Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-12-19
For the Independent.
HOW 4 CAME TO BE A
BACHELOR.

Fair as the frat that fell of womankind,
When on that dread yet lovely serpent
smiling
Whose image once was stamped upon her
mind
But once beguiled-and ever more be-
quilting.
Commend me TO the true, gentle
woman, 'Firstin war, first i'm peace,
and first in the hearts of her coun-
trymen.o How could we the
Lords of Creation" exist, were it
not for the roses scattered along
our thorn-covered way. by the
smiles, the sympathy,an the love
of woman!
No one feels this more deeply
than |. / look with envy upon
nay friends,as one by one they lead
their brides from the altar,to glad
den and cheer their homes whilst
| return to my old bachelor rooms
where "no eye shall mark my
coming, or grow brighter when |
Gomez
turn with a feeling of Ioathing
from the reflection which my shaw
| ing-glass against the wall presents;
of a middle aged man with hair al
ready sprinkled with grey, care
fully parted and combed. so as to
dispose of the bald place on the top
of my head to the best advantage.
/ give a sigh of relief as / draw off
my tight boots and thrust my feet
into slippers.
| still adhere to the youthful in
discretion of tight boots remember
ing the French adage, "U .fdut
soufrir, pour etre BELLE" / throw
myself back into my easy chair,
smoke my lonely cigar and indulge
III my bachelor reverieS.
By gone memories come gliding
like ghosts along the dark "corri-
doris ofTime"
Scenes long past ofioy or pain,
Come wildering through my aching
brain
Troops of beautiful girls pass in
review before me. First, the lovely
Julia, with soft blue eyes, calm as
the blue sky in serenest noon
then Mary-Whose soul beamed
forth in every spark of her dark
eyes-the merry laughing Alice,
with "loveliness ever in notion"
the gentle Mamie, with
grace in all her steps,
In every gesture, dignity
and gentleness. (She is married
now To Tom Jones, and | thought
the last time / was at Tom S house
and he upset his Wine-giass, that
her eyes had "lost that gentle ray
they wore in courtship's smiling
day.
! Thus remorseless memory still
lifts the shroud which Time has
cast over buried hopes.
1t is the ladies who have brought
me to the state you sea crusty,
musty cid bachelor. Yes! 1t is
their extravaganza that has
wrought the ruin, Those elegant
furs, those exquisite satins, that
charming pOint-lace, those cloves
of bonnetsn-I could not ask q
woman to give up these, tshould be
worse than h artless to suggest
such a notion and, alas! my
means are only moderate Having
neither poverty nor riches, ] have
learned after the fashion of Agar,
| herewith to be content.
1t has often struck one with sur
prise, that every Sunday our
churches are crowded with elegant
ly dressed ladies. The preacher
discourses eloquently about tuat
" better world" where the soul dis
encountered Of flesh and Of sense,
must be clothed 70 the light and
the service above, with purity,
faith, truth, meekness and love,
and they seem more latent upon
these earthly garments than upon
the wedding garment,so indispen-
sable in the spirit land, and re-
turning home they fall into their
usual chat discoursing with inn
portant faces, Of ribbons, fans, and
gloves and laces."
am speaking of the large ci-
ties in which | have hitherto re-
sided. ! have been in your city
but few months, | have observ-
ed y our ladies as | have walked
the streets, or l have gazed upon
them from my window. and they
really look (most Of them 90 sensi-
bic, and 80 pretty, and are attir.d
with sch charming simplicity,
that | feel almost tempted TO take
back The vow, breathed SO long
ago, "ud Try my luck in Martins
burg. Can il be possible that l
have found enc spot on earth,
where the fair sex are so sensible
as To- choose Hearts with love. 10
Thrones without
, BACHELOR.