The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-02-23

confirmed woman hater. He avoided
boarding in any house where there were
daeghters. and had serious thoughts OF
taking = room and providing for him
self, when he was placed opposite to his
landlady's niece, but the neice proving
only temporary, as Susan Nipper
would say, he staid. He passed by the
windows Of two boarding-s schools, many
times a day, as il he were walking an
invisible tight rope and his philippics
were terrible against those who suffered
their souls to be moved by curtain sig
mails, or the shaking Of handkerchief.
He Is willing to make oath to this day,
that he passed through his four years
in college without speaking to any
woman under fifty.
He invited only Miss Temperance to
his last commencement, and introduced
her to his friend Lenox, with an affec-
tionate solicitude that he should know
at least one woman capable Of a syllo-
gisu,."
"You would take more interest in
me, doubt" said Miss Strong. "if he
had said capable of q bigamy."
ITO be sure" said Lenox, "and so
would Shirley, if he only knew it," and
then that wicked boy went about ask
ing other spirits worse than himself if
they had seen the Vale of Tempe, in
which Bombay Shirley had been
brought up.
There's your little girl in gray
said Lenox to Shirley, at the Presidents
reception on the same day.
Where p said Shirley, deigning
actually to look about him. :" l don't
see her"
"Shes speaking to Miss Strong this
minute. Her gown looks as if it were
woven Of white smoke, and fits as if it
had grown on her"
Il am no judge of muslins," said
The next instant Miss Strong seized
his arm. I've seen q ghost. or some
thing worse" she said. "Don't say
just 60 home with me now.
I've staid long enough
at rains," said Shirley. "You must
wait till eleven. and the carriage will
come for YOU"
I'm neither sugar nor salt, to be
melted by rain ; and I would 60 out on
the thirty ninth day of the deluge, be-
fore I would see that face again."
She marched resolutely back to her
hotel through the sloppy street: and at
intervals through the night he heard
her heavy step, pacing up and down
her room. But in the morning she
presented him the same sturdy old
igurehead to kiss, and gave no word of
Il believe the sight of so many
Eighty girls has made me dizzy. am
actually light-headed," said Miss Tenn
perance when they reached her own
door. IL haven't felt like this since i
had my fever"
IL did not know you ever lad such
a thing said Shirley.
1T was long before ycur time, when
was young" aid NJ Temperance,
q 1--WE at her tea-kettle and
missing it. Her motions were as cratic
as those of the dilapidated cousin"
in BLEAK House; and Shirley was
forced to make the tea himself.
Afterward she fell into heavy sleep.
and Shirley covered her with his travel
ing shawl when he went up stairs for
the night. When he came down to
breakfast she still lay on the sofa,
scowling fearfully in her efforts to sup
press the means which her pain wrung
from her.
"Tell me what to do and I'll do it,
for l havn't the least idea," said Shirley,
hanging over her with the true manly
helplessness.
.rve got stroke, doubt, or maybe
it's only rAeasmatism."
Il had better 60 for the doctor, any
how"
"No, indeed. l hain't so tired of
life as that. nor won't nave any neigh
bors coming in to spy out the land.
There's plenty of cold meat and bread.
You can camp out on that, and shall
be well enough tomorrow"
1t was one more proof to Shirley Of
Strong's character that so soon as she
was i'll she became peevish and exact
ing. Most women can be i'll gracefully
it il their normal condition-but Miss
Temperance knew the thing only by
name.
Shirley half lifted and half dragged
her to her bed-as she would not be
carried. and could not walk. He did
not venture to leave the house, and at
noon his patient thought she could take
some tea and,toast. Shirley had made
tea before, and having made it and
placed the teapot on the hearth out Of
harms way. he addressed himself to
the toast, which, after repeated failures,
was at last a success.
ado you call that cup of tea?" said
Miss Temperance scornfully. ats cold
as a stepmother's breath"
Hot water made it too weak, and an.
49, IL a. L. -