Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-07-04
A Bachelors Dilemma.

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pass through this part of the country
again, Mr.. Verley?"
"No, DON'T" said the old bachelor,
decidedly.
He was something of bear to an
swere so crustily, when Barbara Smith
stood in the doorway, with shadOwy
lashes dropping over the soft blue eyes,
and the roses melting into carmine on
rosy cheeks, until her dress was plain
in comparison. Such pretty, big-eyed
lovely little Barbara as she was, in all
the blonde freshness of her eighteen
Summers. And the soft sigh that hut-
tered from her lips as the one-horse car
riage drove away was instantly check
ed. Barbara had no idea of becoming
u victim of unrequited love, though
she rather fancied Mr.. Verley during
his brief sojourn at her fathers house.
Mr.. Verley drove away through the
rustling green draperies of the Sum
mer lanes whistling as he drove.
&c I shall be in very good time for the
l2:3O train," he meditated. "Punctu-
ality is the soul of happiness, and nev-
er was one of the behind-hand tribe
thank Providence. Besides, think it
was becoming dangerous to remain in
that place any longer. I am thirty
nine tomorrow, and that is just twen-
ty years too old for me to go making
a fool of myself. Fancy me getting
married! No you don't, Joseph Verley,
my friend"
As he seated himself comfortably in
the crowded railway car and opened
the letter, the subject again occurred to
his mind with courteous persistency.
"The letter of my poor brothers exc
cutor came just in time, or should have
fooled away more time than would have
been sensible or profitable. Poor, dear
Harold; l 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 meyer did understand a
woman's ways, and what's more l don It
want to. l am to meet her in Speed
vile and take her home with me-"
"Oh!" groaned Mr.. Verley, referring
despairingly to his letter. "And what
am going to do with her when get
her there, I'd like to know; l suppose
she's great creature with ringlets and
ribbons, and just as like as not an Ital-
ian lover talking sentiments to her-a
creature that reads Byron and keeps an
album, and slate and pencil and chalk.
I'll send her to boarding school-that's
what I'll do with my niece-and when
she has graduated there, the schOol-mas-
ter can suggest some means of getting
rid of her. Of course she'll have a
dozen trunks, and 4 bonnet box and a
parrots cage, that's the way the wo-
men always travel, 1 believe. I am
glad am out of the way of Barbara's
fascInations now"
Mr.. Verley looked out of the window
in sort of calm desperation at the
prospect before him.
"I suppose she'll want piano, and
may be poodle dog, and there's no
knowing what else. l don't see why
Harold wanted to die and leave his
daughter for my care, just now. Speed
vile acknowledgment miles fur
ther. wish it was twenty-seven hun
dred miles further. that's what wish" ="
And with this vindictive sentiment in
his mind, our hero tied red handker-
chief over his head, and tried to loose
himself in series of brief, trouble
some dreams wherein the vision of a
tall, nice young lady figured conspic-
uously. ...-...
care we here already" he stammered'
starting to his feet, as the conductor
howled out "Speedville Stationr' and
seizing valise and shawl, with the bu St
ling bewilderment peculiar to people
just reused from sleep, he alighted.
Speedville was very large sized vii
lage, situated at the junction of several
railroads, with an imposing American
gothic structure for a depot. Into the
building Mr.. Vefley walked. looking
right and left for the young lady whose
guardianship he was to assume.
"Of course" he observed mentally,
"she'll be on the lookout for me-wo-
men are proverbially curious"
But Harold Verley's daughter was
not on the lookout for her uncle. When
the crowd incident to the evening train
had subsidized, and people had gone their
different ways, the only remaining oc-
cupants of the depot were Mr.. Verley,
a lame old man who sold peanuts and
apples, and a decent looking colored
woman with bright Madras turban on
her head, who took care of the build
ing. Neither of these could be his
niece, so Mr.. Verley, after perplexed
hesitation, addressed himself to the
colored woman, who was busily polish
ing the windows with a piece of crum-
pied newspaper.
"Ahem! was to meet my niece here
and don't see her.
"YOur niece, sir, what was her
name? 2"
"Verley."
"Oh! yes sir, she has been here two
hours; bless her heart, she is asleep
now."
"Asleep!" gasped Mr.. Verely; but
the stewardess answered him by bust
ling into the inner department and
bringing what appeared to be a COM
pact bundle, with pink face at one
end, and mass of trailing embroidery
at the other.
Joseph Verely recoiled as far as the
angle of the door would permit.
Why--it's babyr'
"To be sure it is" said the woman,
land as fine u girl as l ever saw, bless