The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-09-05
daughters, and was well-to-do, buxom


if they happened to offer.
FIFTY and a bachelor" said Mrs.
Muntle, looking in the glass. "Well,
it seems pity, but then when elderly
gentlemen marry it is generally some
hity-tity girl that leads them terrible
life, and likely it's for the best"
Then she looked at the glass again,
for the widow was but woman after
all. .- .1.... i....
Mr.. Patterson came to the widows,
and obeyed the doctors prescription
faithfully. He ate bread and drank
milk, robbed the orchards like school
boy, and declaimed over the strawberry
short-cake after fashion that would
have made his reputation at the bar.
Then, too, Mrs. Muntle did not smile at
his aches and pains, and insist that he
must be perpetually well because he had
a fresh complexion and dimples in his
cheeks. She had savery herb teas and
potions, which she produced when he
complained of being miserable, and she
had that blessing to hypochondriacs-a
homeopathic box and book in the house.
There were remedies in that box for
everything; and it was pleasant to find
that when there was a crawling sensa-
ton in your flesh, or kind of uneasy
feeling in your legs, there were dear
little globules to be had just suited to
the symptoms; that to find yourself
very angry about nothing indicated pull
satilla, and that even for unrequited
love there was a medicine.
For two months and more Mr.. Pat
terson boarded with Mrs. Muntle, and
happier; months he had never lived
through. Then he went back to the
city for a few weeks, returned in urgent
need of more pellets from the medicine
chest, and stayed until the last pink
chrysanthemum was blooming ON its
withered branches. -
He had grown so fond of his little
room, with its white curtains and fresh,
grass -bleached linen, of the country
good things, and of the cosy nursing of
bu1om, Mrs. Muntle, that he could
scarcely bear the thought of parting
with them altogether. IL ttf
After all, why could not he buy a
house and try to get Mrs. Muntle to
keep it for him? Perhaps she would.
He would offer her a high salary, and
she would have plenty of servants.
Then, indeed, he might have friends
dine with him, and be as happy as pos
sible.
If only he could approach bis hostess;
showing her as he did 80 that he con-
sidered her his equal, and lady, and
all that, as she certainly was-a little
countryfed, of course, but a clergyman s
daughter and the widow of a country
doctor.
After much consideration he finally
mustered courage for the effort, and
walked into the front parlor, sent the
small servant to ask Mrs. Muntle to
stop there for moment if she pleased.
"Graciousl" thonght Mrs. Muntle,
"What can he want?" rs
Then she blushed brightly, settled
her neck-tie, took off her apron and
walked demurely in.
"Be seated man," said Mr.. Patter-
son. "Please to sit here. Allow me to
sit near you. I have something to say
which may require some consideration. y
"Oh, dear, its comingl" said Mrs.
Muntle.
at suppose you know I'm man OF
considerable means, man," said the
old bachelor, table to buy nice house,
furnish it well, and live in it comfort
ably"
$50 I've understood, Mr.. Patterson, >
said the widow.
"And of course it is plesanter to live
that way than in bachelors lodgings OF
at hotel" said Mr.. Patterson.
"I should judge it would be-" said
Mrs. Muntle cautiously.
"You Judge rightly" said Mr.. Pat.
terson, "but you know bachelor must
be in the hands of servants if he keeps
house. A gentleman don't want that
he wants a lady to superintend things
for him-some one of taste and refine.
ment, and all that. Common people
don't understand his feelings, and mer-
cenary servants are poor dependence.
"I know that" said Mrs. Muntle.
| "You are almost as much alone as |,
aren't You, Mrs. Muntle9" said Mr.
Patterson, ooaxingly. FIJI
"The doctor knew him. He's going
to do it, Just as he said he would if he
ever did" said the lady to herself
Aloud she answered. T. :
"Well, sir, I am pretty free. it is true
All my children are married"
81 know money would be no Object
to you," said Mr.. Patterson. "You
have enough. But If l were to tell you
that i hated boarding houses, and want.
ed home, think you would have pity
on me. I'll buy beautiful house, and
you shall have complete control ovel
everything; only to mnke my strawber
ry shortcake for me all my life.o
He paused and looked at the lady.
"That is delicately put" he thcught
"Nor viii you hire out for housekeep'
er in that, ] fancy"