The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-07-11
50 GER.o

| am q confirmed bachelor. / have
managed to steer clear of Charybdis for
tifty-eight years, and it is not likely that
L shall now be swamped unawares. Talk
to me of the putty, the divinity, the
unseltishness of women, and answer that
woman is exaggerated man, with all his
weaknesses and follies, and without his
stability and usefulness. Do l not
know that, if | attempt n conversation
with woman, either she knows nothing
at all on the subject in hand, or knowing
little, is inconsistent and bigoted.
l hate impulse and is not woman the
acme of impulse? Why should L give
up my pleasant life, my evenings at the
whist-table in the "U. S." my cosy
dinner, ETC., in order to live with an indi-
vidual who, if she agrees with me, only
does SO out of obedience, or, if she dis
agrees with me, does so out of mere per-
versity? The whole aim of woman's
life is to be married well and, this &C.
cOmplished, she loses the few attrac-
tions she possessed, and becomes a
nuisance and an incumbrance.
Duty to society? Fiddlesticks What
good will it do to society if / sacrifice
IL Stll, illiNA DtBCb IL iIIDt VI lllllt DCSlS,
who will worry me until they come of
age, and everybody else afterwards ?
Pardon me for this TRADE, but friend
has just been " badgering" me, rs he
calls it, and 50 I relieve my feelings in
this way. By-the-by, had one narrow
escape, and l should like to relate it as
a warming to others of my much-perse-
cuted brethren. | may as well mention
that | have a comfortable little amount
in the Three-per- cent, which has con-
siderably added to my trials and difficult
ties. At present all my friends, know
ing my tastes, take care never to invite
me TO their houses when there are ladies
staying at the same time. Hence never
maze inquiries, but when receive an
invitation, take it for granted that it is
to be bachelor party.
1t is nearly twenty years ago since the
awful affair happened which you shall
now hear about. One autumn L re-
ceived my usual invitation to spend a
month with Enfield Marston, of Marston
House, Bucks. AS usual, / accepted,
and in due time made my appearance
Imagine my horror and just indignation
on finding at dinner that there were two
ladies staying in the house. Young ones,
too / could scarcely eat my dinner
which | remember was superb-so angry
was L with Marston, and so perplexed as
to my future course.
The one who sat opposite was true
modern" girl in all her dreadful para
phernalia. / trembled as / remarked
the fold upon fold of gauzy, fimsy stuff
which foated around her for knew
full well that never is the enemy" more
dangerous than when shrouded in such
clouds. / saw with fear and dread that
the creature was more than ordinarily
beautiful, and began to have horrid Wis
ions of impervious commands which
should upset all the men who invariably
encourage these petty tyrants by obey
ing them. Conceive my terror when my
6ete nOire glanced kindly on me, and
actually addressed me From that mo-
ment | knew that all was lost. In vain
applied myself to the various dishes,
or tasted critically the fine wines of our
host. 1t was of no use there was no
more enjoyment for me that evening all
pleasure was banished by the oft-recur-
ring vision of that awful parsonage who
dared TO speak to me at dinner. and 70
smile at me in such a bold. forward
manner. Before we joined the ladies' |
button-holed Marston and told him that
/ should have TO leave him the next
morning, owing 10 an important business
matter, for which j had omitted to ar
range. With the inconsistency of men.
he would hear of no excuse. | was
obliged to yield, fearing that he would
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