Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-03-06
UNCLE RICHARDS ADVICE.
"Neyer propose to a woman by gal

light, my dear boy" was the dying
injunction of Mr.. Culver to his neph-
ew and heir, Richard.
"I suppose you aOi15 marry !" groan.
ed the old man, after a pause look
ing aorrowfully at the frank young
face that was bending over him. Its
a family failing, that is. All the
Culvers married. married !"
Hero he groaned again.
Richard had very vivid recollec-
tion of the selfish, exacting woman
whose death was the only real kind
ness she ever did her husband as well
as the greatest possible relief,
Don't you worry, uncle" he said,
clasping his warm fingers around the
wrinkled, bloodless hand that was ly-
ing upon the counterpane. 81 don't
mean to be fooled by any woman. In
fact, l don't think | shall ever marry,
at all.
"That's what all young men say;
that's what I said But you will do
it; and Tn not going to waste my
breath in asking you not to do it.
Only don't propose by gas-light. If
you do ten to one but you will be sor-
ry for it all the rest of your life. If
you fall in love with pretty woman
got up for the occasion, and feel
tempted to tell her SO by gas-light,
just sleep on it. If you must make a
fool of yourself, let it be in the morn
ing when you know what you are
about"
There was not much that Richard
would not have promised the eccen-
trio cid man, who in spite of all his
oddities had been to him so kind and
generous a friend, especially at time
like this.
So he gave the required promise to
his uncle's visible relief, who said no
mere, except to enjoin his nephew to
have him buried in a remote corner
of the cemetery as far as possible from
| the late Mrs. Culver,
II think l shall rest BETTER he
said; those brief words bring whole
commentary on the unquiet life he
had led with her who was in popular
parlanee, "the gentle soother of his
cares and sorrows" i"
Whether it was a family trait or
not, Richard certainly had a very
kindly feeling toward everything in
tho guise of womanhood, from the
fair and dainty creatures who smiled
upon him from out their marvellous
adornments, to the more material and
matter-of-faot specimens who got up
his linen and scrubbed out his office.
Fine-looking, and with the double
advantage of wealth and social stand
ing, our hero was the recipient of
many attentions from anxions mothers
and marriageable daughters, but
whether it was the effect of his uncle's
i'll luck, and consequent warnings, or
because he liked them all too well to
have any individual prefer ence, he re-
mained heart-whole until he met Miss
Ida Selwyn.
1t was genuine case of love at first
sight, so far as he was concerned at
least Her complexion was SO bril-
liant, she had such lovely dark eyes,
and such pretty way of raising them
to his and letting them droop until
the long, jetty lashes rested quivering
upon the rosy cheek, that he was quite
captivated and carried away by their
magic spell. Nor did he seem to care
about ever being brought back again
to the dull, prosaic land he had Quilted.
Day by day the charm grew stronger
to which he was such willing captive
until he finally felt that to win her for
lis wife would be the Growing Joy
and triumph of his life.
A strong impulse came over him to
tell her this, as he was seated alone
with her one evening in cozy corner
of her fathers parlor. Ida had just
been singing and playing for him one
Of those sweet and tender strains
which take such a strong hold on the
heart and imagination of youth.
AS he saw the soft light the brood
ed in the dark eyes that were turned
upon him, he was almost sure that
she would lend favorable ear to the
story that was trembling upon his
lips.
In trying to clothe in words the tu-
multuous thoughts that were strug-
cling for utterance, Richard lifted his