Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-08-31

and Mark might justly be pardone,
for having as good again an opinion
OF himself for having been fortunate
| enough to secure her.
Mark had an extensive circle of busi
ness and pleasure acquaintances, fo
he had been one of the social, compar
ionable sort, whose money general
found its way out of his pocket i
very fair proportions to the rate i
came in. In short, he was given t,
clubs, oyster suppers, and now am
then a wine party, and various othe
social privileges for elevating one'
spirit and depressing ones cash tha
abound among enlightened communi
ties.
But, nevertheless, at the bottom o
Marks heart, there was very substan
tial stratum of certain quality called
common sense, Il trait which, though
it was never set down in any chart OF
phrenology, may very justly be calico
faculty, and one, too, which makes
very striking difference among peopl,
as the world goes. In consequence o
being thus constituted, Mark, when h,
found himself i'll love with, and engag
ed to, a very pretty girl, began to re
fleet with more than ordinary serious
ness on his habits, ways and manners
of life. He also took an accurate sur
vey of his business, formed an averag,
estimate of his future income on tn,
soberest probabilities, and determined
to live little even within that. He al
so provided himself with small &C
count book, with which he intended t,
live in habits of very close acquaint
ance, and i'll this book he designed Il
note down all the savings consequent
upon the retrenchment of certain little
extras, before alluded to, in which he
had been in the habit of pretty freely
indulging himself.
Upon the present occasion it haG
cost him something of an effort to sa,
no." for Mark was one of your easy
clever fellows to whom the enunci
alton OF this little syllable causes a.
much trouble as the gutterals of tn,
German. However, when he came il
sight of his parlor windows, through
which bright fire was shining-wher
he entered and found the clean glow.
ing hearth, the easy chair drawn in
front, and a pair of embroidered slip
pers waiting for him quite at their
leisure, and above all, when he read
the quick glance of welcome in a pair
of very bright eyes, Mark forgot all
about Ben. Sanford and all bachelor
friends and allurements Whatsoever
and thought himself about the happi,
est fellow on earth.
The evening passed off rapidly by
the help of music, reading, and little
small talk of which newly married
people generally find supply, and the
next morning found Mark at early
business hours with as steady hand
and as cool a head as if there had
been no such things as bachelor frol
les in existence.
Late In the afternoon, Ben. Sanford
lounged in to ogle few of the ladies,
and above all to rally Mark on losing
the glorious fun on the evening before.
Upon my word, Mark" he began,
I'VE must have you put up for Select
man, you are becoming 50 extremely
ancient and venerable in your ways
however, you are to be excused" he
added, circumstances considered
female influence !-ah well, it's q
fine affair, this marriage 7"
Better try it, Mr.. Sanford said a
bright, saucy girl, who with her laugh
ing companions, were standing close
by while Ben. was speaking. .
Ah madam, the wherewithal =
said Ben, rolling up his eyes with q
tragic expression IF some clever
old fellow would be so obliging as tc
die now, and leave me few thousand
then, ladies you should see'
but speaking of money" said Mark,
when he saw the ladies busy over
some laces he had just thrown on the
counter-"what did your glorious
fun cost you?" ~.
4" Pooh nothing only ten-dol
lar bill nothing i'll my purse, You
know ?"
Nothing in your purse mot al
uncommon incident after these occa
sions,' said Mark, laughing.
"Oh hang it ALL said Ben, " to,
true l can get no remedy for thi:
consumption of the purse, as Fallstafl
says however, the world owes Inc a
living, and SO, good morning /"
Ben. Sanford was jnst one of that
class of young men Of whom common
report goes, that they can do anything
they please, and who consider this
point as so well established that they
do not think it necessary to illustrate
it by doing anything at all. He was
a lawyer of good talents and would
have had an extensive run of business
had he not been one of the class o
people never to be found when want
ed. His law books and law Office saw
far less of him than certain fashiona
bic places of resort, where his hand
some person and various accomplish
ments always secured to him a wei
SOiuc lCScpiioh. bSu. hau oohiS AtAS
property left him by his father, just
enough, as he used laughingly tc
quote, to keep him in gloves and co
logne water" and for the rest, he
seemed vastly contented with his ole
maxim, the world owes me living,
forgetting that the world can some
times prove as poor u paymaster a:
the most fashionable young gentleman
going. n
But to return to Mark. When ht
had settled his account at night, he
took from a pigeon-hole in his desk Tho
little book aforenamed, and entered az
follows "to one real wake-up, SO,
which, being done, he locked his desl
and returned once more to Mrs. Meri
den.
Days flew OH and the shop of Marl
became increasingly popular, and still
from time to time he was assailed b,
the kind of temptation we have dc
scribed. Now, it was, Mark, IN,
dear fellow, do join us in our trip t.