The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1865-09-14
The Perseyering Bachelor


stout, rosy, and almost forty. Peter hac
never loved but once, and the adoratior
Of his heart had been bestowed upon Mis-.
Lucy Pendlcton, but, alas, Peter had failel
to express his passion at the proper mo
ment, or. in other words, had not come t
time; and one day his heart was laceratcd
by receiving an envelope of cards an.
nouncing that the delightful Lucy was
about to become Mrs. Jcmmcrson Crooks
1t was terrible blow to Peter, but he
staggered up from it and still loved the
| object of his early passion-at a distance.
Mrs. Jemmerson Crooks revolved in the
delights of matrimony, leading fashion,
her husband and Peter-at distance
by the nose for five years, at the end of
which time Mr. Jenmcrson Crooks chose to
depart for another sphere, leaving Mrs.
Jcmmcrson alone to mourn his departure.
Once more Peters heart sprang up
from dust and ashes, and he looked for
ward to the time when the allotted period
of mourning should be over, and he could
pour forth his pcnt-tp agonics Of five
years, and ask compensation in the hand
of the fair widow. One year, thought
Pcter, IS surely enough of time. I will
give her one year Month after month
rolled away until the tenth came, and
Peter was determined to wait no longcr-
\ sickish misgiying Of the evils Of dc'..
drove him to precir::''ate tie askine.
lie soueht. cue widow in her home. and
win all the ardor of long pent-up love.
poured fourth the tale. The widow heard
nm nj all unto the very last word, and
then with her dcicatcly rerfuiEod hand
kcrchief pressed to her blushing checks by
the whitest Of hands, told Peter that he
was, alas, just one week too late; that only
the week before she had promised her
hand to pr. Sticklebeck who had SO faith
fully attended her dear Jemmerson in his
last hours. Oh. why did not her dear
friend Peter speak before?
4 second time was Peters heart torn into
fragments; second time was he sent out
into the world to admire-ata n distance
Time sped on, and once more Peter began
to encourage hope. Perhaps Sticklebeck
might die; he certainly had an apoplectic
look; and sure enough Peters hope turned
out certainty, and DR.. Thcodosius Stick
lcbcck was within the short period of two
years ga thered to his fathers, and the
fair widow StickIebeck was once more a
mourner. Peter had learned too bitterly
the dangers of delay to suffer any eti-
quette to stand between him and success.
lie would not give the widow 4 year, nor
ton II
even at the end of the third mouth be
would 90 to her with his tale of love de-
ferrcd; and so he did We must trans
cribe the widows own words vixen the
question was popped:
'Oh, Mr.. Robinson, why did you not
come before? You know my esteem for
you; you know that would set aside ail
other offers for you; but oh, how can L tell
you--that only last evening | promised
Captain Hawkins Poor, dear, sweet
Hawkins. he's your intimate friend,
know, I've heard him speak SO highly of
you. Oh, why did you not speak be-
fore ?"
And so Mrs Dr. Theodosus Sticklobcck
was transforme into Mrs Captain Jonathan
Hawkins; and Peter was once more left to
admire at a distance.
Still Peter waited and hoped Some
thing might turn up, he urged, and then
he would not allow himself te be too late;
and something did turn up, the something
Icing nothing more or less than the re-
doubtable Captain, who turned upmissing.
having fallen overheard from the steamer
while out on target excursion with his
company, and sunk Ike stone, owing un-
doubteGly to the ponderous nature Of his
responsibility.
The suddenncss Of this exit, as Peter
argued, must certainly act with deprcss>
ing force on the widow, and he thought
he would not again give her time to re-
cover and be admired; still etiquette de-
manded that a little time should intervene
Accordingly, when upon the tenth day af
ter the melancholy bereay cmcnt Peter
knocked at the widows door, bent upon
his crrand of love, he rather chucklcd TO
himself that he was taking time by the
iirelock. The business upon which he
came was quickly told, and ence more the
widow was i'll a torrent of tears.
"Oh. Mr.. Robinson" she exclaimed.
hiding her blushing face in her cambric,
"why are you so unfortunate, and why am
|? You know my esteem for you-bui
you are too late am already promised.
You know Counsellor Kctchum my poor.
dead and gone Hawkins most intimate
irien;li. He was with him, you know, when
he was called awDy, an was the FIRST tc
communicate to me the a;gful intelligence.
He was such q comforter, and--l have
promised to have him this day two
months"
This time Peter was crushed. He had
no words to express his brokcn-hcarted-
ness. but to rush from the house and 20
on, as before, admiring-ata distance.
il was months before Peter even ven
tired to encourage hope, and then even it
ackered. One day he was walking in
dcspondcnt mood through one of the upper
avenues, when he heard "A sudden shout,
and started From halfiinished build |
ing lust in front of him he saw, as lac
r,ieeJ his cvcs 4 stout Mileslan making |