Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-09-06
WI7YIO OUT Any COUR7ING.

Peter Patterson was ill-at least he
thought so, and was depressed he had
headaches, and so hated the dusty street,
in which the summer heat burnt and
the summer sun shone before the green
leaves had draped the streets, and the
squares of grass and wistcria vines and
plotted geraniums which have come to
be so blessedly popular in New York,
lent it's summers freshness. {.
"What shall do, doctor he said
to the white-headed old physician.
"You say nothing ails me, but can
tell what my feelings are better than
you can. 1 know l shall be down with
something soon. 1 rode in Il car with IL
dozen dirty children, the other day
going tothe smallpox hospital, haven't
doubt-very red and nasty looking, all
of EN-; and while L was buying some
thing in Il store the other day, a horrible
old woman begged of me because her
husband was sick with typhoid fever.
No doubt 1 have caught both diseases,
and it's the complication that puzzles
you. Couldn't relish my coffee this
morning; left my milk toast untouched.
Hateful life, that of Il bachelor at IL
hotel. Oh, dear me p
"Why don't you marry, then?" said
the doctor.
"They need SO much courting," said
IT, Do -
or so, at least, dangling at a woman's
apron strings. You must go to theater
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 evening. If it was
just stepping over to the clergyman's
and getting married, put ring on her
finger and saying or nodding yes, two
or three times, why l wouldn't mind it,
you know"
"Ah, WELL counting is the fun of it
all, in my opinion" said the old doctor,
: "but every one to his taste. And my
advice to you is to go into the country" !"
"To another hotel and more mercc-
nary walters ?" said Mr.. Patterson.
"No," said the doctor; "go to nice
private home. 1 know one-a motherly
widow lady who cooks dinner fit for u
king. River before the house, woods
behind it, orchard to the left, kitchen
garden to the right; no fever and ague !;
no mosquitoes. Heavenly lam going
up there tomorrow, and I'll see if she'll
take YOU"
every well," said Mr.. Patterson, II
think I'd try it."
"And you must drink plenty of milk,
and eat plenty of nice homemade
bread" said the doctor.
"Yes, 1 will," said Patterson, over
joyed at last at hearing something that
sounded like prescription. "And you
would advise milk"
"Quart every day." said the doctor.
"And if 1 should be very ill she'll
nurse me %
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 and do for him" reached
him, he had his trunk and portmanteau
already packed, and was ready to start
that afternoon. AS for the widow, the
doctor had prepared her for her boarder's
peculiaritles thus:
"Nice fellow; solid plenty of money
thinks himself i'll, but isn't; ought to
be married told him so, but he hates
the idea of courting; marry him of
some day, no doubt: "Will you hav,
me? Yes Call in clergyman. Over
Very peculiar old bachelor but thel
Old bachelors are peculiar generally"
The widow was what Yankees call al
amazingly smart woman. She had mar
ried at sixteen, and had never failed tC
have washing over before other peopl,
were hanging out theirs. Her breat
always rose, her cake was always good
and her butter was always sweet. A
forty-fve she had married off all he