Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-04-01
Sfleft Story.
from the German of schrisber.l
IN QUEST OF A WIFE.

pinner was oyer-my mother had taken up
hsr Knitting apparatus, and was picking my
..eth and amusing myself with building castles
I'm the air, when my attention was reused by the
unusual number Of good lady's hens, which
seemed to be a prelude to some extraordinary
communication. At length, out it came. My
dear Tom,n - said she, yesterday was your oirtn
day: you are now twenty-three; and 1t is hlgn
time you should be looking about for good
match: man must marry some time or other,
but he should take care he does SO ere IL De 100
late. for that is as bad as too soon." Why.
notherp - answered 1, laughing, "a am not much
disinclined to change my situation as the
nbrase goes. but have never yet been fortunate
enoueb to meet with the girl who could induce
me TO become a Benedict"
While was speaking, my mamma had open
ed her china snuff box, and with knowing
look, held pinch betwixt her finger and her
thumb what would you think now" said she,
after a pause, and eyeing me through her spec
tacles. what would you think of little DORIS,
the Upper Foresters daughterT
Jsbook INV head" She is well enough to pass
AWAY an hour or so occasionally, for she is
eood-humored, lively thing; but she is like the
lilies of the valley t0lich toll not neither do they
spin"
"Son, she has ten thousand dollars in the
bank, and they can set the looms agoing- You
know our estate Is burthened with debt; and, as
You now think of keeping house for yourself,
and won't make use of your friends influence
to procure place under government for you
my good mother, interrupted ], "once
for all, that is out of the question; one who has
auy pretensions to the character of an honost
man, cuts but sorry figure now-a-day as man
in ONCE. For my own part. can only go
straight forwards, and IL would not be easy to
avoid every now and then treading on the kfbe
Of some placeman or other, or give him jerk
with my elbow; and should gain nothing but
vexation for my pains. No. no, will travel,
and endeavor to suit myself to my mind"
"But do you know what the expression get
ting suited means" tzE-H
took her hand Mother" cried I, "most
fully do appreciate the force OF the expression
for have seen it SO completely exemplified in
INV own family; during my fathers life, he and
yourself had but one heart-one will"
This was touching the rightstring, and decided
the question ct once. My mother wiped her
spect acles, gave me her blessing, and desired
me to travel.
NY portmanteau was soon packed; AID
almost before could bestow serious thought
on the subject of my journey, found myself
seated in the coach for B.. was ashamed,
however, to turn back, and determined to give
myself up to the guidance of my lucky star. i
had several acquaintance in B, and loitered
away several weeks with them, and among
what is called the good society OF the place Here
there were no lack of pretty maidens, all ready
and willing to get married; but their forward
manners, and total want Of feminine delicacy,
soon convinced me that this was not the place
"to be suited" For the most part, their ideas
of life were gathered from the shelves of the
circulating library; and of gentility, from the
miserable founderings of q set of strolling play
ers who sometimes visited the town. In short,
their small accomplishments sat on them with
about as much grace and propriety as the glass
beads and tinsel OF the Europeans do on the
necks ofsavages. One young creature, however,
attracted my attention by her naivete and en-
gaging disposition. determined to make her
acquaintance, and found no difficulty in procur-
ing an introduction to her fathers house. She
was the only child Of q rich contractor. who had
amassed considerable fortune during the war,
and now lived very comfortably on his income.
Wilhelmine played the harpsichord little,
sung little, drew q little and had smattering
of French and italian; but it was easy to per-
ceive that she laid claims to excellence in all
there we're great splendor, without the slightest
particle of TASTE Miss was the idol of her par
ents, over whom she exercised unlimited sway
and the surest and shortest way to the old peo-
pies hearts, was by praising their darling.
Itwould have been no very difficult matter
for me to have won this damsel's hand, had
been SO inclined, for besides that she showed
some sort of peachant for me. The Fon before
nv name was powerful Recommendation with
old square-toes; but felt that she was not al
all calculated to make wife for domestic man
like myself; and letter which soon afterwards
received from my mother, wherein she express
ed. the same opinion, determined me to look
elsewhere for q spouse. . =
Ileft B-in company with fellow-collegian
who was going to s. on business, and, as
wished to see that town, we agreed to travel to-
gether. In the inn at Lunan, where we stopped
for the night, we fell in with some strangers, a
gentleman from s., with his son, and young
lady, his ward. We met together atsupper, and
the conversation soon took an easy and lively
turn. It is true, the elder Of the two men spoke
seldom, but he smiled often, and, as they say,
at the right place, and looked as If he could say
q great deal on every subject, if he would. He
made up for his silence, however, by keeping
the bottle continually on the move. The son
was completely the reverse OF his father; his
tongue never lay still, although his ideas were
not Of the most brilliantorder. The young lady
remained silent and apparently absorbed in
her own thoughts; she had a tall elegantperson,
handsome features, with a mild and somewhat
melancholy expression, and she appeared to
have recently shed tears. L gathered, from
what passed at table, and afterwards from the
landlord, that she was called Adeline; that her
Hafn ind had faIl Lam fr, q
leaving her to the protection of his ffsend Colo
mel sternbach, who now lived on his estate. near
Lunan; that Colonel Sternbach had sent her to
be educated ut g. where she resided with his
brother -in-law, the Senator Seldorf, with whom
I had just supped; that the Colonel now lay
dangerously Ill, and that Seldof, who expected
to inherit his estates was on his return from
visiting him. --.---
Although Adeline had never once deigned to
look at me, yet there was something about
her that interested me exceedingly in her favor.
Old seldrof on learning my intention of re-
manning o few days in So, gave me pressing
invitation to visit him and his family. His son
drank to our better acquaintance, and swore
that ones time might be spent at s. in the
most delightful way in the world, and that even
q University Life did not surpass it. He offered,
as my travelling friend quilted me here, to NIL
the vacant place In my carriage, to save me. as
he said, from the blue devils. ..i r.
On any other occasion could willingly have
dispensed with the youngsters good intentions,
for there Is nothing in which take greater de-
light, than, when seated snugly in corner OF
the vehicle, I can give myself up undisturbed to
every fancy, and luxuriate In all the delights OF
castle-building. Now, however, determined
for once to forego my fayorite qualification, and
scceded to his proposal, as thought it might
afford me an opportunity of learning something
more of Adeline, into whose goodopinion felt
q strong inclination to ingratiate myself. =,
Early on the following morning we set out
from Lunan, and for severalmiles my new COM
panion troubled me but little with his remarks,
as he almost Immediately began to snore; but
he soon awoke, and then talked all in a breath
about his college adventures. s.hisconnectionsi in
g., his two sisters. Adeline, and his prospects
Of getting place. 81 shall then," he added