Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-05-30
Gclcttc0 AlisteIIallD.
A BACHELORS STORY.

L am an old bachelor. AL SlXty-hVe
can say | shall never be anything else +;
but, like all other mcn--all 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
penance for the hasty act of one night
I have stunned the society of women,
and forbade myself the shadow of hope
that l might patch my shattered joys
with new ones.
To none who knew me have | ever
told the tale. I would have been esteem
ed liar, or mailman, and no one would
willingly accept such reputation. To
you, unknown reader, dare reclte the
events of those four and twenty hours
events which turned my life into its now
well-worn channel, and made me the
lonely, hopeless man | am.
At the age of twenty-four, I was a
clerk in the establishment of Messrs.
Carp & Cavil, lawyers. / had energy
and ambition, 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 young lady by the
name of Grace Hunter, pretty, delicate
creature, so quiet that her pet name
Snowflake, seemed to be the only one
suitable for her. Her step was noiselcss,
her movements soft, her voice sweet and
low. She never herself entertained a
large company by her conversation, nor
did any Of those things that give wo-
man reputation for brilliancy; but her
mental powers were very fine, and in a
tetc-a-tcte she was enchanting. A lady
to the hearts core, in my eyes at least. a
perfect beauty, she might yet have been
forgotten by most men in room full of
giggling, chattering 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 a dis
lance; was proud Of her. | felt un-
worthy of her She was the saint whom
I rovcred, and the being whom it was to
be my delight to cherish and protect I'M
til death should part us.
Six months had passed since she had
promised to be mine. At the end of six
more she was to give me her hand. ]
had small salary, but my grandma
ther had left me legacy which would
enable me to go to housekeeping in plain
but comfortable style, and Grace was
willing to fight life's battles by my side.
Life seemed bright and joyous to me
on that night of midwintcr, forty years
ago, when | walked through the streets
Of the city with Grace upon my arm,
and looking down at her in her white
wrappihgs, with CLEANS Of frosty star
light touching her black hair wondered
if the angels were fairer than she.
We were going to spend the evening
at a mutual friends residence There
was to be music, and cards, and a soeia-
BILE supper. | went because Grace de-
sired to 90.
Her sole society, at her own home, was
more delightful to me than other compa-
ny; but | was young and light of heart,
and when | bad once entered the lighted
parlors / did not sit very silent in the
corner
/ talked, | sang; ] turned the music
for musical ladies' walked through the
Lancicrs. AT last 1 found myself frt-
ing with one Of the guests.
There are women man is obliged to
firt with. lie does not admire them,
respect them, or love them one whit; he
does not even desire their society; but
he must be more than man ere he can
refuse to respond to their advances. One
of these women | know now, having play
ed the looker-on for 50 many years, can
make any man appear to other women
desperately in love with her while he al
most detests her A woman of that kind
was among the company. She had hands
that delighted in soft touches of hands
masculine; eyes that could cast glance
bright and enhancing. She possessed
attraction rather than beauty What
she said was nothing; her conversation
| had no interest, but knew that | seem
cd absorbed by her-that really was
absorbed in two words, that | firted
abominably with her.
| Grace, meanwhile, sat apart from me.
She talked to others in her sweet tones.
Once she sang pretty love song. Quite
calm and self-possessed, with no appear
ance of noticing my conduct, the thought
that troubled her never occurred to me.
So that when the evening was over. and