The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-08-08
WITHOUT ANY ooURTING.

WITHOUT ANY OOURTING.
Peter Patterson was i'll, at least he
thought so, and depressed; he had
headaches, and he hated the dusty
street, in which the summer heat burnt
and summer shone before the green
leaves had draped the trees, and the
squares of grass and western vines had
plotted geraniums which have come to
be 50 blessedly popular in New York,
lent It's summers freshness.
q" What shall L do, doctor ?" he said
to the white-headed old physician.
You say nothing ails me, but I can
tell what my feelings are better than
you can. I know I shall be down with
something soon. I rode in car with
half dozen dirty children, the other
day, going to the smallpox hospital, l
haven't a doubt, very red and nasty
looking, all of 'em and while I was
buying something in store the other
day, a horrid old woman begged of me
because her husband was sick with
typhoid fever. No doubt I've caught
both diseases, and it is the compIica-
ton that puzzles you. Couldn't relish
my coffee this morning, left my milk
toast untouched. Hateful life, that of
a bachelor at hotel. O dear me -
"Why don't you marry, then?" said
the doctor.
''They need so much cOurting,
said Mr.. Patterson. "You spend six
months or so, at least, dangling at
woman's apron strings. You must go
to the theatre and opera if she is gay,
and to church meeting if she is pious.
At fifty, man likes his slippers and
dressing gown and easy chair of an eve
ming. If it was just stepping over to
the clergyman's and getting married,
put a ring on her finger and saying or
nodding yes two or three times, why
[ wouldn't mind it, you know"
''Ah well, counting is the fun of it
all in my opinion, said the old doctor,
9 but every one to his taste. And my
advice to you is to go into the coun-
try"
''To another hotel and more merce-
nary walters, said Mr.. Patterson.
''No, " said the doctor, " go to a nice
private home. I know one, a motherly
widow lady who cooks dinner fit for a
king. River before the house, woods
behind it, orchard to the left, kitchen
garden to the right no fever and ague :;
no musquetoes. Heavenly I am 60
ing up there tomorrow, and I'll see if
she'll take you"
every well, " said Mr.. Patterson, 81
think I'd try it.
"And you must drink plenty of milk,
and eat plenty Of nice homemade
bread, said the doctor.
"Yes I will" said Patterson, over
ioyed at last at hearing something that
sounded like a prescription. "And
you would advise milk ?''
"Quart of it every day." said the
doctor.
"Tu take a note of it, ," said Patter-
son. And if I should be very i'll she'll
nurse me ?"
SpIendedIy," said the doctor, and
went his way.
Mr.. Patterson thought the matter
over, and thought better of it every day,
and when the little note informing him
that the widow would be willing to
take him in aad do for him reached
him, he had his trunk and portmanteau
already packed, and was already to
start that afternoon. As for the widow,
the doctor has prepared her for her
boarder's pecularities thus:
g Nice fellow; solid; plenty of mo-
ney; thinks himself i'll, but isn't:
ought to be married; told him so. but
he hates the idea of courting; marry
off some day, no doubt; Will you
have me? Yes Call in clergyman.
Over. Very peculiar old bachelor
but then old bachelors are peculiar gen
orally"
The widow was what Yankees call an
amazingly smart woman. She had
married at sixteen, and had never
] failed to have washing over when other
/ people were hanging out theirs. Her
bread always rose, her cakes was always
good, and her butter was always sweet.
At fOrty-fve she had married off all her
daughters, and was weII-to-do, buxom
and happy.
Her son and his wife boarded with
her, and she added to her plentiful
savings by taking a boarder or two, il
they happened to offer.
Fifty and a bachelor" said Mrs.
Muntle, looking in the glass. "Wen
it seems a pity but then, when elderly
gentlemen marry, it Is generally some
hity-tity girl that leads them a ter
rible life, and likely it's for the best. .