The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-09-14


ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.
Mrs. Bracegirdle fingered moment
with her lett hand upon the door-knob
and with the thumb and fore-hnger Of
the other twisting and untwisting her
apron string in little, hesitating way
she had when she wished 10 say some
thing. She had just come in ut my
summons. 10 receive the quarterly rent
for my room. | am young '.mede-
cin.- as the French very appropriately
and significantly term physicians, and
being then single man, hired front
parlor OF good Mrs. Bracegirdle, the re
minder If whose very genteel house was
occupied by her .sbread- and meat board
erS,'' as she termed her boarders who
took their usual meals at her table, by
way Of distinguishing them from mere
room occupants like myself.
had been Mrs. Bracegirdle's lodger
and tenant for year and three months.
and never ..had word" with her
save in the kindliest manner and tone.
As | never was in arrears, and always
cheer;ully prescribed for her rheumatics
without charge, was a favorite.
Wei, Mrs. Bracegirdle, have you
any thing To say?"
Her eyes surveyed deliberately and
admiringly my handsomely furnished
room. with its handsome curtains, ele-
giant bookcases, rich sofa and chairs and
snowy carpet, before she replied, and
then. with pleasant smile and knowing
nod, she said:
. do wonder, doctor, you don't get
married. Such nice room, and you
could have the one above it for q Sleep
ing-room and could, YOU know, if YOU
liked. let YOU have your meals private
like, letting your ofiice-boy. Tim. the
lazy rogue. with nothing 70 do but play
marbles and chalk my sidewalk. to set
and wait on and clear off tablet | do
wonder you are content to live alone.
And such pleasant-spoken gentleman,
and so quiet and respectable, for young
doctor, ia your habits--all calculated to
make wife happy. It's pity such
nice furniture and such nice room
should be thrown away So"
Mrs. Braccgirdle was handsome, not
over fvrtv-one, widow and $50 said
rumor had laid up not less than 5000
in the savings bank, with the good will
Of a popular boarding-house- These
facts forced themselves upon my mind,
and lonked now at my hostess to see
IL she was trying TO lay . snare for me.
IL II true she had on shade smarter
cap than usual, and looked unusually
attractive; but when / reflected that
she had regarded me always more with
a motherly feeling than a"young Wild
4 .Is-~~.s.a<.<I Al.
suspicion from my thoughts and said,
smilingly:
"And where shall get wife. dear
madam?''
"Bless me, handsome young man
with such white teeth (Nlrs. Bracegir-
die had splendid teeth), "a horse and
buggy. good practice and some money
of his own. TO ask where be shall find 4
wife, There's fifty ladies would Jump
20 get such chances
= You fiatter me, my dear FRIEND"
answered, secretly rejoicing in the fiat
terry, a. all we vain bipeds do, albeit we
profess not to be taken by it. "A wife
is dangerous risk. One must change
ones habits II one marries. should
lose my independence. / can now do
as I please--smoke, lounge, wear my
slippers. 70 in and out As | wish, sit on
three chairs and table too. IL take a
notion "a spread myself. and If lay
any thing down know where to find il.
Why, II II makes me nervous to see your
Betsy, the chambermaid, come into my
room with that buster Of an old, torn
silk handkerchief. lest she should do
mischief what would become Of me
with n wife who would put every thing
in order not understanding that
there exists certain systematic
arrangement perceptible % my own eve
in All III chaos? II my pipe lies on an
open book II i to mark reference: II
my shoe u on my bed, there l. proba-
bly, under il, for safe keeping. speci-
men " q newly-discOyere bcctlc-bug;
II half-brick il on my writing-desk. |
put i there 70 keep the papers from be-
ing blown away But You know my
habits Mrs. Bracegirdlc.
Yes. doctor, and that Is the reason
you ought 70 be married, for your words
show You are selfish, and there Il no
cure for Il but a wife, she said with
emphasis
Z Yes. ! have no doubt wife would
guiteput me ont Of conceit with myself y
! answered with ahalf-sneer.. ssBut u
tell the truth, Mrs. Bracegirdle, have
great desire 70 be married, but am the
most difficult person to suit. NV wife
must be perfection. ! can't bear ugli-
ness, and bad feature in awoman I can
1c.cr fcHsis-.