Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-04-20
THE BACHELORS DILEMMA.

AND don't you know when you will pass
Mr.. Verley?'
"No, DON'T" said the old bachelor, de-
cidedly
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 into deep carmine on her
rosy cheeks, until her muslin dress was
plain in comparison. Such pretty, big
eyed, loving little Barbara as she was, in
all the blonde freshness of her eighteen
summers, and the soft sigh that fluttered
from her lips as the one-horse carriage
drove away, was checked instantly. Bar
bara had no idea of becoming a victim of
unrequited love, though she had rather
fancied Mr.. Verley during his brief So
journ at her fathers house.
MI. Verley drove away through the
rustling green draperies of the summer
lanes, whistling sadly as he drove.
shall be in very good time for the
IL 30 train,' he meditated to himself
Punctuality is the soul of business, and
l never was one of the behind hand tribe,
thank Providence. Besides, I think it
was becoming dangerous to remain in that
place any longer. l am thirty nine to-
morrow, and that is just twenty years too
old for me to go making fool Of myself
Fancy me getting married! Noyou don't,
Joseph Verley, my friend"
As he settled himself comfortably in the
crowded railway car, and opened the let
ter, the subject again occurred to his mind
with curious persistence.
"The letter of my poor brothers execu-
tor came just in time, or should certain
ly have fooled away more time than would
have been sensible or profitable. Poor dear
Harold; don't see what on earth pos.
sessed 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 daughter? l
never did understand a woman's ways,
and what's more, l don't want to. I am
to meet her at Speedville, and take her
home with me. "OT groaned Mr.. Yer
ley, referring despairingly to his letter.
"And what I'm going to do with her when
get there, I'd like to know! I suppose
she's great creature, with ringlets and
ribbons, and just as likely as not an Italian
lover talking sentiment to her-a creature
that reads Byron and keeps an album,
and eats slate pencils and chalk. I'll send
her to boarding school-that's what I'll
do with my niece-and perhaps, when she
has graduated there, the schoolmaster can
suggest some means of getting rid of her.
OF course, she'll have dezen large trunks,
and bonnet box and parrots cage !;
that's the way women generally travel, 1
believe. am glad l am out of the way of
Barbaras destinations now"
Mr.. Verley looked out of the car win
dow, in sort of calm desperation at the
prospect before him.
"I suppose she'll want a piano, and
may be poodle dog and there's no know
ing what else. 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
twenty-seven hundred miles; that's what
wish"
And with this vindictive sentiment in
his mind, our hero tied a red silk handker.
chief over his head, and tried to lose him.
self in a'series of brief, troubled dreams
wherein the vision of tall, nice youne
lady figured conspicuously
Are we here already?" he stammered
starting to his feet, as the conductor bawled
out, Speedville Station!" and seizing um
brella, valise and travelling shawl, with the
bustling bewilderment peculiar to people
just aroused from sleep, he alighted.
Speedville was rather large-sized vii
lage, situated at the junction of severa
railways, with an imposing American
Gothic structure for depot. Into thu
building Mr.. Vefley walked, looked righ
and left Tor the young lady whose guard
lanship he was to assume
OF course" he responded mentally
she'll be on the lookout for me; women
are proverbially curious"
But Harold Verley's daughter was no
on the lookout for her uncle. When tn,
crowd incident to the evening train hat
subslded, and the people had gone theil
different ways, the only remaining oc
cupants OF the depot were Mr.. Verley,
lame old man who sold peanuts and apples
and decent looking colored woman, will
bright Madras turban on her head, who
took care of the building. Neither O
these could be his niece, so Mr. Verley
after little perplexed hesitation. ad
dressed himself to the colored woman
who was busily polishing the window
with piece of crumbled newspaper.
Ahem! l was to meet my niece her
to-day, and don't see her."
Your niece, sir !? what is her name?''
"Verley"
Oh! yes, sir; she has been here thes
two hours, bless her dear heart; she i
asleep now" "a
Asleepp gasped Mr.. Verley; but tn
steWardess only answered him by bust
ling into the inner apartment and bringin
out what appeared to be compact bundl
with pink face at one end of it, and
mass OF long, trailing embroidery at tn
other.
Joseph Ver1ey recoiIed as far as th
angle of the door would permit him.
Why-it's baby!''
To be sure it is, sir" said the woman
"and as fine little girl as ever saw
bless her sweet blue eyes"
But isn't there nurse or some sue
person here, who would take charge
hers"
There was nurse brought her on, 81
queer, foreign looking thing, with a We
low skin and hair as black as night, an
gold hoops In her ears; but she talked ar
talked, something about the next steam,
II couldn't understand her lingo, sir
and went right back to New York on Il
two o'clock train.'' s
Joseph Verley stood aghast, staring
the rosy baby as it lay Growing in 81
Womans arms, and wondering which
his lucky stars he should call on to a
him in this unlooked-for emergency.
full-groWn young lady niece would ha'
been bad enough-but baby!
So this is my niece" he muttere
And what am going to do with her
- USAhOo W bu6 WOUla
What time does the next train for Wi
field leave ?"
In an hour, sir"
Would you be kind enough to tai
care of the child till then? l suppose
must take it home with me; for 1 cal
very well drown it, or throw it under tt
car wheelg"
'Sir," calculated the astonished ste
ardess.
But Mr.. Verley turned on his heels al
strobe out of the depot, scarcely able
first to comprehend the disaster that h
befallen him
The train was at the depot when he l
turned, and the woman awaited him wi
the sleeping infant in her arms.
Asleep, eh?'' commented Mr. Verle
well, that's lucky"
Where's the nurse, sir?" inquired tt
woman
The nurse? What nurse ?''
Why, l suppose you went to get