusaleh. Poh, no such thing; | can walk
as briskly as ever-almoSt-I can ride, sing,
dan, no., I'd better leave out the dancing,
but what of that? Pm good-looking, mid
dle-aged man, tired of living alone, and, hang
me, but III make one more try for the ring,
if die for it. There's pretty girl over the
way, and I'll send over basket of grapes
with my compliments.