The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-01-17
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BY MATTE DYER BRITs.

old bachelor. Whether bach or
from choice pr necessity history say.
.noty}butiit is asfaot that Bascom
Brown continued from boyhood until
he wns "fair, fat, and fifty" in a state
tf single blessedness, or wretchedness,
DIX yon choose. ''a7.'fr s'
Al be might have continued so
for, vcl had not fate, ip tho shape of
r'co,nely3Iittle widow, overtaken him
This little widow was Mr.. Browns
l"hdlady, and hcr name was Mrs.
Briggs. do not suppose Mr.. Brown
Lad ever road tho famous bit of ad-
vice given to the redoubted "Samivel,
tdvnre Of de vidders."i ,t / ~ r
Bascom Brown had boarded with
Mrs. Briggs for something like five
years, a,apd'io all that time not word of
what had been said respecting the
horrors Of boarding house would up.
Isy to tho home.like esta blishment
Iresid ed over by cozy, comely Mrs.
Briggs. Hor household appo intments
were Of the neatest, her table the
most abundant, and her boardors the
most respectable people ono could
wish t"know.
Mr.. Brown, by virtue Of being the
oldest boorder and having been long
sst in the house, was the privileged
character nnd main standby Of the
little Widows family. He had the
pleusantesttroom, the best seat at the
table orby the parlor fircside, and all
his little personal tastes and comforts
wore looked after by Mrs. Briggs
with the utmost exaotness.
No doubt it was this fact which
prevented in u great degree his feel
ing any need of a home of his own md
somebody to look after him, and
conspircd to keep him q bachelor.
His habits wcro ps regular rs clock
work. his ' ants moderate and readily
gratl6ed. What more could man
dosire2
But not always was no permitted
10 pursue the tenor of bis way. GA
change came DER the epirit of his
drenm,' or rather n change came over
the Briggs esta ablshment which ban.
ished his dreams entirely, and dis,
tnrbed his vi,tuous slumbers beyond
the power even Of patient man to
endure in silence. ......
Mrs. Briggs admitt,d i new boader
Wor than that she put him in tho
very next room to Mr.. Brown; and
worst of all, the young man was musi.
cal, and had n violin.
Now, Lam aware that this fact vii
toll against my hero, nevertheless
must writo it-Mr. Brown was no
musical. e., a.sE, .s.i .r
Good music, if it were tho best, he
could endure bad music was simpl,
torture to him. And this young man
music was tho very worst, for whicl
reason, perhaps, he inflicted it on hi
suffering roighbor ut tho most un
Scasonablo hours.
Go to bed when he would, that VIC
lin was poor Browns aeon 2animcrt
Get up early or late, it WI. .tll H..
s'nc, and if he dropped down lor ii,
nftor dinner KNAPP his dreams wcre
ru'hlcssly scattered by tho terrible
toot, 1oot, queak, speak, of that horri
fiddle, every passage winding up with
an excruciating yoll which would have
been creditablc to tho united choru,
of all the oats in the noighborhood.
Human flesh and blood and nerve!
c"nsd not endure forever. Mr. Brown
concluded at last that one of tho two
things must be--cither that obnoxious
young man and his fiddle must fint
another place or he must. And a
length, IN view Of his long standing il
tho house, he resolved to ask Mrs
Briggs todismiss the new boardor, and
allow him to remain in poace.
This, however, wns delicate I'm,
dertaking. There was nothing in the
world against tho young man but hi,
music, and though Mr.. Brown dooi
ded thero could MT we'll be anything
Norso, ho knew Mrs. Briggs's tcndei
heart would shrink from issuing al
edict against him. His own peace Of
mind and reoosc of body depended
upon the departure Of that unfortu
m'o young man ; 80, one afternoon
summoning up all his resolution
Baso'm Brown took himself and hi
mis-: ion to tho door Of the little
Widows oosv sitting room and knock
cd for admittance.
"A CHEEKY "oome IN" bade him on
tor, and in a moment moro no was 20
ciabSy seated in chair comfortabl
near Mrs. Briggs, much elatcd to fut
her alone and ready to listen.
hope you are we'll today" OBJ
served the plump little matron, will
a'houghtful care for his welfare.
"Yos-ah --quite we'll but some.
what--anxious over little matter
Mrs. Btiggs' ...m
"indecd Is there anything I cal
do uryou2' u.s.,
s'My dear Mrs. Briggs, you aro the
only one can do anything for me !!
exclaimed Mr.. Brown, warmly. ..
The widow blushed and edged he,