Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-03-13


90 HOW L WAS WON.
lam the only daughter of Orlando Pug
gins, of Fizzleton, retail dealer in dry
goods My father is a very prominent
man in town, and 1 am the belle of the
village. think have very good reasons
for calling myself handsome, for not less
than score of young men of my &C
quaintance have assured me that such is
the fact Ihave no reason for doubling
the words Of these very estjmable young
men, for think I,should have been con-
WINGED of my beauty even if they had not
whispered it in my blushipg ears.
My fathers hobby has been for several
years to make q good match for me. Per-
haps you know what good match is. 1t
Is simply to marry a man you positively
hate-a man who is excessively ugly and
disagreeable-in short, a fool, just because
he is wealthy. If he has money it makes
no difference what his character is--it is
what the world calls good match. My
father thought just as the rest of the world
did; and often have heard him say that
his Beatrice should ride in her own car
rage some day. That was his highest idea
Of happiness. Perhaps it is needless to
say that my father and l differed very
much on this point.
think | had imbibed what the general
ity of people will call rather romantic no.
tions. Can you believe it, that the belle of
Fizzleton, at the age of twenty two, mag
ined that there was such passion as love !?
longed for something more than a poodle
dog to lavish my affections upon. know
it is very unmaidenly for me to say this /;
but it is true. l had plenty of lovers to
be sure, but ugh! preferred the poodle
to them. My hero had not yet arrived.
knew he would come sometime. Perhaps
coat doesn't make the man you know
though it does make great many things
that call themselves men. t4<
Meanwhile my father brought lover to
me-a Mr.. Cattle, from Boston. He was
doing large business there and was con-
sidered very wealthy.
There's lover worthy of you, Bea-
trice," said my father, after Mr.. Cattle had
made his first call. "His wealth can hardly
be estimated" &
81 am sure his age cannot" I replied
"He is certainly twice as old as am"
swell ?"
81 think that is enough"
My father opened his eyes with astonish-
ment.
"Do you mean to say that you would
not marry him if you had the chance?"
Yes, that's what mean"
Bless my soul!'' cried father. care you
sane ?"
Perfectly"
Father looked incredulous.
"You read too much poetry, child You
are woman now, and it is high time for
you to Danish those sentimental ideas from
your silly head. Such an opportunity as
this doesn't come to a woman but once in
q lifetime"
Father stamped his feet with rage and
looked unutterable things. Itook up Lalla
RoOkh, and began reading the Fire Wor-
shippers, 80 ~ .fsa
Beatrice, do you wish to bring my gray
hairs down in sorrow to the grave?"
"No; but as have to live with my hus-
band through life, would much rather
have one of my own choosing"
Eyes, yes, my child. But l have lived
longer than you, and think my Judgment
is better. wish to see you happily mar
ried. | don't want you to marry some
scoundrel withouta cent in his pocket, and
have you wear your life out as his drudge.
AS the wife of Mr.. Cattle you will lead a
life of luxury and ease"
F" A life of misery"
My father looked grieved, but said no
more, and soon after left the room
Such is the perversity of female human
nature that think if that scound1ei with
out cent in his pocket had proposed just
at that moment | should have accepted
him at once. believe women are like the
Irishman's pig. He wished to drive the
pig TO Dublin but he made him think
that he wished him to go in an opposite
direction. Consequently the pig was
bound to go to Dublin, and to Dublin he
went.
Mr.. Cattle never called again.
think father put flea in his ear, for he
saw plainly that was not to be driven into
union with man I did not like.
About this time father hired new clerk.
He was rather good looking, and all my
young lady friends voted him a proper,
nice young man. / presume he was what
father would call a scoundrel without a
cent in his pocket. To be sure, he dressed
elegantly; but haven't the slightest idea
that the coat upon his back was paid for,
but what of that? Wasn't he agreeable
Couldn't he whisper soft nonsense for an
entire evening? Hadn't he all the poetry
of the affections by heart? Then he wrote
about love and moonshine in splendid
rhymes, upon scented paper, and he gave
these illusions to me- / almost thought
Z loved him; and | am sure he loved me, fol
he told me So l had it all written out in
black and white, in the most elegant verse
think ever read.
Lpf7 Father tried to keep cool through all
this, but it was terrible hard work for him
"a to do so. Once heard him tell mother
that if was bound to go to the deuce, he
didn't know as he could help it.
ls5a" It's only flirtation," mother said.
Filtration, indeed tell you she's be
witched after him." my father said. And
q then he added. "Well, it's not SO bad as il
might be- Torseldorf isn't bad young
man; of course he has not got q cent, but
if they are bound to marry, I'll do what
can for him, and possibly he may make
something yet" 6 &c
My ardor cooled at once. There wasn't
opposition enough to feed the fame; and
consequently my love died out. That
evening MIR. Torseldorf called. l re.
ceived him very coolly. He noticed it
and exerted himself to be agreeable. blu,
it was signal failure. I never smiled
once while he remained. When he
arose to depart, followed him to the
door, and informed him as gently as j
could, that his company could be dispensed
with. ,a
What has happened, Beatrice.sn he
inquired. -
Nothing"
&c Won do NOT lova mo 5tN tf-