Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-07-26
The Method of a Vague Man.

The vague man IS on the borders Of age
The flower Of his manhood is passed, bui he
has no, yet eniend upon the peri"'l oi decay.
! lie Is srzz,e,l nut gray round shoulceIed, no'
stopped deliberate in his gait, not feeble ; his
/ lesh has lost It's hasaDess aud Fcundness, yet
wrinkles have iurborne 70 appear. Ills eyes
are of a natural gray, lie wears dull colorci
tweed suits, never, covers hrs han'.s, WIZ
gloves, and always has mourning band en
lis het, si..,. ~, =. ,...'
tie is vi lover Yhose childrsn arc all set
lied in tie wN,l. lie can ,peyer fs!l oif'hant
how many cli!drep ef dis sre, living. lie
knows there were seven altogether; bnt NC has
10 connt them np mo.t care!nl'y befpreshe 4
able ia say live or six ara still above ground
Then II ask how many boys and how many
iris he has To 20 over the list again. ticking
IN the boys on Que hand anu the girls on the
n,her. i.- IL. .,nYa.nl ia.
ters
Arc they all married p -.
Not an he answers; -. the girls are aud
think \ lew bcys.Y ,l.hsr
..Dl they liyc in .onior O.. -, - -
No. nt least Dot al. some here aud there.
and the wort of II Is that Jack 10 always wr'-
,inr from Emily place. and victcris Is always
writing from Flarry's, ani Emily rs always
writing from WuIiam's 50 that Get ira''uNy
confused and never venture upon aivy~ipS
nny ono in particular ly name. WA Tfiie
lc;te. 10 them all once week beginn,ns'
" Ny dear children aud Graptehilireo. ih'S
/ tier / send t. my son harry, whose aJ'iess
a,savs have by inc IN the body of a mort
eagc h,hl by ne on his place Tor money al-
yapce,l To him, and secured by ne Tor lis
children by means OF this mortgage.
p" Any grand,hildren3
"Oh' yes. several. lu, couhi rol Tell yen
how many unless had my jewellers bil con-
tainiur lie items for mugs in my hand, aud
even then should te III some doubt, Tor often
nh.n hear thar one O, other has young
sou or daughter an in great doubt, Unless
4 matter is put yory plainly as ,i", whether
, this is an oil child or o new one W meFeY
reminder that have not sen. the nsnal mug.
With grsndfsihgr's Love. You see # VII
liam writes TO ne ~ say. Well, 50 Tom
wife has got young son. no Tear oi the pane
+ dying out this century
&" By the way have you sot SOP, ION
"Irt nc see. let me see. There Is Emily.
and Victoria. and william, and Harry. aud
} Edward. anJ James. md Tom that died when
I ~.
died Young. | was puttipg IN imaginary case.
Suppose Tom writes 70 me that NIliIans "iia
bas got yoli'g daughter. aln never sure
J that his h the ifst have beard oil TIE 'ralf-
/, action. As far AZ there beiaa anything re-
matkablc in Williams wife getting young
dsnal,ter. the fact ducs not help NE, Tor geitng
, Young daughter is quite oopinon-place
} everyday occurrence win Williams VIE
There YOU sec am at "A st,ndsiill. 1 do nos
hk. osking William to send me lis' Of hrs
children. with tin dates Of birth opposite each
, namc. IN il riaht hurt William 70 lnJ had
forgotten. And can, write to Top. Tor hq
Is always dying over the g!obeam, anil
uevor writes from . place nearer Than -,OVo
miles fiom the last. D.,
"liy plan is then to go to my ieweller and
: ask him how we stand with regard to mugs
and my SOU William. ] inii out, that abor'
.iy months aco sent a mug 'Nlh Grand;
: fathers Iovo 20 William. How on eartli ain
| 10 make M my rnisd whether this is new
child or an old oDe
"It would be a moderately safe plan tq send
a mug 10 each osco year or once IN two
wears. Wouhlnt,bat dor t,D. 3D..
MY dear sir, tried tho thing one5ear and
, il ha, a most disastrous effect. told ihe man
who gels these things for me in Bond street t.
send each of my children mug Win
Grandfaihers Love Few days before Chrili-
mas. told him all the mugs might be for
5 warlcd 10 Harry house as We were a'l ~ meet
, there fer Tie holidays ..A.,g f,,, a..
We'll. We oil met iIcre rnl big party wa
. made, can tell you. Ihero were lew be-
J sides the family forge, their tsFDer, Int ]
r lhiuk there were four or Eyo people IN tho
house in addition 10 The family. .r
. 1.-THE mugs arrived very 'sie, ,came over
from tic peighboring ioan and got TO Harry :
plaep ms, q. supper time. Hairy ordered all
, The PARCELS TO be breuSh, 10 and opened At tha
tabls. James. Ny you1eest son. was sitting
on my right. WbeD he opened bis parcel |
, saw him ,eiom .cripsqa, - 80. y 3
RI :, Thep there wa "A tlisb. tt'eripe apd NO
lent attempts at hiding lnuabsin oopghs.'
"Al, at oncc some one called out thai Miss
, some one wns i'll. looked 10 tho place they
were all staring n, spd saw james and socOe
ono elso carrying lady on, 81 tho room. At
b., while James came back and said she was
much better, but not quito equal 10 sitting ~
table. and would we accept her apologies.
"' A bad ijke. sir, very bad lase, Whisper
ed James as he passed behind my'chai, =
That wns sll heard then but nexiday thsy
told me what ! had quite. forgotten that
James had uevcr been married and fs'sbcs,
more that he was making Ioveto the lady who
had tainted az the supper-tabe>.
james was DOT able,to persuade her that
, the unfortunate accident arose IN 'hp way
have told you. She tcci. oIensc aud tie love
making was hTokeDcn."
And is James still bachelor
l. L. gNaf
bachelor II you will he kind enough 10 give
me yonr address III drop you line, Tor re-
ally have 90, n little confused over family
matters of late"
Trouy Can Uardeo Learned q New