The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-01-29
LOVE AND PORT.

LOtE AND FORI.
I was rather fond of old Stubbs; he
was not bad sort OF fellow, and, be-
sides, he had some very good port.
Now, il / had been asked which I pre-
ferred, Stubbs or the port, should,
without much hesitation, have said the
port.
I was reading at the temple at the
time got to know Stubbs, and as he
lived in Chiffon terrace, and I lived
there too, in the house next his, used
to see him pretty often.
Now, Stubbs had a daughter-a bit of
a humbug: not the sort of a girl I
should care much about; but / saw at
once that If wanted to keep my ac-
quaintance with Stubbs, or rather with
Stubbs' port, 1 should have TO keep up
my acquaintance with Stubbs' daughter.
1 could not wholly devote myself to her,
because / was passionately devoted to
another girl, who, in turn, was passion
ately in love with me but somehow
or other, that girls father didn't see
the joke of my making mp to his daugh-
ter, and whenever / called at his house
he frequently slammed the door in my
face. Things went on much in the
Same way for some time; got awfully
"full +" with old Stubbs, or rather with
were sitting o. yer the-that is to say, his
fire, smoking our-that is to say, his
cigars, he said, looking ont of the cor
ner of his eye Mt me, Tomorrow, Mr..
Chips, my daughter Bilpa comes of age;
now, If you were to give her some little
token of your respect, think she would
take it very kindly" d" Is she only one
and-twenty tomorrow ?' 1 said. "I
should have put her down at a few
years more than that. '' Yes, he con-
tinued. "people often think little Bilpa
older than she is but she is a nice lit
tie girl for all that" "Is she ?" 1 said
rather thoughtlessly, and immediately
recovering myself-"she is, indeed"
And 1 finished up by promising old
Stubbs / would certainly make her a
present on such an eventful day in her
life. On my way to the temple next
two in a "token." When / returned to
my lodgings at four o'clock in the even
ming, l found the following little note
on my table
lam going to have a little dinner-party to-
night, old fellow, in honor OF Bnpa. Excuse
80 short an invitation, but drop in at seven
'01 va ~ B. b. sTUBBs.
accordingly " dropped in at seven,
and found Bilpa alone in the drawing
room-decked out in most extravagani
style, with plenty of hair upon her head
and paint upon her face.
81 must wish you many happy re
turns of the day, Miss Stubbs, I said.
and IL you would receive this little
present from an old friend / should
feel" ooh it is kind of you, Mr..
Chips, she said. "What n beautiful
little thing r Yes, not n bad sort of
n thingl' 1 remarked, turning round,
listlessly, Just enough to see that old
william Stubbs looking through the
crack of the door. All ah I" he cried,
suddenly bounding into the room,
sorry to give you so short a notice,
but" " Oh, don't mention it, re-
piled " it's all the same to me-"
1t was now hnlf-past seven, and no
one had turned mp except myself, and /
was little surprised when Stubbs, sud
denly rising, said, Lets go in to din
ner.' Isoon found out that '' the little
dinner-par'y was very "little in
deed. Only three persons sat down to
lt-Stubbo, Bilpa, and myself. After
dinner, Stubs port came out again,
and I am afraid took a little too much,
for l believe / snid many things later on
in the evening TO Bilpa which she put n
somewhat unpleasant Chat is, to mel
construction upon and the very next
day found the following little note on
my table:
DEAR MIR. Ours Il am aware that you are
Nhat people call sin love with my daughter;
aud as she Gays that she is not at AL averse
20 your addresses, you have my full consent
TO continue them. Don't forget To dron in
this evening. h. b. HTUBBS.
Idroppedi in as usual that evening, with
full intention of throwing cold water
ON the whole affair but / happened 10
enter the house just as old Stubbs was
IN the cellar, and remembered his port.
That same night n long looked-for
letter came from Kitty-Kitty Cobbs
was the name of my " devoted one. 1t
ran thus:
DEAR CuAR1IE-Pa's as obdurate as ever,
and postiyely sweers ho viii never consent to
g0r union. So, as YOU suggest the best thing
Tor us 20 do is 70 elope. 50 meet me on the
day after to morrow AZ the corner Of Cotton
s'Fcet where shall be in a cab az half-past
Ton lu tho morning.
louIp, through thick and thin. KITTY.
On the evening of the next day I
dropped in as usual at Stubs, aud
smd IN the course of our conversation,
l am off TO the continent tomorrow
can't stand London any more in this
hot weather" "
oh are you, really ?" he said,
sVtmIngiy little put ont. bilpa and
viii miss you dreadfully. I daresay
we shall manage, however, TO get abroad
Tor short time this summer, and all
Let's see, when did you say you thought
You could best arrange for the happy"
Oh Christmas, 1 said, hastily.
Well, there's nothing like getting a
little blowout first, he said.
That evening packed up all nv
things, and half-past ten next morning
found me in the same cab as Kitty. We
were at once married aud left the same
day for the continent We were as
happy aud communicative as larks, but
did not dare to tell Kitty, at least for
the present, anything about old Stubbs
and Bilpa. We scampered off 10 Wen
ma and took up our quarters at the
Grand hotel.
We had been out for long walk one
afternoon about fortnight after our
arrival and came in little late TO the
tabtc dhCte, and whom the the waiter
escorted us TO our seats, who should be
suing opposite to us but Stubbs and
ms daughter i was simply fabb r
Asted; you could have knocked me
uo"n with a tooth-pick.
Hulloa T. shouted Stubbs, is that