The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-08-04
WHY l AM A BACHELOR.

day and unmarried. nave Deen III love,
however, -hopelessly in love, and yet am
bachelor-why am so, have now to
tell.
During my young days, had no time
to think of the other sex. determined l
would make my fortune first, and see
about wife afterwards. worked and
rove-accumulated and denied myself
the most harmless pleasures that cost
money, yet did not get rich as fast as
expected and / had reached forty years of
age before thought / was justified in
looking about me for wife.
When that time came / set about my
task earnestly. am a business man, and
always 60 to work Systematically. In the
first place., / looked through all my ac-
quaintances and friends. They were not
numerous, and soon found there were no
young ladies amongst them who would suit
me.
Then / tried the boarding house scheme,
by which mean, advertised for board
and answered all the replies in person.
Whenever l saw the young girls in a
house, there l took board-but none of
them would suit me. At last received an
answer to my advertisement from widow
lady, with one daughter. l called at the
house and was ushered into an elegantly
furnished parlor where young lady was
seated playing the piano. In spite of
Shakespeare's denunciation of man who
has had no music in his soul, never had
any music in mine. l don't know Yankee
Doodle from Old Hundred-and yet,
strange to say, the music sounded quite
pretty as it trickled from her fingers. She
did not hear me enter,so continued to play.
listened for some minutes, and then
coughed gently She turned her head, and
with blush, rose from her seat l think
/ had never seen SO beautiful girl before.
She was not more than eighteen years Of
age-tall and graceful-her form beautiful
ly rounded-dark auburn hair, which hung
in natural ringlets on a swan-like neck
liz short the moment saw her perform
ed the immaginary pantomime of slapping
my trowsers pocket and exclaimed mental
ly-"here's the girl for my money"
"Did you want to see my motherP'
asked the lovely creature in musical
voice.
"Have the pleasure of speaking tc
Miss Clarkson?" l asked
Yes sir.''
81 have called, Madam, in reference tC
a note / received-I believe from youl
mother-stating that you wish to take g
single gentleman to board with you.
eyes sir--I will fetch my mother"
And the fairy bounded out of the room
In minute or two afterwards, the
mother entered the room. If the daughter
was pretty, the mother was decidedly ugly
She was past forty, thin, scraggy, wore
false teeth and false hair. When looked
at her, almost felt tempted to leave the
house-but then gazed at the daughter
and determined to remain. The prelim
inaries were soon arranged, and the next
day l took up my board under the roof o
widow Clarkson.
soon felt quite at home, and determn
ed to make myself as agreeable as possible
was polite to the mother, tender to tn,
daughter and evidently pleased the OLE
woman, for l ate but little. Our evening
were very pleasant--a young friend of th,
family used to drop in occasionally, anC
we played whist. The young man was
cousin to the family--a rather pleasan
young fellow, and the time passed yer,
agreeably away. ~
In the meantime prosecuted my sui
earnestly. Ihave always held it as an ak
iom, that if you want to succeed with th
younger branches Of the family, you mus
pay attention to the head--tbere is nothin,
like procuring "a friend at court" Thi
plan followed. / was very polite to Mrs
Clarkson waited on her at the table
escorted her to the theatre and opera, an,
read to her Cobb's last. / got on finely.
soon saw that she was very partial to me
In the meantime did not neglect my sui
with the object Of my affections. / gaze,
on her tenderly pressed her hand when
ever had an opportunity, and believe,
that had made considerable impressio
on her young heart.
Things went on in this way for NOR
than two months, when Thought 1t hie
time that l should bring matters to
crisis
One evening entered the sitting room
and found the charming girl alone. I'll
cousin had not yet come, although he no
visited the house every night. This VIZ
too good an opportunity TO be lost