The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-03-30
THE MERCHANTS STORY,

As my story will be a very short one,
will commence at once, without any unneres.
sary introduction. plunge IL mediasre which
| suppose is Latin for making your run.
ming from the jump" and first forcible ut
tered by some sharp fellow who despise the
Greek chorus and the Ttali,n rectaliye.
have commenced life twice-once when J
went into business on my own account, and
the second time when got married. | don't
count my entrance into the world, disIiking
introductions, rs said bef.re.
Ten years ago | got married. Nice little
creature, my wife Brown bair-goldcn, rs
the poet would say, but, being n matter Of
fact business man, deem H. my duty, as q
decent citizen, to protest against all poets,
past and present therefore | say distinctly
brown hair must confess, however, that
II was very pretty, and fell in wary masses
over her face (w"ll perhaps ! can admit the
poetry in this case, with proviso that it is
not to be considered precedent); and when
the sun shone upon 1t it was pure gcld-not
a merchantable article-not one that would
have been quoted in tlo e-current-but
something to wonder ut, and make even q
vagabond nrtist sensible man, by forcing
him to admit tnat such hues mocked bis Ut
most skill. She was prudent little ,reature,
my wife, quiet, and Of n stature thrt tou!d
have been stated only by inches, rs
one could never say she was so many feet
high. Perhaps if I suggest Titan's Court,
and herself as one Of the smAlest
of the fairy ring who took to the shelter of
yiOlets in a storm, should convey some-
thing like the Gincies that used to cross my
mind, in a vsgrant way, when caught ut
glimpse of her occasionally before our mar
riage. ! am not admitting here the respectn-
billty Of poets, but stating apldin matter o.
fact. .5uN.
She was m orphan, and lived under the
way of Tippoo saib in petiicoats, a step.
mother. don't know how she made up her
mind to marry me, rs ] was SO entirely mt
ter-of-faet; but have faint recollection OIL
one day asking her to take walk with me,
which pedestrian feat terminated at achurcl
door, through which we passed two people,
aud came out one--demonslrniing that the
days Of socery had not entirely vanished. It
is not vt all pertinent to the story to say that
she had brother who was my intimate
friend that he was an artisi, poor, and lived
principally upon dreams that loaned him
a sum Of money--a purely business lransac-
ton, rs took his note Of hand for III that
be wasa delicate creature, thar he fell into a
consumption, wasted away, and vanished Ike
one ofhis own eloud.drsams that watched
with him BY night, and buried him at last
under the wild-aowers Poor fellow In
the worlds estimation he would have been
great man II he had lived. lie was better
than that 10 miue--a good man. honest md
true; and when he died he erasped my band,
looked At his i,,la sister, who was silently
vesPIpg over him, and gave me . glance
which plainly said "Take care Of her she
will BE- alone ibftbe world, with no eompan-
ion bui bitter iasmoriesP' ! believe this at-
counts for tbsfati hat not ihahy months n.
ierwsrd Alice and walked quietly TO the
church.