The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-07-24

"Nice fellow solid plenty o
money ; thinks himself sick but h,
isn't ought to be married told hin
so; don't like the idea of courting
marry off some day no doubt evil
you have me? ?" eyes" Over yer,
peculiar old bachelor; but then ole
bachelors are peculiar generally"
The widow was what Yankees call
a mighty smart woman. She had mar
ried at l6, and had never failed tc
have her washing over and all clean
ed up, when other people were hang
ing out theirs. Her bread ALWAYS
rose, her cake was always good, and
her butter was always sweet. At Al
she had married off all her daugh
ters, and was well-to-do, buxom and
happy.
Her son and his wife boarded with
her and she added to her plentiful
savings by taking a summer board.
Ell or two if they happened to offer
"Fifty, and bachelor" said Mrs.
Muntle, looking into the glass.
Well, 1t seems pity, but when old
gentleman marry, it is always some
hity-t girl that leads them terri.
BILE life, and likely its for the best"
Then she looked in the glass
again, for the widow was only a wo.
man after all.
Mr. Patterson came to the widows
and obeyed the DOCTORS prescription
faithfully. He ate, and drank milk,
robbed the orchard like a school.
boy, and declaimed over the straw
berry 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 mad fresh com.
plexion and dimples in his cheeks.
She had savory herb teas, which she
produced when he complained OF
feeling miserable, and she had that
blessing to hypochondriacs, and
homeopathic box and book in the
house.
There were remedies in that box
for everything and it was pleasant
10 find that when there was a crawl.
ing sensation in your flesh, or kind
of uneasy feeling in your legs, there
were dear little globules To be had
just suited for your symptoms that
to find yourself very angry about
nothing, indicated pulsatilla, and
that for even unrequited love there
was a medicine.
For two months and more Mr..
Patterson boarded with Mrs. Mum
tie, and happier months he had new.
er lived through. Then he went
back to the city for few weeks, re-
turned in urgent need of more pellets
from the medicine chest, and stayed
until the last chrysanthemum was
blooming on the withered branches.
He had grown so fond of his little
room, with its white curtains and
fresh, -bleached linen, of the
country good things, and ofthe cosy
nursing of buxom Mrs. Muntle, that
he could scarcely bear the parting
with them altogether.
Alter all, why could not he buy a
house, and get Mrs. Muntle to keep
it for him ? Perhaps she would. He
would offer her large salary, and
she should have plenty of servants.
Then, indeed, he might have friends
dine with him, and be as happy as
possible.
II he could only approach his
hostess showing her as he did 30
that he considered her his equal and
lady, and all that, as she certainly
was-a little countryfied to be sure
only the daughter of a clergyman
and the widow of country doctor.
After much consideration he finally
mustered courage for the effort, and
walking into the front parlor, SEM
the small servant to tell Mrs. Muntle
to step there moment if she pleas
ed.
"Gracious !" thought Mrs. Muntle
"What can he want ?''
Then she blushed brightly, settled
her necktie, took off her apron, and
walked demurely in.
"Be seated, ma'am," said Mr.. Pat
terson. "Please sit here. Allow IN
to sit near you. / have something t.
say to you which may need some
consideration"
"Oh, dear, its coming !" thought
Mrs. Muntle.
81 suppose you know l am a mar
of considerable means, ma am" said
the old bachelor, sable to buy
house, furnish it well, and live in i
comfortably"
$50 Pve understood, Mr.. Patter
son." said the widow.
"And of course it is pleasante
living that way than in bachelors
lodgings, or hotel" said Mr.. Pat
terson.
81 should judge it might be-" sale
Mrs. Muntle, cautiously.
"You judge rightly" said Mr.
Patterson, "but bachelor must b.
in the hands of servants, if he keep
house. A gentleman don't wan
that he W ants lady to superintent
things for him-some one of tas.,
and refinement, and all that. Com
mon people don't understand hi
feelings, and servants are poor de
pendance."
81 know that" said Mrs. Muntle.
"You are almost as much alone a.
am, are you not, Mrs. Muntle :?
said Mr.. Patterson. coaxingly.
"The doctor knew him. He's 90
ing to do it just as he said he woult
if he ever did at ALL" said the lad
to herself. Then aloud she answer
ed:
"Well, sir, | am pretty free it i
true. All my children are married.
81 know moneys is no OBJECT t
you," said Mr.. Patterson. "Yol
have enough. But if were to tel
you hated boarding houses an,
wanted home, l think you woult
have pity on me. | will buy beau
tiful house, and you shall have com
plete control over everything; onl,
to make my strawberry short.cak
10 me all my life."
he paused and looked at the lady
THAT is dellcately put" b
thought. "Nor will you hire out 70
house keeper in that, l fancy"
81 am not romantic though" sal,
Mrs. Muntle "but still we are nc
young, either of us, and it gets to b
just that with the most sentimental
after WHILE"
"Dont refuse me-" pleaded MI