Smyrna times., 1878-09-11

This she read aloud amid the applause
of her friends. And the blue.eyed girl
seized the pen and wrote:
eff ever marry, it must be a very tall and |
finely built man. L do not think little men are |
ever splendid. FANNIE ROSE, aged l5."
"Never be ashamed of your sentiments" |
said the next in order, putting back her |
curls.
"I, Nettie Gray, here record my intention |
to marry only beautiful man. He must have |
a handsome face, or never offer himself to me- |
am sixteen years old"
Wrote the fourth:
81 am nineteen, and know my own mind
l will have no husband who is not brilliant
conversationalist JEAN BROWN"
"And l wrote the young hostess, "I
Ellen May, will have any nice man whom
can like. l don't mean to be too partic-
ular, | am seventeen !" and she added the
date.
| Having laughed awhile over the record,
the young girl shut the book solemnly put
it into the bureau, and obeyed the sum-
mons of the tea-bell.
1t was a merry evening, and the last
they ever spent together as girls. In a
few days Ellen May was the only one of
the five left in the town.
At first they corresponded regularly, but
after awhile their letters were fewer, and i'll
time only occasional. She heard, however,
of the marriage of each in turn. AS for
herself, she did not marry. She had offers,
but none of them suited her, despite her
recorded resolution; and at the age of
forty she was yet single. So that four let
ters which strangely enough, reached her
in one day, all were addressed to Miss May
instead of Mrs. Somebody.
These four letters were from the four
friends. Each had written to the other
They had resolved to come and pay her a
visit, and they would be with her on
Saturday with their husbands. Neither
had ever seen the others husband; it
would be a general meeting and introduc-
E ton.
Miss May on the receipt of those letters,
e first cried and then laughed, and then set
to work to put her house in order, and to
= get ready some of the things "the girls
liked in old times.
AS the day approached she grew quite
nervous; and when early in the afternoon
d four black silk dresses futtered upon her
porch she really felt as though she should
run away and hide herself. However, that
i. would not do, and so the four ladies met
the next moment in little parlor. They
4 had all changed, but they were fine look
ing women. Time had not done his worst
Il Z" But where are the husbands?" sale
Miss May.
d "Coming up in the evening train to tea,
answered a chorus.
at Then the bonnets were removed anC
chat began; and after awhile Miss Ma,
ty went to the old book case and took out tn
treasured blank book, and amidst mucl
zy laughter, read what had been written s
many years before.
~ "Has it all been carried out ?' she ask ed
"Is your husband great, Bell? Yours tai
Oe Fannie? Yours so very handsome, Nettie
- and Jean, does yours converse so we'll?
Silence fell upen the group. No on
l., answered. At last:
"And have you never had an offel
es Ellen" said Bell-now Mrs. Smith.
Ellen looked down.
nd "I've had fve," she said "but som'
how l liked none of them. However,
ey I've just accepted a gentleman-a perso
of suitable age, quite rich, very hands Om
til highly educated and of good family.
could not feel contented to marry an ord
9TH nary person"
$50 yOu carry out your Intentions" sal
ou Mrs. Smith, with laugh" "Well I col
gratulate you. And now, girls, confess
10 did not marry great man. Mr.. Smith
-a-a tailor, and he's very nice and vel
ngs good looking. found, somehow, | care
more for that, the distinguished men we
III! SO personally unattractive."
"Candid confession is good for the soul
-OA said Fannie, now Mrs. Hope. Small as
n am, my husband is just my height; b
he's such dear fellow, you can't think
ont and girls are so silly"
81 suppose it is my turn" said Nett
c now Mrs. Clark. 81 declared in tn
book yonder that I'd have handson
man, or none; but dear Horace he is n
handsome. He met with dreadful ac
dent in his youth and broke his nose al
a put out one of his eyes, and spoiled
all face altogether; but he has such 60
,ey heart that he's only dearer to me for
,ba. blemishes !" and Mrs. Clark put her han
we kerchief to her eyes.
Jean-now Mrs. Hudson-said nothir
up, perhaps your husband is a fine &C
1T | versationalist," said Bella, with smile.
any I" think he would be" said Jean, tr
! of ing with her fan, "if-if-well, to confess t
,eat truth, my husband never spoke word
leet his life; he was born deaf and dumb. I
suit he's just the dearest soul, and so fond
mem
girl "Good I" said Bella. "None of us c
/ of laugh at the other, but since matters
ave as they are, what do you say to burnt
that book before the gentlemen come il
n a Every one agreed. Later in the day I
her, husbands appeared upon the scene, a
,uty Miss Mays suitor also arrived to take
the with them and any unprejudiced obser
must have admitted that of all men
nv Smith was perhaps the least distinguish,
said Mr.. Hope, the shortest; Mr.. Clark,
for plainest, and Mr.. Hudson, the dumt
man they had ever met; while Mr.. Porter, v
was about to marry the lady who had
the clared her intention of taking any one v
the offered, was distinguished, handsome,
been and hne conversatlonallst