The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-09-24
THAT BAY WINDOW,

suppose I am what you would cal
an old fogy. Yes, L am undoubtedly
an old fogy, ard think you will agree
with my verdict upon myself when you
hear little about me. Well, then, tc
begin l am an old bachelor of sixty,
and live in small village on a Ger.
tain prosperous railroad, near enough
to certain prosperous town to allow
me to run in every day to my business.
L enjoy life after my own fashion, and
am friends with every one, only some
times half suspect people think me q
foolish old bore but am not so fool
lsh as some suppose, for I consider
I've escaped some portion, and o pretty
large portion, of the bothers of life by
not marrying, which is o very clever
thin g to have done on my part, you must
confess. My home is Just as snug and
comfortable without wife to worry
2ne,. ana my stag parties are q great
deal more cosey than stiff dinners,
where ones better-half (honor to the
ladies' sits grumpily at one end, not
allowing wretched, ignorant man to
say a word regarding anything, but
severely frowning upon him if he
chance to ask, merely for information,
you know, how he is to help the dish in
front Of him, and what it is, anyhow.
Now ! am privileged to discuss my
own dishes, and to say to Charles my
old colored waiter, occasionally a:
-" BY George, Charles. here is some
thing to surprise us. What is this con-
coction, anyhow ?"
Then all my crouies can discuss the
dish and wonder with me, and there
stands Charles grinning delightfully."-,
and at the proper moment he explains |:
" Nothin' in this wide world, massa,
but vollevan. Had it dozen times
afore, only you forgets."
Vollevan" is supposed to mean
vol an vent" And SO you see I am
very swell in my tastes.
But how I do digress. It is my pur.
pose.to tell you the story of a person
very different from myself, but who,
strange to say, exerted for time quite
happy influence over my life.
sew her every morning on my way
to town, and 1 sometimes spoke to her,
or threw her kiss, or brought her
bunch of flowers, and she and I were
great friends. There she used to sit in
the bay window of our picturesque
station, with the pink and blue bows in
her hail, and those bright eyes of hers
gazing out at q fellow, enough to set
him wild. Her hair was one mass of
golden curls, and her complexion deli
cate as wild rose, and her name was
Kathie-Kathie Ellis-and she was the
telegraph operator for our depot, you
must know.
l wonder if people noticed how
friendly she and 1 were but [ do not
care if they did.
One morning in June I brought Ka-
THE bouquet of pink rose-buds from
my garden; and as placed them upon
her desk ] noticed a similar floral offer.
ing by their side.
see ?"
Click, click went the wires.
" Yes, but both are so pretty" and
up went the blue eyes, and the dainty
nose shifted at my offering enjoyably,
and then the sweet voice said
"How kind every one is to me I"
AS though they could help it -
replied calamity. And then she
plucked flower from my bouquet, as
she always did, and placed it with the
most dainty coquetry possible in the
outton-hole OF my coat. Just then I
glanced toward the window of q car.
stationed for the moment at the depot,
and l saw some one laughing immoder,
ately; a good-looking fellow enough.
but excessively impertinent.
"Who is that young scamp ?" I
and kathie looked up hurriedly. |
oh, sir p she said, sit is Cousin
James laughing at my awkwardness."
-" Cousin James !" I repeated.
" Your cousin? Where did he come
from? L never heard of him before"
mo, Sir he only came home last
night from Nevada. He's ever so rough
and rude, being out in that wild region,
and it's real unkihd of him to laugh SO
at me, and she shook her finger at
nlm playfully. 1 resolved that moment
but, dear me it sounds so foolish
10 tell what L resolved upon after all
ny asseverations about matrimopy.
Well, to confess the truth, was never
n such imminent danger as then.
The train containing Kathie's cousin
1ad sped away, and /, too, was soon
Good-by, Kathie,"I said "you
mind, perhaps being an old
mans darling2"
Foolish fellow I" said the pouting
lps, and then was off.
L considered this announcement, and
vent into town and hinted TO my part
Ter, when arrived at my office, that
craping my hands together in embar-
Notwithstanding one was a
'ireat deal happier single, matrimony,
fter all, was not such bugbear.
cimmins-that's the name of my part.
er-laughed heartily. He is the faith
r of six children and two sets of twins
aid
What's up now, sir?"
"a blondes up, sir; young, bloom
ng, and sweet-tempered," replied.
" A pity, sir. for you must go East,
nd leave her for awhile. Here's let
Or Just received, which requiges one of
s should undertake the journey, and I
annot leave my family"
"A most unfortunate time for me to
et away"