Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-05-16
ing laugh. The closet door creaked,
and he shouted in reply.

Say, come out come out / dread
you no more You're outwitted !"
and dragging valise from a recess,
he began to hurl in articles, making
the most extravagant demonstrations
Of delight the while.
Was he crazy? No, but solution
of his difficulty was presented. He
would marry some good girl immedi-
ately, and then what could they say
He paused for nothing. except once
Or twice to glare at the closet, until
the valise was packed and locked,
when he sat down upon it to wipe the
perspiration from his forehead, and
consider where he should go. Then,
in the quiet which ensuied he realized
the sacrifice he was about to make
His easy chair so inviting, his dress.
ing gown so comfortable, his fire side
so cozy, his belongings so convenient
y scattered about, his club meetings,
bis pleasant little dinners with a
friend or two-all would vanish like q
happy dream, to be followed by what
unknown, dreadful reality of here.
after! Well, well, it must be done
He laughed no more as be rose to
complete his preparations. His honor
was at least st stake. He might sleep
then at least. Tedious curtain lee
lures !! These might even be endured
if he had his business hours in peace {;
and Mr.. Bulbo's spirits arose again
sufficiently to give the closet door a
good kick, and shake his fist at it as
he left the room with the travelling
gear.
The next afternoon he was walking
hastily along the quiet street Of Mile.
ford. Nothing but the urgency OF
the case could have kept him up dur,
ing the journey. 1t was dreadful
step he had taken, but the disease in
this case was worse than any could
be, and called for violent remedy
Mr.. Bulbo was not stranger in Mile,
ford, having spent some of his early
years there, and was soon warmly
greeted in Mr.. Kopp's kitchen. The
farmer and his wife hailed him as Mr..
George, as they had been in the habit
of calling him in earlier days, and Mr..
Bulbo, glad to escape from the name
which had so annoyed him, begged
them not to mention his surname
His room looked out on u quiet
meadow, and it was with feeling of
intense relief be missed the smoking
chimneys of his usual abode AT tea
he was met and was waited upon by
Mr.. Kopp's niece. Polly. She had
such flow Of good spirits that he for
got duty, and entered into merry
conversation, which he unwilllngly
ended at her pointed suggestion of
his need of "a smoke. He joined Mr..
Kopp on the veranda, and soon told
him of his errand-not the cause, but
the plain fact that he was in search Of
wife.
81 thought I couldn't do better than
come here" he said, trying to speak
carelessly. "The fact is I'm tired of
living bachelor life"
Oh, the miserable subterfuge ! Mr..
Bulbo hated himself for being obliged
to resort to it. Mr.. Kopp mentioned
several names, partic ularly recon-
mending one young lady whom Mr..
Bulbp remembered as a child, and
offering to introduce him that even
ing.
"Wont you 90, Poly!" he called
into the kitchen.
"No, thanks, and MIR. Bulbo te't
disappointed and halt inclined to give
up the venture.
Bulbo made up short call, as he
felt weary, aud as he opened the kitch-
en-door ON his return Polly sat by the
windoS, singing and pairing apples.
A nice little cot protected her finger
from the stain and she nodded smil
ing welcome as she put bit Of apple
between her rosy lips. MIR. Bulbo
leaned on the chair to chat, and soon
asked tor Il knife to help.
but you'll have to wear a cot.
"Put it OH" he responded, stretch
ing out his hand.
'They are too small, she cried, at
ter several mirth provoking attempts
to place them.
"Can't something else do7 he
helplessly inquired II can't bear to
be idle"
eyes III wind them up in rags"
and her deft fingers soon bound his
hands.
1t was late when they finished, for
Polly insisted that the pairing should