The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-20

An Old Bachelors Story.

An via ItuCnelOT|S StO1N.
| am an old bachelor. At sixty.fvc |
can say that | shall never be anything
else while live; but like all other men
all that have ever met, at least-I
have loved and hoped to be happy with
my chosen bride.
That passion and those hopes faded
forty years ago. Since then | have done
pennancc for the has.y act Of one night
have Stunned the society of women,a and
forbade myself the shadow Of hope that
might patch my tattored hopes with
new ones.
To none who ever knew me have ever
told the tale. | should have been es.
teemed liar, or madman, and no one
willingly accept such reputation. To
you, unknown r"eda", 1-.o i.0i'u 'nc
events of those four ond twenty hours
events which turned my life into its now
well.worn channel and made me the hope
less man | am.
At the age Of twenty-four. | was clerk
in the establishment Of Messrs. Carp q
Cavill, lawyers. had energy and ambi-
tion, health and opportunity-everything
in fact, that could be wished for by
man who hoped to fight his way up in the
world, and win wealth and reputation.
was engaged to a young lady by the
name Of Grace Hunter, a pretty creature,
so quiet that her pet name, Snowflake,
seemed the only suitable one for her. Her
step was noiseless, her movements soft,
and her voice sweet and low. She never
entertained large company by her con.
versation, nor did anything which give a
woman the reputation for briliancy but
her mental powers were very fine, and in
a tete-a-tete she was enchanting. A lady
to the hearts core in nay eyns. NJ lnos.,
perfect beauty, she might yet have been
forgotten by most men in room full Of
giggling, chatting girls
adored her. had felt that her love
was jewel worthy Of an emperor's wear
Ing, and scarcely dared to utter the words
: that told her all felt. Even now her
high bred reserve kept me at little dis.
tance, | was proud Of her. She was al
once the saint whom [ revcred, and the
9 being whom it was to be my delight tC
cherish and protect until death should
e part us.
d Six months had passed since she hat
promised to be mine. At the end of 81,
j months moro she was to give me he
hand. | had small salary, but my
grandmother had left me legacy whicl
was enable us to 60 to housekeeping il
plain but comfortable style, and Grac
was willing to fight lifc's battles by m.
side.
Life seemed bright and joyous to IN
on that night of midwinter, forty years
y ago, when 1 walked through the cit
streets with Grace upon my arm, an
looking down at her in her white wrap
pings, with CLEANS Of frosty starligh
touching her bleck hair, wondered if til
angels were fairer than she was. w
d" were going to spend the evening at a mt
tual friends residence. There was to /
music and dancing, and cards, and ST
ciable supper. went because desire
to 60.
Her sole society at her own house WI
company but was young and light
heart and when | had once entered Il
lighted parlors did not sit silent in II
corner.
.u- talked, sang turned the music f
nd musical ladies'; | walked through Il
lancers. At last found myself firth
'L with one Of the female guests.
There are women man is obliged
firt With. He does not admire, rcspc
or love them one whit he does not ev
desire their society; but he must be mo
than man ere he can refuse TO respond
IL their advances. One of these women
know now, having played the locker.
for so many years, who can make a
man appear to other women desperate
Age in love while he almost detests her,
the woman Of that kind was among the Co
pany. She had hands that delighted
soft touches of hands masculine Ey
that could cast glances bright and
trancing She possessed attraction ra
er than beauty. What she said was no
n I ing, her conversation had no interest
" b | know that ! seemed absorbed with
that really was absorbed fir
''ns abominably with her.
Grace meanwhile. sat apart from 1
She talked to others in her low sw
tones. OOce she sang pretty love so
Quite calm and self-possessed, with
appearance Of noticing my conduct,
thought that it troubled her never ocC
all red to me. SO that when the even
'hN' was over, and We had left the house
gethcr was astonished beyond meas
ar. to see an offended look upon her face,
I,7s to hear an offended tone in her voice
= to offered her my arm, She rejected it,
I plying that the ground was damp,
" that her hands were occuT led with
-- dress but knew that this was me-
an excuse and feeling myself in
civ. wrong, and having swallowed more '
Z the than | should at the supper table, g
40 ,L, 81 very angry,
R s"'' May | ask what have done p