The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-12-11
THE LOST GLOVE.
FIVE AND A HALF-PATcHED.

am DacnelOr, an OLD bachelor at
least that's what my nicest-pretty,
saucy, clever, lovable girls-call me !;
and no doubt they're right, though
cau't go so far as to agree with them
when they declare man owing to fve-
and forty years ard dozen white
hairs decidedly venerable" and "fear-
fully gray"
However, an old bachelor l am dub
bed, and | must confess, IL to acquire
that distinction one Is obliged to enjoy
life tu the utmost, as do, and be made
much OF by lovely women and charm-
ing 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
without mother, or even q mother. in-
law.
occupy. and have occupied for the
past year, a suits of remarkably pleas
ant rooms, the front windows looking
on city park, and the back on gar
den made delightful by two fine old
peach trees, a heavy grape vine, and a
sweet smelling wistara. The latter has
climbed to my windows, and twfning
in and out Of the Stats of the shutters,
effectually prevents my closing them,
but gives me In recompense great fra
grant, punches of purple flowers.
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 boarding house, but
takes a few select poarders. of whom is
she is pleased tOi intimate she considers
me the selectest.
Wonderfully comfortable the "few
select" find it in Mrs. Midget's steady,
old-fashioned neatly kept, three-story
brick house.
Everything like wax" my eldest
sister says when she comes to visit ms,
which is about once in four weeks-a
day or two after my magazines have
arrived.
"And the landlady," invariably
reply, isn't she always cunning $50
demure in her ways and speech for such
q wee thing, aud so pretty, with her
bright blue eyes and yellow hair -
But Maria, can't divine why, pre-
tends not to hear me, or else repeats,
with scornful emphasis, Awful cum
ming !"
The fact Is, I'm so much among my
kinswomen that 1 often find myself,
when i wished to be particularly en-
phatics borrowing their queer adjec-
tives and peculiar forms OF expression.
Indeed, uncle" said Charley to me
the other day named for me, Charlotte
(Charles, as near as they could get at
,iD-" you're beginning to talk like q
girl-and at your time of life too ~
Aud l didn't feel at all insulted ; for if
all girls talk as we'll as my nieces. l
consider Charley's remarks rather a
compliment than otherwise.
Mrs. Midget knows how to furnish a
table, too all sorts OF little dellcacies
and unexpected tldbits, stews and
hashes above reproach, bread and pies,
marvels of culinary skill. and tea and
coffee-well, really coffee and tea.
AS for Mrs. Midget herself, she's
such q tot of a woman that | feel like
laughing outright every time i look at
her, perched on pile OF music books
placed on chair-the chair taller than
any of the " few selects"-at the head
Of the dining table. Indeed, only the
other day, when she asked, in solemn
manner, fixing her blue eyes on my
face, aud lifting large soup ladle in
her mite of hand II would have some
soup, / did burst out laughing, she
looked SO very like little girl playing
dinner with her mothers dinner set.
The miniature woman laid down the
ladle and gazed at me In surprise.
Mrs. Midget, beg your pardon, !"
said l 4" l suddenly thought OF man
saw at the circus"
son !" says Mrs. Midget, and re-
turned TO the soup.
I'm o romantic old fellow-theTe,
you see how naturally l fall In my
nieces' way-lOve, poetry, mnslc, 6ow-
ers (Mrs. Midget always has pOsy
ready for me In summertime, which
she pins into my button-hole with her
own fair hands and / assure you it's
not at all unpleasant TO have her stand
ing on the tips Of her toes to reach it,
with her small round head just touch
ing my chln); and the fair sex.
"Yes, old bachelor as am, love,
ard always have loved, the fair sex ;
and really think 1t Is because | love
them 90 weltI still remain unmarried l
never could make up my mind that one
Of all those l admired was Prettier,
brighter and sweeter than the Others