Middletown transcript., 1873-04-05
Select Storp.
An Old Bachelors Story.

! am an old bachelor. At sixty five |
can say shall never b. anything eltN
while live; but, like all other msn--all
| have ever met. at lea.t--I have loved.
and hoped to be happy with my chosen
bride
That passion. and those hopes. faded
forty years ago. Since then have doue
pcnaucc for the has,y act Of Que night;
| have Stunned the society Of women.
and forbade myself the shadow ofa hope
that | might patch my ,a,tered hopes with
new ones.
To none who knew me have ever told
the tale. should have bscn esteemed
liar. or q madman. and no one would will.
ingly accept such a reputation. To you.
unknown reader. dare recite the events
Of those four aud twenty hours--events
which turned my life in;o its now WE'LL
worn channel. and made ne the lonely,
hopeless man | am.
At the age Of twenty -four l was clerk
in the establishment of Messrs. Carp 4
Cavill, lawyers had cnergy aud am
bitior, health aud oppartuniiy-every-
thing. iu fact, that could be wished for by
a man who hoped to fight his way up in
the world. and win wealth aud reputa-
ton
was engaged to a young lady By the
name Of Gracc Hunter. a pretty, delicate
creature, 50 quiet that her pc. name,
Snowflake, seemed the only one suitable
for her Her step was noiseless, be,
movements soft. her voice sweet aud low
She never herself entertained large com
pany by her conversation nor did any Of
those things .ha, give a woman the repu-
,a,on for brilliaucy but her mental po =
ers we're very fne. aud in a 'et a-t,ie she
was enchanting A lady TO the hearts
core. in my eyes at least, "A perfect beauty,
she nigh, yet have been forgotten by
most men in room full Of gigsliug chat
ting girls
adotej her had felt that her love
was a je~cl worthy Of m emperor's wear.
ing. aud scarcely dotcd 10 utter the
words that told her all felt Even now
her high bred reserve kept me ut LITTLE
distance | was proud Vi her felt
unworthy of her Sh was at once the
>aiu, whom rcyerctl .ana the being whom
/, was to be my delight To cherish aud
protcc, until death should part US
Six months had passed since she had
promised u be mine AT the end of six
more she was to give me hsr hand
had a small salary. bur my grandmother
had left me legacy which would enable
u 70 % 10 han.ekt epiu. in plan, but
comfortable style. and Grace was willing
10 fight lfe,s battles by ny side
Life seemed brigh, ard Joyous to me
on that nisl.t Of niiwin,er. forty years
ago when | walked through the cit,
streets with Grace upon my arm. aud
looking down Mt her in her white wrap.
pngs. with eienms Of frosty starlight
touching her black hair. wondering il the
angels were iairer than she was
Va were going 10 spend the evening a,
a mutual friends residence There wns
to be music and dancing. ind cards, and
sociable supper wen, because Grace
desired to 90
Her sole society at her own house was
more delightful TO me than any other
company but was Young and light OF
heart. aud when | bad nnce entered the
lighted parlor. | did not ST silent in the
coruer.
talked sang; ,nrnei the music
for musical ladies. | w4iAed through the
Lancier.. At last found myself fir.ing
VI one Of the female guests
Thsre are women a man is obliged ID
| firt with. lie does not simire them. re.
! spect them or Iowa them one whit; he
does not even desire their society hu, hs
must be more than man ere h. can refuse
10 respond to their advances One Q,
these women | know now. having played
/ the looker-ou for 81 many years. can make
any man appear 10 other women desper.
a,ely in love with her, Wills he almos,
detcs,s her A woman uf tina, kind VA.
among the company. She had hands thai
delighted IN sott touches Of hands mascu
line eyes that could cas-, glances brieh
aud entrancing. She possessed attraction
rather than beauty. What she said wa,
nothing her conversation had no inter
est, but knew that | seemed ab.orbed
with her-tha, l really was absorbed i,
two words, that firted abominably Will
her.
Grace. meanwhile. sat apar, from me
She talked 10 others in ier low, swce
tones. Once she saug pretty love song
Quite calm and self-posses.cd. With u,
appearance Of noticing my conduct. tn,
thought that il troubled her never occur
red to me. So that When the evening
was over. and We bad left the house 10
gether. was astonished beyond measur'
to see an offended look upon her face. ant
to hear an offended tone in her voice.
offered her my arm. She rejected il, re
plying that the ground was damp, am
that her hands were occupied with he
d1css but ! knew that this was ,nerel,
an excuse and feeling myself in tn
wrong, and having swallowed more win
than | should at the supper-table. l grev
very angry.
..Mny ask what have done I"
said.