Smyrna times., 1873-09-17
.MiSceILU ID e o IL s.
A Little Mistake.

"Why don't l marry? Not because have
any dislike to w0manhood; far from it.
How about the little Rose? several voices
cried in chorus, but our host instantly replied,
: Hush I" 1t was Il sore point with him.
| have mentioned our host, and now let me
introduce him. He was a man Of powerful
build. fair. with a pIofusion of whiSkers; with
beard and moustache, but soft, light eyes,
which had nothing in them of his character,
reckless and jovial. His words given above,
sprang from some banter of ours (there were
half dozen of us who had sat after the late
dinner in the largest room OF the smallest but
'snuggest' shooting box The whole county OF
Yorkshire coutained) upon his apparent dislike
of the gentle SEX Perhaps we ielt curious to
know why or how it was that man with an
unlncumbered estate, congenlal temper, and
a good country gentleman, albeit on the verge
of forty, should not long ago have leen-what
shall | say? Ia love? no, that Is not always
the case, but-marrled.
Few of US, it may be, thought, though we
knew, at the time we called out, How about
little Rosc?" that there was the sore point
there 1t was only an imperfect knowledge oil
the story of young lady with whom our
friends name had been mixed up; but such OF
us as were best acquainted with it remembered
of hearing of little gOverness in private
! family where he visited (where it is thought
the daughter of the house, coarse, snowy
girl, was the attractiOn) being found hearing
declaration of love from our friend. The story
went, too that tie gOverness, upon whom they
had some claim of relationship, was sent from
the house upon planned tale of her lover s
! fasehood, and kept abroad until she shortly
died in the belief; that the memory OF the girl
so remained with him, that he quickly lett
! London, and was lost to the maneuverlng
mammas who sought his unncumbered estate
rather than himself for their daughters ION
show.
''You want to know" he said not answering
the question put to hlm-"you want to know
why | didn't get married at the usual time
Well, l don't mind telling you. Fill your
glasses, then, and, Con. don't you play the
nurse with the bottle.
According to our hosts invitation, we filed
our glasses, and, drawing up, sat pulling at oul
cigars in silence, awaiting his story. lie Sal
looking at the fire for few moments and then
broke out
cts not much l have to tell, but as some o
you have not yet passed your flirting days. L
may teach you a lesson. Twas only twenty two
, when it happened, and believe that is abou
the usual time when matrimOny is perpetrated
, Then my father was alive, and l only plaiI
Mr.. | had never lived much down here, bu
, had passed good deal Of my time in London
|
and old boaters on the Cam, with whom thu
: days passed more pleasantly than proftably
I'm afraid. At any rate, will own that, ate
!, a longer and more varied season than usual
= felt that my constitution would be better for
!; change. So l determined to get away an
take the Cumberland lakes for a time M
most intimate friend at that time, Jack -
: well, never mind his other name, as some c
: you may know him, though now he settle
- =, LII 70 Hlo
a means a small house, his suburban retreat
4 and large family of babies crying about tn
n place from morning till night Jack, sal
/, had given me q little cOmmissson to execut
~ for him in the neighborhood, and it was
1t serve as an introduction for me to some lazy
q his acquaintance who, he said possessed tw
i. charming daughters. A man has liking Il
d, female society at that time of life, and tt
ie ladies being so promisngly described, dete
re mined on my arrival in Cumberland to tai
as advantage of my commission. l did so, and
es es found the ladies-one dark and the other fa
~ - the young ladies speak of now. My goo
"a "a friend Jack had informed me that they we
in of very opposite temperaments. Elsie-ve
no fair--was gay and fond of bold and 'merr
.e natures, he said; Dell-short for Delilah-w
of dark and retiring almost to bashfulness al
as timidity. He had jOked inc by saying that
ly expected to see me come back tied to one
or their apron strings and that, 1t L were an
th thing of a reasonable being these were two gi
on who ought to satisfy any expectation.
of course my commission procured me an invi
ne, ton to the house, and my stay in Cumberla
es, began most favorably. Alas for promises
ne had determined to act upon Jacks suRgestiC
70, aud render myself agreeable to the you
ladies according to their respective inclination
uy When therefore, L met them, l convers
~. with the fair one in light, lively, and, as
L Anrs
:, myself into merry mood, made jokes, q
"a, tno laughed at them myself, but, strange to s.
~ She answered scarcely word to all my obs
~" md vstions. | sought all opportunities before
,sd week was out Of catching her unexpected
w In the recess Of the windows of the din
room hemmed her in and made laughing 10