The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-12-18
A STRANGE ROMANCE.

HOW happens 1T, Iom, that you
never married2'' asked Harry Stanhope
of his friend, Tom Meredith, as the two
sauntered along Broadway one fine
spring morning.
q Because l could never find any
woman who would have me, SUPPOSE -
answered TQm, laughingly.
- No use-to tell me that, old fellow
reioined Harry. - Girls are not so fool
lsh as to decline a good-looking man
like you, with plenty of money; yet
here you are, nearly 30 years old, and
no more prospect of settling than you
had 10 years ago. Now if it were me,
why, the case is very different. A doc
tor just struggling into practice is
scarcely considered eligible by the
matchmaking Inammas, 10 say nothing
of their wOrldly-wise daughters; but
they are all ready and eager to smile
upon you, and you might rs well make
choice.''
"Thank you," answered Tom, still
laughing, "when l can find a young
lady who can come up to my grand
mothers standard of domestic virtues, l
will invite her to become Mrs. Thomas
Meredith"
"And what was your grandmother's
peculiar doctrine on the subjectP' asked
Harry.
- presume she had more than one, s"
said Tom, ''but this she particularly
impressed upon my mind: always
look lat a woman's dish-towels,' she
would remark with much solemnity.
no matter how well she plays the piano
or sings, or how many languages she
can speak, never marry unless you see
that She uses soft, dry towels, and plenty
of them, when she wipes her dishes. BE
sure thata girl who uses soiled or wet
dish-towels does not know enough to be
the wife of an honest man." "
Harry laughed at this definition OF
housewifely knowledge, but presently
he said, In a serious tone:
There is considerable truth in the
old ladY's ideas after all, but | don't
quite understand how, in these days
you can apply the test. Most young Ia
dies that we know have perhaps never
seen a dish-towel Now l think of it,
promised to introduce you to my cousins
There are three. of them, all bright
pretty girls, though ! think it doubtful
whether they would fulfill your grand
mothers requirements as a wife. Still
you may find them pleasant acquaint
ances, and if you like we will go there
now"
agreed" responded Tom, and thr
two friends soon found themselves il
the parlOr of Mrs. Renshaw, Harry
aunt. . . A- .t,. e..
The young ladies were all at home
and, as Harry had said, were bright
pretty girls. Ida, the eldest, was tall
queenly brunette, whose magnificen
dark eyes and abundant. raven tresse
seemed to compel universal admiration
though she had n powerful rival i
Adele, the second daughter, whose del
cate blonde beauty showed to fresh ad
vantage beside her more brilliant sister
The two were Acknowledged bellies i
their own circle and few awho kne'
them ever paused to give secOn
glance ut their younger sister, little Vic
let. Asshyahd shrinking as her for,
namesake, she avoided the gay Assem-
blages in,which her sisters loYed to shin
and passed her time pleasantly an
peacefully with her books, her mus
and her flowers. She. was, not preseI
when Harry and his friend entered; bl
when her cousin, with whom she SCENE
a great favorite, asked expressly for he
Miss Adels desired the servant to ca
her. Tom, who was conversing wit
Ida, did net notice her entrance Ii
aroused by Harry's voice. saying:
"Nlr. Meredith, let me Introduce I
You my cousin, Miss Violet Renshaw.
And turning quickly, he was surprise
~ the sight of the tiny creature, so III
like her elder sisters. There was notl
ing magnificent, and little that could
strictly termed beautiful, in the almo
childish figure, but there was somethir
indescribably winning in the clear, grs
eyes, and in the 1iGlE chestnut curls tn
clustered about the broad, low brow.
Tom had little time for observatio
however, as Ida and Adele claimed 6
his attention, while Harry monopoliz,
Violet in a frank, brotherly way, qui
unlike his more formal and ceremonio
manner with the elder sisters.
"Well, what do you think of my thr
cousinsPH was Harry's natural que
ton, when he and Tom were once mo
in the street
- can only express my admirau
10y saying that | wish it were possible
divide myself into three separate a
distinct individuals. that l might of
EACH of the fair enslavers n hand a
heart" replied Tom, with much s.
emnity.
'What, without even waiting TO d
cover whether their dish-tOwels are
proper orderP" retorted his friend.
Tom laughed.
have presentiment that | sh
forget my revered grandmQther'S {