The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1870-10-27
A Legal. TENDER,
BY JUDGE CLARK.

Saul Screlcaf was the paragon Of
bachelors. His age was puzzle in
chronology. IL you judged as jock
eye do, by the teeth, you would set
him down about ,hirty-for they were
perfect, as white rs pearl, aud not one
missing. His glossy chestnut locks
gauting il wasn't wig he worc-
bore similar testimony which was fur.
,hcr corroborated by figure whose
symmetry spoke we'll for the handi.
craft Of nature, or of art, whichever
was entitled to it.
lie boarded with Mrs. Norther-
mann, n respectable widow, who furn-
ished accommodations to a few first
class single gentlemen, partly for the
sake Of society, and partly-not.
Mr.. Screlcaf was man Of steady
habits. lie had taken up his abode
with the widow on first coming to the
place, aud had never since thought of
changing. Indeed, neither party had
any reason to bc dissatisfied. MI.
SIS room was always tidy, the wid
dow chatty, he afsble, and his bills
never day 10 arrear. What more
was wanting to make things pleasant.
After time Mr.. s. got to be tho
senior boarder. Others had come and
gone. but he remained "permanent. >
To sit facing the widow at the table
say grace, carve the beafstesk, aud
lead the conversation, were prcroga-
tives more firmly bis, by prescription
than they had ever been Of the dead
aud gone Northermann, by martial
right.
II was Mr.. Screleaf with whom tho
widow ,ounselled 10 her trials, and in
whom she reposed her condolences
He converscd with her TO church on
Sundays; and any little difficulty in
the sermon, or knotty point iu the
trimming OF u lady's bonnet, no would
clear up on the way home. in a man
ner equally charming and instructive
Whether the twain, in time. would
have been rhore-or less-to each
other, had the widow adhered strictly
to her rule to receive mono but "sin-
gle gentlemen" as boarders, is ono Of
those questions always unsolveablc,
touching what would have happened,
had something else taken place that
never did.
Enough to say, Mrs. Northernann,
yielding to influential references aud
the offer Of a tempting price, lot her
best vacant rooms-they were next
to Mr.. Sereleaf's-to family compos,
ed Of gentleman and his wife aud
baby.
Babies were Mr.. Sereleaf's abomina.
tion. lie looked upon them as tod
ding monuments Of origisal ain. He
had no patience with them, or any
that had them. The sight of one
gave him turn, and the sound drove
him frantic.
In this particular baby, oil Mr.,
Serelesfs objections to bsbyhood In
the abstract were summed up 10 the
concrete. II was subject to Group,
it had collie; and when It had neither
II was troubled with teothing.
The 6rst night Mr.. Sesrleaf stuffed
The blanket in his ears, but be might
IS well have attempted to stide thuu-
der. He tried to count himself to
sleep, but the suqalls put him out !;
and when he strove 10 count them
they became couaueht aud undistin.
guishable.
Thssnsxt night il was worse. He
couldn't even say his prayers-iu fact
didn't feel like it. He paced the
roomsin slsepless sgony. Something
had to DO doue. lie had been u
bosrder 10 the house for ave years,
aud had nevsryet uttered aIcomplaiut.
lie was very 10th TO do Il now but
needs, must, when o certain person
drivcs
"rll propose to Mrs. Mediterranean"