The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-10-18
MUTUAL CONFESSION.

d
MIR. Thorpe is middle aged widowcr,
and some time ago be paid his addresses
to Mrs. Bolts, widow on the shady side
ofA0. Thorpei is rich, aud after the widow
accepted him he began TO fear that maybe
she bad taken him for bis money, and so
be concluded to test her TO ascertain il
she really loved hipaelf alone. So one
evening when they VIE sitting together
in the parlor be said to her;
Hannah, I've got something important
to tell you, but am going to tell you b.
cause ! consider it right that you should
know il. Hannah, what would you say
If informed you that one of my knee
pans is gone, and that | have a patent
hinge on that leg
| ! should say that ! care nothing for
that, my dear; have only one Toe on
my left foot. The Others were frost bit
ten off, and the ankle is all twisted
around crooked.
You don't tell me said Thorpe. Well,
but Eve something worse than that. !
might as well confess now that the bald
place on top of my head Is not really my
scalp; I've been trepanned; have sill
yer plated concern set into my skull, a
kind of sRylight. You can lift it up and
see down on the inside ofme.
Pm glad you mentioned it, dear, said
the widow, for it gives me courage to tell
you that haven't hair Of my own on
my head. Pm as bald as a chandelier
globe.
Is that so? Gracious never should
have expected it. But you will be sur
prised TO learn that none of my teeth are
natural. All false, and besides that
have to wear an India rubber tbingama.
gig on my palate to keep it from drop
nips down
| am very sorry for you, John, but it's
some comfort that all my teeth are false,
too, and that am perfectly blind in my
right eye. 1t looks like good eye, bnt
it absolutely amt worth a cent.
Great heavens Why didn't you tell
me of this before? exclaimed Thorpe
But while we are on the subject, / will
say further that have chronic torpidity
of the liver. How does that strike you?
Oh, | don't mind il, said Mrs. Bolts, be.
cause I've been bilious and dyspeptic
for twenty years, and besides, am one
rib short 1t was broken in railway ac-
cident. and the doctor had TO cut 1t out.
I'm subject to fits, too.
This is horrible, said Thorpe. Mrs.
Bolts, think you ought TO have men
Ltioned these things to me when | pro.
POSED I'd you. Imagined that was ad.
dressing d woman, a complete human
creature. But what are you, Mrs. Bolts
Mrs. Bolts, you appear to me TO be di-
lapitated old wreck, with not more than
half of the usual machinery about you
It's a wonder to me you don't fall TO
| pieces.
am no worse than you are. You said
! yourself that you had trap door In the
top Of your head, and gum-elastic pal.
ate.
Yes; but these things amt true, said
Thorpe. only told you about them 10
sec If you really loved me. I'm as sound
as a dollar; no inactive liver, or silver
| plated skull or anything. But you seem
to be kind Of strung together, SOS if you
should knock against anything you'd
scatter around over the carpet. think
| ydu oughtto let me OF.
Very well, sir; SO will. But let me
tell you that pve got nothing the matter
with me, either only invented chose
stories 10 try you, because | knew you
were playing game over me. Now !
know you don't love me. You can 20
sir.
Hannah, take il all back. DO love
/ you.
Do you really? Then love you more
| than
But no; the curtain had better be drawn
right here. The cold and selfish world
has no business with such scene as this
They are TO be consolidated early next
month.