The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-19

glass, tnere was scarcely any need OF
his accounting, in half-apologetic
way for his appearance ut this particu-
lar time, by saying 'Sthat The Wild
was apt to feel duller than usual on
these long, quiet summer evenings"
81 can imagine vacuum there,
which being abhorred of nature, it is
consequently unnatural of you not to
fill" ," / said, lazily. "Jack, why don't
you marry?"
This suggestion my friend received
IN the silence which I had sometimes
noticed it was his habit to receive
remarks of n similar nature, nor was
1T his usual custom to lead up to such,
by any reference to his bachelorhood.
As he sat now, leaning back in his
chair, looking very large. and brown,
and handsome, and yet with unwonted
gravity on his face, too, a suspicion,
for the first time, entered my head,
as l glanced at him, that there might
be some reason, of a tender and ro-
mantle nature, to account for his
peculiar retlccnce on this subject;
though, indeed, Jack Mortimer, with
his jolly laugh, his genial face and
kindly words and looks for all the
world, was not easily to be reconciled
with the idea of ''blighted hopes, I"
s'worms in the bud" and so forth.
My wife, with whom Jack was on
terms OF mutual amity and good will,
was firmly impressed with the con-
viction, not only that Jack had never
been in love, but that he would never
marry.
"And why, madam, should you in
fer this of a man who is in every way
calculated to adorn that honorable
estate?" l inquired, when the partner
of my joys first enunciated her views
upon this subject. 'sIs not my old
friend eminently social in his habits,
brimming over with all kindly afec-
tions? Why, then, Should he be in
capable of love, ar3 cut off from the
joys of matrimony?"
Il did not say that he was incapa-
bic Of love. Frank-ah, nor' answered
Mrs. Marchmont, ''though I think
he will never marry. It will be some
woman's loss, too, for men like Mr..
Mortlmer-men more affectionate
than passionate, more constant than
ardent-makem model husbands. Their
wives are better loved than even
their-their sweet-hearts. And earth
and home arc more to such men as
he, than the rest of the world, [
think"
"Upon my word, ma'am," [ re-
marked, in some surprise, for my
wife's voice was very soft and gentle,
as she spoke, "you seem to have
brought q great deal of consideration
and reflection to bear on the subject
of Mr.. Mortimer!'A
"Refection not at all, dear" Mrs.
Marchmont said, simply; zone feels,
at least l think woman does instinct
ively-the worth of such q man as
John Mortimer. And he is not of
that order that is most attractive to
the greatest number of women
either"
Indeed Be good enough to ex-
plain the contradiction in your words,
young woman. If Jack Mortimer is
possessed of such unusual virtue, and
women instinctively perceive the
same, why is he not the honored OBJ
ject of their regards? Or am to un-
derstand that the female mind pre-
fers an exhilarating sprinkling of vice
in its idol, if only to throw the
virtues upSinto broader light, as it
were?"
'No, not that exactly" Mrs.
Marchmont answered, rather hesita-
tingly; "but I think, perhaps, that
women prefer in general a-well-a
more snowy style of thing than Mr..
Mortimer. Don't laugh, Frankr'
But L did laugh
"Of course they do, bless their
hearts And so poor Jack is to be
the victim of an unappreciating fe-
male world
''I don't think I meant that either,
Frank; but Of this 1 am convinced,
that any woman wiling to marry Mr..
Mortimer, would have to make him
it in an unmistakable
or he would never credit the
fact"
"WelI-well, myl=love. Then let
us hope that lady may cross our
friends path in life with sufficient
sense to appreciate his worth, and
sufficient courage and candor to vol
unteer the state of her heart to the
object for which it beats, or else we
may consider his fate as sealed, I
suppose"
''Mr. Mortimer would never marry
any woman who could forget, IN the
slightest decree. WOmanly delicacv or