Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-10-14

L
am bachelor, an old bachelor at least
that's what my nieces--pretty, saucy,
clever, lovable girls--call me; and no
doubt they're right, though l can't go SO
far as to agree with them when they de-
clare man owning to tive-and forty
years and "a dozen white hairs decidedly
venerable and " teartully gray
However, an old bachelor am dubbed,
and must confess, ii to acquire that dis
tinction one is obliged to enjoy life TO the
utmost, as | do, and be made much OF by
lovely women and charming maidens, as
| am, | have no serious objection to the
title.
In the first place, my home is home
in every sense of the word, although with
out Il mother, or even a motherinla
| occupy, and have occupied for the
past year, a suite of remarkably pleasant
rooms, the front windows looking on a
city park and the back on a garden made
delightful by two fine old peach-trees, a
heavy grapevine, and a understanding
wistaria. The latter has climbed to my
windows, and twining in and out of the
Stats of the shutters, etfectually prevents
my closing them, but gives me in recon-
pense great fragrant punches of purple
towers.
These cheerful rooms are part and
parcel of Mrs. Midget's boarding house.
No, | am wrong. Mrs. Midget-Mr.
Midget was lost at sea five years ago
does not keep clearinghouse, but tales
a few select boarders, of whom she is
pleased to intimate she considers me the
seleCtest
Wonderfully comfortable the "few Sc
lect" find it in Mrs. Midgets shady, old
fashioned, neatly-kept, three-story brick
house.
Everything like wax" my eldest sis
ter says when she comes to visit me, which
is about once in four weeks-a day or two
after my magazines have arrived.
And the landlady," | invariably re-
ply isn't she awful cunning so de
mure in her ways and speech for such u
wee thing, ana so pretty, with her bright
blue eyes and yellow hairn'
But Maria, | can't divine why, pretends
not to hear me, or else repeats, with
scornful emphasis; Awful cunningm
The fact is, I'm 50 much among my
kinswomen that | often find myself, when
wish to be particularly emphatic, Dor
rowing their queer adjectives and peculiar
forms of expression.
y
the other day-named for me, Charlotte
Charles, as near as they could get at ito
you're beginning to talk like a girl-and
at your time of life, toom And | didn't
feel at all insultcd; for if all girls talk as
well as my neces | consider Charley's
remark rather "A compliment than other
wise
Mrs Midget knows how to furnish a
table, too; all sorts of little delicacies and
unexpected tidbits, stews and hashes above
reproaCh, bread and pies, marvels OF
culinary skill, and tea and cotfee-well
really coffee and tea.
As for Mrs. Midget herself, she's such
"a tot OF woman that | feel like laughing
outright every time look at her, perched
on pile of music books placed on a
chair-the chair itself taller than any of
me " few seleCts'-at the head of the
dining table. Indeed, only the other day,
when she asked, in a solemn manner, fix
ing her blue eyes on my face, and lifting
large soup-ladle in her mite of hand,
Il would have some soup, did burst out
laughing she looked so eery like a little
g!rl playing dinner with her mothers
uinner-Set.
The miniature woman laid down the
-adie and gazed at me in surprise.
Mrs. Midget, | beg your pardon, "
SAID " | suddenly thought Of a man l
saw at the circus"
OH" said Mrs. Midget, and returned
to the soup.
I'm a romantic old fellow-there, YOU
see how naturally | fall in my nieces' way
love poetry, music, flowers Mrs. Midget
Always has posy ready for me in sum
imeT-time, which she pins into my button
mole with her own fair hands; and | as
sure you it's not at all unpleasant to have
"ef Standing on the tips OF her toes to
Itach II, with her small round head just
"4ehing my CHM, and the fair sex
e, old bachelor as | am, | love, and
always have loved, the fair sex; and !
really think it is because | love them so
Vel | still remain unmarried l never
.'Ald make up my mind that one of all
Nose l admired was prettier, bri ghter and