, 1864-03-05
The Persevering Bachelor.

Mr.. Peter Robinson was bachelor, stout,
and almost forty. Peter never loved but
once, and the alteration of his heart had beer
bestowed upon Miss Lucy Poppleton; +
alas Peter had failed to express his p.
at the proper moment; or, in othel
had failed to come to time, and one
heart was lacerated by receivingf
of cards, announcing that the : ~
cy was about to become J
Crooks.
1t was a terrible blow to
staggered up from it and sti
ject ofhis early passions
Mrs. Jimmerson Crooks rev.
lights of matrimony, lead
husband and Peter-at
by the nose for five years..
time Mr. Jimmerson Groom
for another sphere, leaving
to mourn her duty.
Once more Peters heart
dust and ashes, and looking
time when the allotted perio
should be over, and he could
pent-up agonies of five years and as
sation in the hand of the fair wio
year, thought Peter, is enough of
will give her one year. Month and o
rolled away until he could stand it no l0l
A sickish misgiving Of the evils of della
drove him to precipitate the asking. When
the tenth month came he sought the widow
at her home, and with all the ardor of pent-
up love poured forth his tale. The widow
heard him-heard him calmly unto the very
end, and then with, her delcately perfumed
handkerchief pressed to her blushing cheeks,
told Peter that she had only the week before
promised her hand to DIR. Stickleback and
oh why did not her dear friend speak be-
fore?
A second time was Peters heart torn into
minute fragments, a second time was he sent
into the world to admire--at distance
Time sped on, and once more Peter began
to encourage hope. Perhaps Stickleback
might die he certainly had an appopectic
look, and sure enough Peters perhaps
turned out certainty, and Mrs Dr. Theo-
dosious Stckleback was once more mourn
er. Peter had learned too bitterly the dan
gers of delay to suffer any such cause to stand
this time between himself and success. He
would not give the widow year, nor yet
ten months--nay, not even six; but the
third month he would go to her with his
tale of love deferred and so he did We
transcribe the widows own words when the
question was popped.
Oh Mr. Robinson, why did you not
come before You know my esteem for
you? You know would have set aside all
offers for you; but oh how can [ tell you
that only last evening l promised Capt.
Hawkins Poor, dear, sweet Hawkins he
is your intimate friend, know; I've
heard him speak so highly of you Oh, why
did you not speak before p
And so Mrs Theodosious Stickleback was
transformed into Mrs Jonathan Hawkins,
and Peter was once more left to admire-at
a distance.
Still Peter waited and hoped Something
might turn up he argued, and then he would
not allow himself to be too late, and some
thing did turn up, the something being moth
ing more or less than the redoubtable Cap
tain, who turned up missing, having fallen
overheard from the steamboat while on a tar
get excursion with his company, and sunk
like a stone, owing undoubtedly to the pom
derous nature eff his responsibilities.
The suddenness of this exit, as Peter ar
gued, must certainly act with depressing
force on the widow, and thought he would
not again give her time to recover and
be admired, still etiquette demanded little
time to intervene. Accordingly when, upc
the ten..lh day after the melancholy bere-
ment Peter Knocked at the widow"
bent upon his errand of love, he
chuckled to himself that he was tax
bv the forelock. The business on
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