Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-06-26
THE BACHELORS DILEMMA.

"And don't you know when you will
pass through this part Of the country again.
Mr.. Verley =
"No. don't" said the old bachelor
decidedly.
lie was something Of a bear to answer
so crus,ily, when Barbara Smith stood in
the doorway with the shadcwy lashes droop-
ing over the sol, brown eyes. and the ro-
ses deepening into deep carnine on her
rosy checks. until her dress was plain in
comparison. Such pretty, big-eyed low
ing liitle Barbara as she was, in all the
blonde freshness of her eighteen Summers,
and the soft sigh that futtcrcd from her
| lips as the ohe-herse carriage drove away,
was checked instantly. Barbara had no
idea of becoming a victim of unrcquited
love, though she fancicd Mr.. VcrIey du-
ring his brief stay at her fathers house.
Mr.. Eeiley drove away through the
rus;!ing green drapcries of the Summer
lanes. whiStling sadly as he drove.
i shall be in very good time for the
l.. 50 train he mediiatel 10 hirsclf.-
'Punc;uality is The soul cf happiness. and
i
Providence Besides. | think it was be-
coming dangerous 70 remain in that place
any longer; for am thirty-nine to-mor-
row. aud that is JUS; twenty years too old
for me to 60 making fool of myself
Fancy me getting married No you
don't Joseph Verley. my friend 7
As he settled himself comfortably in the
crowded railway car, and opened letter.
tho subject again occurred to his mind with
curious persistence.
The letter Of my poor brothers cxecu-
tor came just in time. or | should certain
ly -hayc fooled away more time than would
have been sensible. or at least profitable. ;
Poor. dear Harold I don't see what
on earth possessed him to fall sick aud die
on the way home from Venice, and leave
his daughter? | never did understand n
wcman's ways, and what's moro | don't
want to. am to meet her at Speedyille
aud take her home with me. Oh =
groaned Mr.. ver!vy, dcspairingly. .wha,
am | to do With her there. I'd like to know
| suppose she's great creature with ring
lets and ribbons. and has, just like as not
an. italian lover. talking sentiment to her
"a creature that reads Byron. and keeps
an album and eats slate peucils and chalk
Ill send her to boarding school-that'.
what I'll do with my niece. Perhaps when
she has graduated there. the school mas
ter can suggest some means CT getting rid
Of her. OF course she1l have dozen
large trunks. aud bounet box, aud par.
ro, cage; that's the way women travel,
believe. I'm glad am out of the way oil
Barbara's fascinatious now
Mr.. ycrley looked out Of the car wind
ow. in a sort of a calm desperation at the
prospect before him.
Il suppose she'll want riano and a
poodle dog, aud there's no knowing wha,
else. do not see why Harold wanted tc
die and leave his daughter to my care just
now. Speedville station. twen,y-scveu
miles farther; I wish il was twenty. SC ven
hundred miles. that's what wish
Aud with \ viadictive statement in his
mind our hero tied red hsnd kerebief over
his hcad. and tried to lose himself in Sc
triss Of brief. troublesome dreams, where.
in the vision Of tall, nice young lady fig.
used eonsricuouSly. I'D
Are We here already 2 be stammercd
starting ts his feet. as the cond uc,er groxl.
led oat .Speedville station = aud seixir .
vaiisc and travelling shawl, with the bust.
! ling bewllaerment peculiar to people jusl
aroused fron sleep. he alighted.
Spesdyille was rather a large .si.cd vii.
lage. situated at the junction Of scvera
railways. Will, an imposing Americas
So,Lic structure fer asaspot. Iato III.
suilding Mr. Verley wslked. hooking rirhl
land left for the young lady whose guar
lialanship be was to assume.
sOfeoarse,' he responded mentally. .sh,
twill be cu the lookout for n,e, women Or,
lproverbially curious. '''.sa .
But Harold ferley's daughter was no.
On the leekoat fer her uncle. When m,
crowd iuc;deut TO The evening train has
! sabsidcd. and the people bad goue ,hei,
= dafsicns ways. the only remaining oecu
y pants.o OF .he de3os were Mr.. Terley,
lame cd msn who sold peanuts aad an
pics, and = decent co,ored woman with ,
bright Madrss sarban on her head, ,uh,
teck care Of the building. Isrlcy, asscl
a n aernl,,xsxf h.sxssstscs, ~.llrn.-..sf h,.....t