Middletown transcript., 1868-06-06
Aopnlar Galts.
THE THREE BATCHELORS.
BY SHIRLEY BROWNE.

"And it is really so very beautiful up
there"
1.-The prettiest spot you ever saw--a rus
tic cottage, all covered with roses and hon
ey-suckle and that sort of thing-a modern
Paradise"
Miss Clifford looked like a Peri, lovely
enough to haunt the boundaries of any
Paradise, ancient or modern, as she sat
there in her dress of violet Grape and the
golden luxuriance of her hair falling in a
glimmering cascade down over her shoul-
ders. She was fair, sweet-pea complex
ion, blue, dreamy eyes, and lips like the
velvet petals of scarlet geranium-while
Barbara Eldon, her gay guest, made you
think Of glancing FREELY or tropic bird,
in the dark piguant brillianoy of her style.
Inez Clifford sat still and lovely, like a
royal statue-Barbara futtered about, the
pretty impersonation of perpetual motion
Inez spoke but little, and you treasured
her words as you would jewels Barbara
chartered away like the perpetual ripple of
dancing mountain stream. They were
as unlike, physically and mentally, as it
is possible for two women to be, yet some-
how they acted as unconscious foils, one to
the other, and the mutual charm was
heightened by contrast. .s
"a modern Paradise, eh ?" said Bar
bara, mischievously, " and you and Basil
Glenn are pair of Adams without the
temptress Eve. But how do you subsist ?
on roots, berries, and clear, cold water from
the spring 2"
No4l,.,o, 90 +l,o ,ort eo;J TTuu1, Tr.ou
confidently, "broiled birds, venison steaks,
and the incest coffee you ever tasted. Oh,
we amt a set of Carmelite friars, by any
means Really you ladies ought to come
up there, a Ia picnic, and see how royalty
we keep house."
(" Certainly-of course you ought, y
chimed in Morris Bergen while Mr.. Bas-
il Glenn, who had sat silent during the an
mated little colloquy, glanced from one to
the other with curious expression OF
doubt and amusement in his face.
You pair of wholesale humbugs," he
calculated, when the three had finally bid
den adieu to Miss Clifford, and the spicy
little Barbara. "What did you mean by
telling them such lies about the tumble
down old shanty in the woods, and describ-
ing a regular Delmonico set-out, when you
know very we'll that bread and cheese and
half raw steaks cooked by your own hands
are the best you can boast"
"Truth isn't to be spoken on all occa-
sions," said Tracy, and it's as well to
give 'em the idea we are living in clover
The fact is I'm outrageously sick of this
oamping-out experiment, and if it wasn't
for the girls I'd give it up tomorrow"
awe have only killed one possum and
two squirrels since we went out there"
observed Morris Bergen, disconsolately,
"and if it wasn't for strong fish or two,
out of the river and the henroosts al
night"--
% Hold your tongue about the hem
roosts," Indignantly interposed Tracy, 81
never saw such fellows for talk"
'Wen, it's fact" said Morris, def
antly burying his hands in his trousers
pockets. .Come-make haste, or We
shall lose the train, and the owls and whip.
poor-wills out there would be lonesome
without us" af5
y y Il X
"Dear me-what an oppressively warm
day r. Inez Clifford threw the window
wide open, to catch the faint breath of all
that was stirring without. Barbara famed
herself vigorously.
"Inez, I've an idea it cools me al.
ready"
"Then, for charity's sake, share it with
me-"