Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-08-29
CHOOSING A WIFE.

heard some one speak OF him as an oil
bachelor. To be sure, 1t was very
silly young person, his niece, who was
not yet sixteen, but he had not liked il
very much. And what was not, in his
opinion. quite true now, might become
true if he lived longer without marry
ing. A man of middle age was much
more solid aud respectable at the head
of family, very much more so.
81 think shall marry" said Mr..
Oates, with an air of decision.
81 wonder how it would have been
by this time" he said to himself, ''If
long ago, when liked her so much,
Della Abbott had liked me as we'll; If
she had not married Mr.. Roper, (and
why she married him | could never
telD and had married me. / wish
had never asked her to have me. We
might have been friends STILL"
Then he considered.
81 was the one offended, he said. "If
| choose 10 forgive, may, suppose !;
Della is widow now, with son a. old
as she was when 1 saw her last. III
call on her. She's been married. I'll
get her opinion of married life. Per-
haps she may know some young lady
who would suit me. One of the adyan-
tages of marrying late in life is that a
man can have a young wife who will
be young to him always, and no desire
to do, as Douglas Jerrold suggests,
change his wrfe as people do bank notes
two twenties for one forty. Delia can't
be far from forty now. How the time
flies"
That day when the proper hour for
calls had come, Mr.. Oates rang Mrs.
Roper's door bell. Having been shown
into the parlor, he waited for some time
before rustling sound announced the
approach of black silk dress; then a
lady stood in the doorway, and there
was a pause. He had sent up his card.
and Delia--fOr this was Delia-had
known whom she should see, as well as
he knew whom he should; but each
gave little start and then exclaimed
almost simultaneously:
Dear me, how stout you've grown"
But it was Della, after all Mr. Oates
saw that in few minutes. The pretty
little nose and the soft little mouth
were there; the hands were prettier
than ever; and just at that moment she
said:
81 begin to know you. How odd it
seems. You're not married. are you?''
bachelor"
"Dear me-" said Mrs. Roper; $50
you are"
He had expected her to say: 'Oh
dear no."
''I've been through so much since
you saw me-" said the widow, taking
out her handkerchief. "We've lost
poor pa, you know-of course you know
THAI"
Il always thought your father died
in your infancy, Della" replied Mr..
Oates. Then he added: "Beg pardon"
"Oh, no. said Mrs. Roper, ''cali me
Della, if you like. Ii reminds me of
old times but didn't mean my father.
I've called Mr.. Roper pa so many
times that | forgot that you wouldn't
understand. Speaking to the children,
you know, gets one used in the habit"
"Yes, | know you had son." said
/ Mr.. Oates.
! "And a daughter" said Mrs Roper.
/ ''Effie, she's TO be married next week"
''Shall congratulate you?' said Mr..
Oates.
"Oh, y,s," said Della, she's very
nice. l wonder you haven't thought
of marrying, Marmaduke."
swell, am thinking OF it."
"Who is she?" asked the lady, look
ing down at the pattern on the carpet.
"Oh, haven't decided" said Mar
maduke; ''and do you know, think |
will ask you to help me. As a matron
of experience, with grown children,
you must know girls that are nice and
young and pretty, and to whom you
could introduce me, don't you!"
"Oh, yes" said Della, 'T'm sure
will. too. You must come often, and
Effie shall ask her friends. | know
very pretty widow, but she's twenty
three"
"I'd rather marry a girl in her teens"
said Mr.. Oates. "fhere's something 80
fresh and sweet about girl in her
teens; don't you think so Delia?'
YES" said Mrs. Roper in a very
low voice. And then she added, "and
gentleman with money can always
get young wife, even at your age"
81 am not an oetogenarian yet, how
ever" said Mr.. Oates, sharply.
''Oh. no." said Mrs. Roper, ''you are
only year and four months older than
| am. | have such a good memory for
things of that sort. You were forty
years old in September"
1t was very candid of her, but then
she knew that Mr.. Oates knew her age
already, and so could afford to stab him.
However, she soothed him afterward,
so that when he left he promised to
Effle's wedding and gave her a present
of silver, and then he settled down into
friend of the family; and as it was
known he was really looking for wife,
Mrs. Roper actually. did introduce a
number of young ladies to him. Some
blondes, some brunettes, some neither
lively girls, grave girls, accomplished
girls, sensible girls, and all so nice.
He was hard to please; none of these
angels was the angel of his dream. The
winter passed and he had not yet chosen
q wife. Mrs. Roper, as an old long
married friend. professed deep inter-
est in his future. She herself favored
Miss Baker, a wonderful housekeeper.
Miss Baker did not seem 10th to listen
to anything this good-looking, well-to-
do gentleman had to say. But he seemed
to have nothing serious to eOmmuni-
cate and when the winter had gone