The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-09-20
ALPS Well that Ends Well.

-'ilo III Stt Ctt al Iloliltll
with her left hand upon the door knot
and with the thumb and toreiinger of the
other twisting and untwisting her apron
string in Il little, hesitating way she had
when she wished TO say something. She
| had llSt come in at my summons, to re-
celEe the quarterly rent for my room.
am Il young ''medecin,' as the French
very appropriately and significantly term
| physicians, and being then single man,
hired Il front parlor of good Mrs. Brace
girdle, the remainder Of whose very gen
tecl house was occupied by her "bread-
and-meat boarders," as she termed her
hoarders who took their usual meals at
her table, by way Of distinguishing them
from mere room occupants like myself.
| had taken this parlor for my office be-
cause it was pleasantly situated and just
suited me and my profession being on
Blocker street and on that precise portion
thereof east of Broadway, where physi-
clans seem most to cOngregatc. In New
York. certain streets seem to be rclin-
quished to certain professions, as tragic
Bond street to dental gentlemen and
Blocker (east) to medical men. Whether
so many doctors have got together there
because "miscry loves company" or be-
cause in the ''multitude Of counsellors
there is safety" know not. The fact
only is clear In old times, young physi-
elan would have set up his ''shingle" in a
Vlcinage far from any other: but an OPP
positc policy seems now pursued, perhaps
on the principle that one in a flock OF
birds is more likely to be hit than one fly
ing alone.
But leaving this matter for the discus
sion OF others | merely state that ! had
been Mrs. Bracegirdle's merely lodger and
tenant for Il year and three months, and
never "had word with her save il the
kindliest manner and tone. AS | never
was in arrears, and always cheertully
prescribed for her rheumatics without
charge, WAS tayorite
'.Wcll. Mrs Bracegirdlc, have You any
thing to say -
Her eyes surveyed deliberately and ad-
miringly my handsomely furnished room,
with its handsome curtains. elegant book
cststo, rich sofa and chairs and Snowy car
pet before she replied, and then, with Il
pleasant smile and knowing nod she said:
II do wonder, doctor, you don't get
married. Such nee room, and you
could have the one above it for a sleep
ing room, and could, YOU know, if You
liked, let you have your meals private
Ike, letting your office boy Tim, the lazy
rogue, with nothing TO do but play mar
bles and chalk my sidewalk, to set and
wait on and clear off table. | do wonder
YOU are content to live alone. And such
Il pleasant spoken doctor, in your habits
all calculated to make a wife happy !.
It's Il pity such nice furniture and such Il
nice room should be thrown away So
Mrs Bracegirdle was handsome, not
over Al, Il widow, and $50 said rumor)
had laid up not less than 5000 in the saw
ings bank, with the ''good-will' OF Il popu-
lar boarding house. These facts forced
themselves upon my mind, and | looked
now lit my hostess to see il she was try
ing to lay snare for Inc. 1t is true she
had on Il shade smarter cap than usual,
and looked unusually attractive. but when
| reflected that she had regarded me al
ways more with motherly feeling thar
q young WdoWish" one, | dismissed the
unworthy suspicion from my thoughts and
said, smilngly:
And where shall get a wife, dear
madam ,"
"Bless me handsome young man,
With such white teeth" (Mrs. Braccgirdc
had splendid tceth) "a horse and buggy
Il good practice and some money of his
own, to ask where he shall find a wife
There's fifty ladies would jump to get
such a chance. ~
"Iou talter me, my dear friend" | an
swered secretly rejoicing in the tlattery
as all we vain bipeds do, albeit we pro-
tcss not to be taken with it. "a wife is
Il dangerous risk. One must change one 5
habits if one marries | should lose my
independence. can now do as | please
smoke, lounge, wear my slippers, 90 in
and out us | wish, sit on three chairs and
Il table too, if | take a notion to spread
myself, and if | lay anything down
know where to find it, Why, if it makes
me nervous to see Betscy, the chamber
maid, come into my room with that dust
cr Of an old torn handkerchief, lest she
should ito mischief, what would become
of me with wife who would put every
thing iii order not understanding that
there exists q certain systematic arrange
ment perceptible to my own eye in all
this chaos! # my pipe lies on an open
book it is to mark reference if my
shoe is on my bed, there is probably I'M
der it, for safe keeping, a specimen of a
newly discovered beetle bug; if Il halt
brick is on my writing desk, put it there
to keep the papers from being blown
away. But You know my habits, Mrs.
Bracegirdle "
"Ycs, doctor, and that is the reason
You ought to be married, for your words
show YOU are selfish, and there is no cure
for it but Il wife, she said with emphasis.
"leS, have no doubt Il wife would
quite put me out of concet of myself"
answered with Il half sneer. But to tell
the truth, Mrs. BracegirdIe, | have a
great desire to be married, but | am the
most difficult person to suit. My wife
must be perfection. | can't bear ugliness,
and bad feature in u woman can never
forgive"
las if, poor woman, it were her fault,
answered Mrs. Bracegirdle.
"Thats not the point. A woman to fix
my attention must be without fault"
said firmly "She must be as beautiful as
she doubtless was in the beginning, as in
| teligent as-as s-let me see as Lady
Jane Grey, as musical as Jenny Lind, as
beautiful us Cleopatra, as benevolent as
| Florence Nightingae-as
" Rich as kreesus" ventured Mrs
Bracegirdle.
"No," said laughing. II don't care {
fig for money. | want beauty and good
ness, loveliness of face and symmetry o
form but'-and here spoke with posi-
tivencss and decision -''but, above all
she must have little foot"
Mrs. Bracegirdle slyly withdrew he
plump foot (No. 5s) out of sight within
the mysterious periphery Of her blacl
silk.
"a pretty foot !"
"Two of them, Mrs. Bracegirdle. 4
pair of pretty feet. | could not low,
Venus herself if she had a big foot 1t il
impossible but that a perfectly beautiful
woman will have small and pretty feet
am willing to choose a wife by her foot, TO
accept, in this case, the aphorism tha
all's well that ends we'll"
Mrs Bracegirdle, after taking half ;
,,,;prtn tn think unOp il woe yactl