The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-29
THE DAILY STAR
A STRANGE ROMANCE.


friend, Tom Meredith, as the two saun'
tered along Broadway one fine spring
morning.
"Because could never find any woman
who would have me, suppose" an
swered Tom, laughingly.
"No use to tell,me that, old fellow, IRE
Ioined Harry. "Girls are not so foolish
as to decline a good Hooking man like you,
with plenty of money; yet here you are,
nearly thirty years old, and no more
prospect of settling than you bad ten
years ago. Now if it were me, why, the
case is very different. A doctor Just
struggling into practice is scarcely con-
sidered eligible by the match. making
mammas, to say nothing of their worldly
wise daughters: but they are all ready and
eager to smile upon you, and you might
as we'll make your choice"
"Thank you," answered Tom, still
laughing, "when find a young lady who
can come up to my grandmothers stand
ard of domestic virtues, | will invite her
to become Mrs. Thomas Meredith"
"And what was your grandmother's pc
cuEar doctrine on the subject?" asked
Harry. .
81 presume she had more than one" "
said Tom, "but this she particularly i'm
pressed upon my mind: Always look at a
woman's dish towels she would remark
with much solemnity. No matter how
we'll 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 that 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 ol
house-wifely knowledge, but presently he
said, in serious tone:
''There is considerable truth in the OLD
lady's ideas after all, but ! don't quite
understand how, in these days, you Car
apply the test. Most young ladies that We
know have perhaps never seen dish
towel. Now l think of it, I promised tt
introduce you to my cousins. There are
three of them, all bri ght, pretty girls
though I think it doubtful whether they
would fulfill your grandmother's require
ments as wife. Still, you may fine
them pleasant acquaintances, and if you
like we will 90 there now"
agreed" responded Tom, and the
two friends soon found themselves in the
parlor of Mrs. Renshaw, Harry's aunt.
The young ladies were all at home, and
as Harry had said, were bright, pretty
girls. Ida, the eldest, was tall, queen
ly brunette, whose magnificent dark eyes
and abundant raven tresses seemed tx
compel universal admiration, though she
had powerful rival in Adele, the seconc
daughter, whose delicate blonde beaut,
showed to fresh advantage beside he
more brilliant sister. The two were &C
knowledged bellies in their own circles
and few who knew them ever paused tt
give second glance at their younger sis
ter, little Violet. As shy and shrinking
as her floral namesake, she avoided th'
gay assemblages in which her sisters loyet
to shine, and passed her time pleasant,
and peacefully with her books, her musi
and her flowers. She was not presen
when Harry and his friend entered, bu
when her cousin, with whom she SCENE
great .favorite, asked expressly for hel
Miss Adele desired the servant to call he
Tom, who was eonversing with Ida, di
not notice her entrance till aroused b
Harry's voice saying:
"Mr. Meredith, let me introduce to 20
my cousin, Miss Violet Renshaw.'
And turning quickly, he was surprise
at the sight of the tiny creature, 40 Il,
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 rich chestnut curls th'
clustered about the broad, low brow.
Tom had little time for obseryatio
however, as Ida and Adele claimed a
his attention, while Harry monopolizt
Violet in a frank, brotheily way, qui
unlike his more formal and ceremoniol
manner with the elder sisters.
"Well, what do you think of my thr
cousinsP' was Harry's natural questio
when he and Tom were once more in tt
street.
II can onlyexpress my admiration |
saying that | wish it were possible to d
vide myself into three separate and di
tinet individuals, that ] might offer eat
of the fair enslavers hand and heart
replied Tom, with much solemnity.
"What, without even waiting to di
cover whether their dish-towels are
proper orderY' retorted his friend.
'fom laughed.
II have a presentiment that I sha
forget my reverend grandmother's a
vice until it is too late, when the il
portant event Of meeting my fate shs
arrive"
"And then remember it for the rest
your life, / suppose" observed Harr
''the principle of marrying in haste al
repenting- at leisure Well, / hope n
fair cousins will not be the cause of SUI
a catastrophe; but / must leave "
here, as l have patient in this house
And he hastily ran up the steps.
Left to himself, Tom sauntered slow
along, thinking of the young lad
whom he had just seen. 1t must be CO
eo.sod +hot iit+la ViaIot ooc,,n;ad hr,