Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-06-24
A Bachelors Dilemma.

"No, don't" said the old bachelor,
decidedly. 80
He was something of bear, to answer
so crustily when Barbara Smith stood in
the doorway, with the shadowy lashes
dropping over the soft brown eyes, and
roses melting in deep carmine on her rosy
cheeks, until her muslin dress was plain
in comparison. Such a pretty, big-eyed,
loving little Barbara as she was, in all the
blonde freshness of her eighteen sum-
mers, and the soft sigh that huttered from
her lips as the one horse carriage drove
away, was checked instantly. Barbara
had no idea of becoming the victim of un-
requitted love, though she had rather
fancied Mr.. Verley during his short So
journ at her fathers house.
shall be in very good time for the
1890 train," he meditated to himself.
Punctuality is the soul of business, and
I never was one of the bchind-h hand tribe,
thank Providence. Besides, 1 think it
was becoming dangerous to remain in that
place any longer am thirty-ninc to.
morrow, and that is just twenty years too
old for me to 60 making fool Of myself.
Fancy me getting married No you don't,
joseph Verley, my friend"
As he settled himself comfortably in the
crowded railway car, aud opened letter,
the subject again occurred to his mind
with curious persistence.
"The letter of my poor brothers execu-
tor came just in time, or should certainly
have fooled away more time than would
have been sensible or profitable. Poor
dear Harold; don't see what on earth
possessed him to fall sick and die on his
way home from Venice and leave his
daughter on my hands, too. Why could
he not have left son instead Of a daugh-
ter? never did understand woman s
ways, and what's more, l don't want to.
l am to meet her at Speedville and take
her home with me. OH" groaned Mr..
Verley, referring despairingly to his let.
ter.
And what Tn going to do with her
after get her there, I'd like to know
l suppose she's a. great creature, with
ringlets aud ribbons, and just likely as not
an Italian lover talking sentiment to her
IA creature that reads Byron and keeps
an album and eats slate pencils and chalk.
I'll send her to a boarding school-that's s
what I'll do with my niece-and perhaps,
when she has graduated there, the school
master can suggest some means Of getting
rid of her OF course, shell have dozen
large trunks, bonnet box and parrots
cage that's tho way women generally
travel, believe. l am glad that l am out
of the way of Barbara's fascinations now"
Mr.. Verley looked out Of the car win
dow in sort of calm desperation at the
prospect before him.
IL suppose she'll want piano. aud may
be a poodle dog, and there's no knowing
what else. l don't see why Harold
wanted to die and leave his daughter to
my care just now. Speedville station /;
twenty seven miles farther. ! wish it was
juat twenty seven hundred miles; that's
what wish"
And with this vindictive sentiment in
his mind, our hero tied red silk handker-
chief around his head, and tried to lose
himself 10 series of brief, troubled
dreams, wherein the vision of tall, nice
young lady figured conspicuously.
Are we here already?" he stammered,
starting to his feet as the conductor yelled
out, "Speedville station p and seizing an
umbrella, valise and travelling shawl, with
the bustling and bewildermeut peculiar
to people just aroused from sleep, alighted.
Speedville is rather large sized village
situated at the junction of several railways,
with an imposing American Gothic struct.
ure for a depot. Into the building Mr..
Verley walked, looking right and left for
the young lady whose guardianship he
was to assume.
"Of COURSE" he responded mentally,
she'll be on the lookout for me; women
are provcrbially curious"
But Harold Verley's daughter was not
on the lookout for him. When the crowd
incident to the evening train had subsidized
and the people had gone their different
ways, the only remaining occupants of the
depot were Mr.. Verley, lame old man
who sold peanuts aud apples, and decent
Madras turbau on her head, who took care
Of tho building. Neither of these could
be his neice, SO Mr.. Verley, after a little
perplexed hesitation, addressed himself to
the colored woman, who was busily polish
ing the windows with piece of orumpled
newspaper.
"Ahem was to meet my niece here
to-day, and don't see her."
Your niece, sir F? what is her name p
Verley."
cob! yes, sir; she has been here these
two hours, bless her dear heart; she is
asleep now"
Asleep" gasped Mr.. Verley but
the stewardess only answered him by bust
ling into the inner department and bring
ing out what appeared to be a compact
bundle, with pink face at one end Of it,
and mass Of long trailing embroidery on
the other. .
Joseph Verley recoiled as far as the an,
gle of the door would permit him.