Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-02-18
MlisffIIaaeons
MY BACHELOR UNCLE's STORY.

70 Harry, my boy, you are not goin
u out in that atrocious piece of felt
clapped my hand rather nervous
" ly to my hat.
10 why not, Uncle Simon2 isn't
q respectable enoughr
!. :. Harry, you're my favorite nephew
3 Sit down, and you shall hear how
e lost my wife-that should have been
e through bad hat"
I passively obeyed.
Weston Thorn, and / were room
mates in our young days. and as per
verse fate would have it, we both fel
desperately in love with the sam,
girl-Fanny Trevor. Talk of you
modern beauties-Inever saw pret
tier creature than Fanny was; cheek:
like a blossom. sir and eyes that fair.
ly made you wild with their coquetish
sparkle. She wore her auburn hair
in bright braids within a net, and I've
liked nets ever since
Simon said Weston Thorn, one
night, I'm in love-
so am /, Thorn I answered.
.And I'm in love with Fanny Tre-
voir.'
Are your said 1. And so am l.
Weston and I looked at each other
steadily for about five minutes.
Simon said he, will you give her
up?'
MOI
Nor will !. So here's to the health
of him who wins the brightest jewel
that ever shone on human breastr
He tossed off glass of champagne
as he spoke. pledged him; and
though forty years and more have
passed, yet 1 taste the sparkle of
that bright wine whenever remem-
Der the hour.
Well, our twin suits progressed
with varying success for weeks
Sometimes Fanny made Thorn des-
perate by waltzing with me-some-
times she woke the spirit of Cain the
murderer in my heart, by wearing
Weston Thorn's white roses in her
belt. At length one day, we went
arm in arm to ask Mr.. Trevor's per-
mission formally to address his
daughter. Papa Trevor was a jolly
old soul, and laughed quite heartily
at our amicable rivalry.
Go in boys and winr he exclaimed
Fanny may take her choice. Which
ever it is, she'll be pretty snre of a
good husband
Weston said 1, on our way home,
l shall invite Fanny to that picnic up
the river tomorrow. No place more
favorable to the declaration of love
than outrageous shadows and green
river shoresp
Just my opinion said Thorn, 4
shall also write note of invitation.
took special pains to keep sharp
lookout on the next morning. Hur-
ry as 1 would, however, Thorne
walked out of the house, kid gloved
and Panama hated, just two minutes
and half before l could succeed in
tying my confounded cravat to suit
myself. l gave my hair one parting
rake with the unyielding bristles of
the brush, dived into the wardrobe
for my hat, and started up the street
1 could always walk faster than
Thorn, so 1 felt little apprehension
on the score of not overtaking him.
I had dim idea that the young
ladies in the hotel corridor looked
rather comically at me as 1 sprang
down stairs, and commented as
passed, but was in too great hur-
nv to pause for reflection, until a full
length mirror, standing by way of
advertisement at the door of look
ing glass and picture frame store,
suddenly showed me to myself-a
young gentleman got up in the ex-
treme of fashion all but the head,
which might have belonged to Bow
cry loafer.
Good fates! what villalnous hat
it would have made rowdy of Lord
Palmerston himself-rusty, battered,
seedyi l thought l had committed
that hat to the flames weeks ago!-
Weston Thorn must have tished it
out from its obscurity, and put it in
provoking convenience to my hand.
All my own fault-of course it was;
why hadn't 1 the common sense to
know what / was putting on my own
head?
| l felt hurriedly in my pockets
There was only change enough to
meet the exigencies of the day
There Was no help for it SO back /
must trot-
The sun had mounted high enough
to make the homeward trip no plea
SAINT thing to take in a hurry. OF
course my trembling fingers selected
the wrong key at first, and it was
some time before l could turn the
wards so as to admit myself. How
ever, I walked at last, and opened
the wardrobe with nervous haste
There hung the real hat in provoking
neatness, and was no small aggrava-
ton to my state Of mind 10 think that
I could not blame Thorne for my
own carelessness. As / turned to
go out, the dressing glass displayed
to me such an infamed and perspir.
ing visage that moments delay in
cologne sprinkling was indispensable
This completed, off started for the
second time on a run.