The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-08-04
A SILLY LITTLE FOOL.
ny RICHARD rENwIcH.

On n particular occasion q certain
polished and well-dressed man, one of
class who have the misfortune to
be called swells, met another man of
the like kidney, and after farce Of
shaking hands, saluted him thus:
"rm astonished, sir, upon my word,
Tn thoroughly and completely aston
ished at what you've done. Every
body is astonished and l must say
everybody is quite right in being so,
for everybody in society thought bet
ter things of you; they did indeed" ]"
Here the speaker shook his we'll
brushed head, and looked pathetic and
sad. His gloved hand shook with
emotion. The man addressed became
similarly affected, and looked down
cast and was specchless. The other
went on. "She's such silly, such a
little fy-away, you know. All eyes
and necklace, and stuff and nonsense.
Why don't you marry whipped cream
or waterloo Either would be
more tangible. Nothing to her, no
soul, no substance, no knowledge, no
heart"
BLESS me-" responded the other
with a sigh, everybody thinks so.
I've met dozen people this morning
who have said precisely the same
thing. No substance, no knowledge,
no heart. But she's pretty, Tom,
you must allow she's pretty, confound-
edly and angelically pretty" He
made the most of this.
pretty exclaimed the other, with
n roar Of contempt. Pretty! Her
poodle is pretty, her maid is prettier;
what has that to do with it? Pretty,
pretty l am ashamed of you, sir.n
"Ah, well, can't blame you, per-
haps. But fancy her, or rather did
before this morning, when everybody
has been pouring into my ears the
imperfections of the little jewel Per-
haps l shouldn't have done it, but the
moonlight was responsible. pro-
posed to her, Tom, in the garden amid
the roses and the Chinese lanterns, on
a rustic. seat. The moon was out in
all its humbugging glory, and l did
act upon the spur of the moment, and
upon my soul wish was out of it."
In point of fact the poor fellow was
convinced before the day was over,
that he had made mess of il, if the
phrase will be pardoned. All the
highly respectable old ladies in town
land there were many, it being the
height of the season), tho ok their pur-
chased curls at the sacrifice of such n
gallant young fellow upon the altar OF
the butterfly, Miss Alice Christabel
Dewey, and all the girls of the place
shifted and muttered, "it serves him
right, the stupid"
Now, be il whispered, this same
butterfly had one standby and firm
champion, in the person of the fiery
sister of the outraged man. She
caught her btother. after dinner, and
entertained that badgered person thus:
"Oh, Charles, Charles" she cried,
apparently about to stifie with sorrow,
ito think you should forget your man.
illness SO much as to regret that you
love. o, that you should have so lit.
tie pluck and independence, that you
should drown the noblest impulse oi
the human heart-affection. Don't
dispute me, sir, | know well enough
what all these silly and empty-headed
people have been telling you about
Alice; I know the envious male and
female mind! Oh, that they should
dare to say that she is nothing but a
doll Nothing but a weak mouse
with no energy, or conscience, or com
mon sense n The adorable sister be
gan to flame, and as q consequence heI
brother began to wish himself far
away, for he had felt her onslaughts
before. "And, sir" she cried, "please
say by what right you believe any
such talk. What have you ever done
to convince her that You are anything
but an addle- pate. You can smoke
you can dance, play billiards and Gro
quet; you can draw your allowance
from the bank, you can recite Byron
and Moore, and can manage picnic
and that is about all you can do. Car
you make speech can you write AZ
article !? do you know how to earn .
single dollar could you keep a GIRL
heart and confidence in adversely ant
sickness ? amt you inclined to be jeal
Gus are you even tempered in fact
are you worth marrying by the cool
of the house 2" Then there was /;
tempest of tears and fierce outer,
of violent sobs, while the person ad
dressed looked somewhat astonished
He got up and slipped out. By Jove
here was revelation gl
| This was rough, you know. Here
fiected upon it for an hour, and begal
to think every word of it true. !
made him miserable. But still h
could not alter his idea about Alice
If he were incompetent and unfit 70
anything it by no means proved tina
i she was the proper person for him t
marry, and in fact it went to prov
that she was just the wrong perso
for his wife. sss..1...gs IS,
In short he determined to break
off. The only evidence of pluck h
ever showed in his life, except ono
when he reduced his number Of cigar
from three to four per diem He ha
not seen Miss Dewey that day. Ratl
er asingular thing for a newly-engage
man, but still such was the melanchol,
or perhaps, lucky case. ssi g
He sought her. He went to h
hotel and sent up his card. Instead ,
Miss Dewey his sister appeared an
e eyed him with sort Of penetration
for which that lady was SO remark
BILE. She told him that Miss d. hs
g sent him her fondest love, but WI
quite unwell and would certainly 81
him tomorrow. He went aws
crasffallan and hinhl, " arcr,;o oi,a Of II