Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-10-21
MISCELLANY.
A Professor Marrying a Cook

Some years since, when was in col
lege. we had amongst our faculty, a
curious parsonage, VINO m every one re-
garIed with consideTab lie respect, and
vet as a character, zU igeaeriS. He had
lived many years without wife, and
expected to live so always. Indeed, rs
he was the professor of mathematics,
the abstraction of his science forbade
his indulging IN the idea OF getting
married To the female sex, therefore,
he showed no other regard than COM
mon politeness required. His charac-
ter was purely negative. OI course ne
was not popular with the ladies, and
they kept themselves at a distance from
him. But circumstances that often
bring about match IN other cases,
placed him in a peculiar dilemma IL
seems a within that necessity was laid
upon him To get married. He was one
III the faculty of the cOllege-aH the
otbar professors we're married, and were
<LI;o,sd to entertain the distinguished
visitors of the institution. He had al
WAYS boarded. OF course 1t wasn'6 ex-
pected of him that he should ever give
a party or dinner. But it began to be
regarded as rather mean in him to shirk
OF this matter from year to year, and,
''well of as he was, pecTniariiy," to
throw upon the members OF the faculty
the cost and trouble of entertaining
the special friends and patrons OF the
college. The question was, therefore,
frequently asked
why doesn't the old miser entertain
some of the distinguished visitors that
visit US p
Now, orr professor wasn't miser at
all, aud it often troubled him to think
he was so situated that he couldn't bear
his part of this burden. And yet, what
could he do? Must he get married? And
If so. to whom? He had no special re-
gard for any one in the vicinity of the
college, and no one had any special re-
gard for him. In his younger days he
had seen at school young lady, in the
city of New York, in whom he had felt
peculiar interest. But of her he
hadn't heard for years. Doubtless be-
fore this time she was married or In her
grave. Possibly, however, she was still
living and waiting for him. Glorious
thought! He was quite relieved at 1t,
though, indeed, there might be no
foundation for his relief. Nevertheless
he could make due inquiry. Nor could
he long delay, for commencement day
was at hand, only few weeks of. 1t
was his turn, or rather ii would be If he
was married, to give the great dinner to
the distinguished personages VINO would
be present on the occasion. There
would be the Governor of the State, and
his lady-the trustees of the Institution
and their friends, and others of equal
dispute. But who should be master of
ceremonies? And who should grace the
table? He could square the circle per-
haps, but such a circle as this, what
could he do with it? If he were only
married, what a helpmeet would his
wife be at such a time. And yet his
wife must be a good looking, intelii-
gent, and accomplished lady; otherwise
the blank would be bloti
Now there was young lady In the
neighborhOOd that the professor thought
might answer. He had seen her at his
boarding house, and spoke to her once
or twice.
'.But she may say no." aud if she
did, thought he, ''where in creation
could / hide my head ? And what
would become of the dinner 2" The
Governor must have dinner, and he
must have a wife. And hence he lay
awake about it all night. At last as the
morning broke he cried out to himself
Contempt ! She will say no, will she
Other men have lived through it, and
shall. III not, / shall have clear con-
silence about the dinner, and a clear
conscience is the main thing after all !
III q A
1t may be she will regard 1t favOrably. J"
So the professor sat down and wrote q
a note to Miss A. ''Stay a minute, said
he TO himself, ''what will the Governor
think of the lady? She is handsome
and polite, but can she converse Can
she entertain company ?" Doubtful
said he to himself, very doubtful; and
so he tore up the note Alas for the
man on the verge of matrimony In
an hour or two, however, the Professor
called on the President and said: 81
should like TO be absent few days. :"
''Ah ~ said the President, 'just at this
time %
''Yes sir, I have my classes in readi
ness for examination, and l wish to go
to New York"
'tHas any death occurred to the fam
ily?" said the President"
''No, sir, said the Professor, ''but /
have little matter of business that re-
quires my immediate attention, and l
thought it best to go"
''You have my best wishes" said the
President, and may you return safely
and not alone"
The Professor smiled, but blushed
rather than smiled, and left the Presi-
dent, and fastened to New York.
His first inquiry on his arrival there,
was for Mss Adeline e., the young
lady whom he had seen some years be-
fore, a. school, as we have mentioned.
"Why," said the respondent, ''the
family has been reduced, and she is a
cook Perhaps you don't know it, STRIP
"a cookF' said he, .that is just what
/ wantp' @
''Ohr' said the lady, eve thought
you wanted something else, possibly. "
mo" have been half starved to
death since / left New York, and / want
some one to cook decently."
'Well, she can do that, for she
scarcely has her equal in that line In
the city. Why, sir, she is cook, par