Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-10-10
Without Any COurting.

IhOUSlJ SOj anu ucpTeSScu; Hc Hdl
headaches, and he hated the dusty
streets, in which the summer heat
burnt and the summer sun slone be
fore the green leaves had drapped the
trees, and the squares Of grass mC
westeria vines and potted geraniume
which have come to be so blesssedly
popular in New York, lent its sum
mer's freshness,
What shall | do, dOctor?" he saiC
to the white-headed old physician
"You say nothing ails me, but | cal
tell what my feelings are better thar
YOU can. | know | shall be dow
with something soon. rode in y cal
with half a doXen dirty children the
other day-going to the SMALLPOX hos
pital, | haven't doubt-very red anC
nasty looking all Of en-; and while ]
was buying something in Il store the
other day, 4 horrible old woman beg
ge1 Of me because her husband wa,
'bad with the typhoid No doubt
I've caught both diseases, and it's the
complication that puzzles you. Couldn't
relish my coffee this morning; left my
milk toast untouched Hateful life
that Of a bachelor at Il hotel. Oh
deM e?'
"Why don't You marry then?" said
the doctor.
"They need so much courting," said
Mr.. Patterson. "You spend SIX
months or 50, to the least, dangling at
a woman's apron strings. You must
go to the theatres and the opera il
she's gay, and to church meetings il
she's pious. At fifty man likes his
slippers and his dressing-gown and
his easy chair ofan evening. If it was
just stepping over to the clergyman's
and getting married, putting a ring on
her finger and saying Or nodding Yes
two or three times, why, | wouldn't
mind it, you know"
All, well, courting is the fun Off
all, in my opinion,' said the doctcr
"but every one to his taste And my
advice to you is, go into the country. -
"To another hotel and more mer-
cenary waiter5?' said Mr.. Patterson.
"No," said the doctor, $50 to nice
private house. know one-a moth
crly widow lady, who cooks u dinner
fit for a king. River before the house
woods behind it, orchard to the left,
kitchen garden to the right; no fever
and ague; no mosquitoes, Heaven.
.ly! | am going up there tomorrow,
and I'll see if she'll take YOU
every well, said Mr.. Patterson, II
think I'll try it.
"And you must drink plenty of
milk, and eat plenty of nice home
made Bread SAID the doctor.
Yes will said Patterson, over
.joyed at last hearing so nothing that
sounded like a prescription. "And
would you advise milk ?"
"Quarts Of it every day." said the
doctor.
"l'll make note of it," said Patter-
SON And ifI should be very i'll,
she'll nurse me 2"
"Splendldly," said the doctor, and
went his way.
Mr.. Pat erson thought the matter
over, and thought better Of it every
dly; and when the little note, infor-
ming him that the widow would be
willing to "take him in and do for
him, reached him had his trunk and
port-manteau already packed, and was
already to start that very afternoon.
AS for the widow, the doctor had pre-
pared her for her boarder's peculiari-
ties thus
"Nice fellow; solid: plenty of mon
ey; thinks himself i'll, but isn't; ought
to be married told him 80, but he hat
es the idea Of courting; marry off
hand some day, no doubt; Will you
have me? Yes Call in Clergyman;
over. Very peculiar old bachelor;
but then old bachelors are peculiar
generally"
The widow was what Yankees call
an amazing smart woman. She had
married at sixteen, and had never fail
ed to have her washing over when
other people Were just hanging out
theirs. Her bread always rose, her
cake was always good, and her butter
was always sweet At forty-five she
had married off all her daughters, and
was we'll to do, buxom and happy.
Her son and his wife boarded with
her, and she added to her plentiful saw
ings by taking a summer boarder or