The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-11-13
FIVE AND A HALF-rATCFEn.


no doubt. they're right, though l cam
go 50 tar as to .agree with them whel
they dcclareea man .owfing- to five-and
forty years and Il dozen White hairs de
cidcdly venerable" and g sfcarfull,
gray"
However, an old bachelor am dubbed
and | must confess, if to acquire thai
distinction one:is obliged to enjoy life t,
the UTMOST. us Lido, and be made. mucl
Of by loNcly women and charming maid:
ems. as Yam, have no serious objection
to the titlc:.-
In the first place, my home is 4 home
in every sense of the word although
without mother, or even Il muthcr-in.
law.
occupy, and have occupied for tho
past year, Il suite of remarkably pleasant
rooms, the front windows looking on q
city park and the back Oh garden made
delightful by two fine old peach trees, Il
heavy grapevine, and swcct-smclline
wlstaria. The latter has climbed to my
windows, and twining in aud out of the
Stats OF tho shutters, cittctualy prevents
my closing them, but gives nc in recon-
ncnSc great fragrant punches of purple
flowers
These cheerful rooms arc part eand
parcel of Mrs. Midgct's boarding-house.
No, J ann wrong. Mrs. AIidgctANIr.
Midget was lost ut sea five years ago
'iocS not keep Il boardinghousc, hut takes
4 lew select hoardcrS, Of whom she is
pleased to intimate She considers me the
sclectcst.
Wonderfully comfortably the :.fcw Sc
lcct find it i'll Mrs. Mlgct's. shady, old
fashioned, .ncatly-kcpt, thrcc-story brick
houSr.
Everything like wax,o my eldest sis
ter SAYS when she conlesSto to visit me.
winch Is about once in four wceks-a
'iy Or tw" after my magazines have ar
rived.
and the landlady," invariably re-
ple's. isn't she awful cunnng?-so de-
murc in her ways and speech ior such q
wee thing and So pretty, with her bright
blue eyes and yellow hair!!"
But Maria, can't divine why, pre-
tends not to hear me, or else rcpcats with
scornful emphasis: awful cunning!!"
The fact is, Pm 50 mucli among nv
k'nsw"mcn that often find myself, when
wish to he particularly cmTIlItit, b0r-
rowing their queer adjectives and pccu-
liar forms OF expression
JUDGED, uncle" said Charley to me
thc other day-namcd for me, Charlotte
(Chnrlcs rs near as they could get ut iU-
'you,rc beginning to talk Ikea girl-;lnd
ut your time OF life, toon' And I didn't
teclyat III! insultcd for if all girls talk :,s
well ;ls my zniecrs i consider Chariev,s
remark rathei II compliment than other
wise 90
Mrs. Midget knows how To furnish Il
table, too all sort of little dclicacics and
unexpected tidbits, slcws and hashcs
above reproacl, bread and pies, marvcls
Of culinary skill and ten and coffee
well, really. coffee and ton.
AS for Mrs. Midget herself, she's such
i tot Of :: woman that feel like laugh
lng outright every time I look at her,
r"rc!"d oil ;i Pile oi im;isic books placed
on chair The chair itself taller than
amy of the few sclccts'-at the head of
the dining table. Indeed, only the other
day, when She asked, in Il solemn man
ncr fixing her blue eyes on my face, and
lifting Il large Suup-ladlc in her mite of a
hand, il would have some soup, | did
burst out, laughing, she looked 80 very
Ikea little girl playing dinner with her
mothers dinncr-Sct.
The miniature woman laid down the
!adlc and gazcd at nc in surprise.
Mrs. Midget, ! beg your pardon"
said J; - suddenly Thought nr :: man !
Saw at the circus"
"Oh!' said Mrs Midget, and returned
10 the soup.
I'm Il romantic old fciiow--thcrc. Won
sec how naturally | fall in my nicccs'
way--l"vc, poetry, music, flowers (NIrs.
Midget always has II posy ready for me
in summertime, which she pins into my
button-olc with her own fair hands ;
and assure YOU its not III all.unplcuSant
To have her standing on the tips of her
toes To reach it, with her small, round
head just touching my chiirS and the
fair sex.
Yes, old bachelor as ! am, / love. and
always have loved, the fair sex; and
really think ii is because love them s,
well still remain unmarried. ncyc,
could make up my mind that one of NIL
those admired WAS prettier, brightc,
and Swcctcr than the others, and rs
wanted the sweetest, pretticst'and bright
est have been in Il dilemma'all NV life.
iiut ,Tc always meant to, and nv inten.
ti"n Is stronger than ever since the dav ]
picked up the little patched glove in
broadway in front of Stewards.
feel convinced that the owner of flat
glove Is the wife for me. / wear IT, nov,
my heart. silly? Not Il bit of it. M
single ma:' could help wearing Il glove
like thai near his heart.
Five and a halt, a pretty mousc-color
ever. finger we'll filled out, scarcely !
crease in thcm-Lshe must be plump:
faint smell Of rose Gas a general thing
/ with the exception of honest cologne.
lctcSt perfumes, but if cau endure an,
it is rose, calling 10 mind, us itsdocs
bee, butterflies, flowers, and all that sort
OF thinng), and the cunningest patch ir