American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-05-10
THE FATAL EGG.

Upon what slender threads" re-
marked the Bishop, " our fate often de-
ponds. How many times is trifle the
turning point of mans destinies.''
Nobody denied it. 1t seemed in fact,
to some of us, that we had heard the
same theory stated in general terms
somewhere before. But as it had no
connection whatever with the tenor of
the preceding conversation, which had
related solely to the merits of the best
brands of the cheapest cigars, we were
Interested in knowing just what it was
going to lead to. So, by way of eacour-
agement and Endorsement, the Profess
sor remarked that "yes, at one time q
pebble might have changed the course
OF the Mississippi, but now you couldn't
dam it, not with a."
And while he paused to think of
smile strong enough, the solemnest
man present filed in the pause by sug-
costing " q cart load of 'em.n
1t sounded rather feeble, but before
any one could file protest, the Bishop
resumed.
You would hardly think now, that
Austin Crubbleton's marriage was
brought about by an egga"
We wouldn't, and we didn't. We
expressed our surprise, for young Grub
bletpn didn't look like a man who
could be married by an egg, but new
ertheless, the Bishop protested it was
o.
"What kind of an egg was itp" asked
the Professor.
Hens egg" replied the Bishop,
"common hens egg; white as your col
lar and little bigger at one end than
the other. Wasn't much of an egg, but
it married him, sir, close as fate. fought
to know, because performed the cere-
mony myself"
And the Bishop felt mechanically and
absently in his vest pocket, as though
reaching for fee that was as absent as
his manner.
But" asked the scribe, "he didn't
marry the egg, did hep"
No." said the Bishop, "the egg
married him. You see, the way of it
was this: Crubbleton you know is and
was . well-to-do young fellow, rather
good looking. wonderfully fond of Ia
dies society, but awfully bashful. Half
a dozen times he tried to get married,
but a. he never even dared ask for an
introduction to the young ladies he sue
cessively wanted to marry, the negotia-
tions naturally came to nothing. 1
think he fell in love with every
pretty girl he met, and nearly
every one he saw, but that was
the end of it. Most of them he
dared not speak to at all; with the 9TH
ers his conversation rarely wandered
beyond the topic of the weather, or at
most, the ordinary range of society Cos
sip. He felt dreadfully lonesome. He
grew to hate his comfortable bachelor
apartments, which consisted of a room
Immediately over his grocery, where he
could lie at night, and dream of his
latest affinity and listen for burglars in
the store, and smell rope and tar and
onions and kerosene. He determined
to marry the next girl that enslaved his
VIZ WAiihnk nC1Ab. An0 WAllC u0 w as III
this very susceptible frame of mind, who
should wander into his store one after
noon, the very next day but one after
he had laid this VOW upon himself, but
old Squire Bailey's daughter. Austin
had long worshiped her from afar, and
now, when she told him they wanted a
case of eggs packed for winter use, he
felt that he had met his fate. His heart
went out TO her, and when she asked
him If he could pack the eggs for them
he said in tones just trifle tremulous:
"Aye, for life."
Miss Florence looked little surprised,
but asked him what the eggs would be
worth.
''They are priceless" he said, in
husky whisper, ''the dross of gold would
tarnish them if it touched their pure
and
Her state of utter amazement re-