Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1870-12-21
FRED ALTONS DILEMMA.
BY BELLE BREEDER.

/ Fred Alton was in brown study, TO
/ Judge by his looks. He was sitting in
/ his bachelor room, or den, as he called
/ it, books and papers piled about, cloth
/ ing thrown here and therein fact,
{ everything was in q confusion His
aunt Sophia would have called il 'aw-
| ful mess if she had Chanced to see the
/ condition his room was in; but happily
she was not there, and there was moth
| ing to disturb the current ofhis thoughts
| thoughts which were now and then
uttered aloud. Let us play eaves-drop-
per, and hear what he says.
4 can't stand this way of living much
longer he remarked, rehectively strok-
ing his chin. I must have home Of
my own, aud some one to see that nv
dinner is cooked fit for civilized man
to eat. Now comes the all important
question, Whom shall L marry y All,
there's the rub! OF all my lady friends
there are only two that would marry,
and I cannot choose between them.
There is q magnificent Julia Orsney-
Halloo there what's the use of pound
ing the door down? Come III. Why
bless me, if it aint Jack Avery! My
dear fellow, how do you do?-and when
did you arrive ?-thOught you were rus
ticating somewhere In the country
The conner, young man of about five
and twenty years of age, with a bright
wide awake look about him, shook his
friend heartily by the hand, stretched
himself III an easy chair, and elevated
his feet on the mantel, before he an
swered:
i have been ruralizing a bit; but 1
came back yesterday. The truth is,
was lonesome in the country, and was
to lro 10 4 f1r
of the City-felt as though I was lost at
Uncle Johns
Fred was energetically hunting among
the books and papers on the centre ta-
BILE.
'Confond it , said he, I can't find
anything
His friend glanced around the room,
and seeing his confusion and neglect,
said:
Il should think not. By the way,
Fred, why don't you get married p
then your wife would keep your room
In order, and you would avoid all this
trouble.
Fred had found the object of his search
which proved to be some cigars, and the
two were soon enveloped in smoke and
philosophy. We'll, Jack, I have been
thinking of committing matrimony. [
am rather domestic in my habits, as
you know, but am in q terrible dilem-
ma. | don't mind telling you, old fell
low The fact is, am in love with two
young ladies. Now don't laugh, for it's
a serious matter with me; I was just
thinking about it when you came in
Jack Avery leaned back in his chair
and laughed perfOrCe at the COmical
embarrassment of his friends face.
Fred waXed indignant.
4 might as well have kept my trou-
bles to myself, for l see l shall get no
sympathy from you
'Oh, come now, don { put on that dig
nified look. Do tell me who the ladies
are that you have hOnOred with your af-
fections,' for as the ladies say, 4 am dy-
ing to know
Miss Julia Orsney and Miss Ella
King
Splendid girls, but do you mean to
say that you can't choose between the
tWO?
THAT is what assert. Probably, i'll
could see them III their homes, free
from the restraints of society, I could |
discern some moral differences that
would influence my choice; but you
know / only see them at parties or their |
own stated hours-perhups, / should |
say fashionable hOur5-and one appears |
as lovely and good us the other
why not so there in disguise, say as
Il peddler or begger or some such charac- !
ter? You might find ont something to
your advantage
why, Jack, what an idea l should |
never have thought Of such a thing; but /
then, rm not clever like you. | believe |
I'll do it. It does look like taking ad- |
vantage Of the girls, but, then, they |
will never know il. Have another eli !