The daily gazette., 1878-04-05
Written on Sand.

|
country girls, and it so happened that
they were very soon to part One
said "And probably If we ever see
each other anywhere, we will all be mar
| ried women"
"You may" said the tallest of the
group. black-eyed, very handsome girl.
"but l doubt if / shall. | never will
marry any one but distinguished man
"a man of high position in society and
OF very great talents. / don't think /
shall ever meet any one quite distin-
guished enough to suit me"
"What should care for" said the Girl
who sat next her, a blue-eyed morseI OF
creature, "would be height. | must
have very tall man."
"And should only be contented with
man who was very handsome" said
another, something really superb. Pm
no beauty myself, and l want some good
looks in the family"
"All / should desire would be that my
husband should be good talker," said
the fourth. ~ care more for talent'for
conversation than for any other that a
man can have"
AT this moment fifth girl entered the
room, and took vacant chair beside the
others. She was the hostess, and had
been out to see about tea.
"Talking about your future husbands ?"
she SAID. 81 here declare, that sooner
| than be an old maid, I'll have any one
VINO asks me. I'll be married, even if
I'm not suited in every particular, before
| I'm twenty"
"Good," said the first who had spoken.
"Now I've something to propose. Let
| us take that blank book we were look
| ing at, and write in it each description
OF the man we should choose of all the
world for a lover. Ellen can keep the
book, and when we are all married we
| will see whether the description tallies
| with our choice"
sit is a splendid idea" said Ellen; and
ran to bring the book. Then they all
gathered about the table, and the tall,
dark beauty wrote on the first page the
words that follow:
"NoUaRber -, 18-.
| 81 Bella Norton, aged eighteen, de-
clare that it would be impossible for me
to marry any but u man of the highest
social position, who had achieved dis
| tinction for himself in some profession
or by some wonderful deed. Personal
appearance would be nothing to me. If
no great man ever asks me to marry him
| | Will remain single"
| This she read aloud, amidst the ap-
plalise of her friends And the blue-eyed
girl seized the pen:
| "If L ever marry" she wrote, sit must
be n very tall and finely built man. l do
not think little men are ever splen-
| did.
FANNY ROSE, aged fifteen.
| "NOpember -, 18-."
"Never be ashamed of your senti-
| ments," said the next in order, putting
back her long curls.
| 81, Nettie Grey, here record my inten-
ton to marry only beautiful man. He
must have a handsome face, or let him
never offer himself to me. | am sixteen
years old.
"NoUember-, 18-."
| ''NoUen,ber-, 49," wrote the fourth
81 am nineteen, and know my own
mind. / will have no husband who is
not brilliant conversationalist.
"JEAN Brown"
"And /, )" wrote the young hostess, "I
| Ellen May, will have any nice man
whom | can like. l don't mean to be
too particular. ] am seventeen"
And she also added the date.
Having laughed awhile over the re-
cord, the young girls shut the book sol
emnly into the bureau, and obeyed the
Summons of the tea-bell
1t was 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 grew fewer,
and in 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 letter which, strangely enough,
reached her in one day, We're all ad lress-
ed to Miss May instead of Mrs. Some
body.
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 il
would be a general meeting and intro
duction.
Miss May, on the receipt of these let
ters, first cried and then laughed, and
then set to work to put her house in or
der, 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 after
noon four black silk dresses tuttered up
ON her porch she really felt rs though she
should run away and hide herself. How
ever that would not do, and so the four
ladies met the next moment in the little
lparlor. They had all changed, but they
were fine looking women still. Time had
not done his worst.
"But where are the hlsbands?" said
Miss May.
"CoInlng up on the evening train to
tea" answered u chorus.
Then bonnets were removed and chat
began and after awhile Miss May went
to the old book case and took out the
treasured blank book, and amidst much
laughter, read what had been written SO
MANY wears before,
"Has it all been carried" she asked
SIS your husband great, Bell? Yours
tall, Fanny? Yours so very handsome,
Nettie ? and, Jean, does yours converse
so well?"
Silence fell upon the group. No one
answered. AT last:
"And have you never had offer, Ell
LEM" Said Bell-now Mrs. Smith.
| Ellen looked down.
"I've had five" she said; "but L
Somehow | liked none of them
However-I-I've just accepted gen
tlemen--a person Il suitable age, quite
rich, very handsome, highly educated
and of good family. / could not fee
contented to marry an ordinary per
SON."
$50 uou carry out yoltI intentions,