Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-08-15
THE BACHELORS CONFESSION.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

thirty odd, who mas Deen ~ the mercy OF
boarding house Keepers all his days, can
easi understand that. - "yTT
So, when engaged q suite of rooms
third floor, in French fat edifce-ahd ar
ranged my household goods therein, with
fine lookout over green dot of q park in
front, and the glimmer of the Palisades far
away to the rear. above a forest of ship
ping l considered myself we'll off
What is my profession2 haven't any
| in particular. am an artist, and draw
| little, daily, in front of my easel. con-
| tribute to the press and write when the
| divine afaatus seiZes me. read law when
[ EEL like it, and drawa regular income
| from snug little property left me by an
uncle in India, Consequently was able
to decorate my new quarters very prettiiy
W tn Eagdad rugs, OLD china dragons black
and gold Japa1,es7 screens, and pictures !
pick ed up at a bargain. 9 # N
And when the fire was burning cheer
| full in the CRATE, that first rainy May even
ing, the student lamp shining softly on the
re0-carved table, and the waiter from q
neiR boring restaurant had brought in my
frugal dinner ola broiled bird a mold Of
currant jelly, slice of roast beef, and a
raspber y dumping, considered myself
pretty comfortable.
'Upon the whole" said to mysel f, ~
| rather approve of French fats" r. ~
I,rang the bell. ~ - s s-h> s..
The ianitor-a respectful, decent sort of
| fellow, in a round jacket and carpet slippers
| answered the summons.
"Janitor," said l, 'who occupies the floor
aboveW ar
Nobody, sir" the man answered. LAST
party moved out yesterday New party
"A large family p'ssid Z rather dubious
;'Bless your heart, SIR" said the man,
mo family at all-single lady. sir?"
At this L congratulated myself more and
NOR. w.
II shall haye prospect of alittie peace
now, think" said L; and / ate my dinner
| in FOOLS paradise of happiness.
| The single lady moved in onthe morrow.
| She m st have moved in when was down
{ fwn, selecting some new mill~boards and
| color-tubes tor the summer sketches that
intended to make; for, whenEL returned,
| fonly expecting once more to enter into my
kingdom of peace and serenity, everything
was changed.Zaza-az-az- a
There was a banging and .pounding
overhead, humping and hammering-a
sound as if some middle-aged giantess, in
in hobnailed shoes, were enjoying herself
in promenade.
sent for tho janitor, in ISge.
lis the house coming DOWN. said l.
| It's the new tenant a-movln' IN, sir,
said he, alphabetically.
"Does her furniture consist entirely of
Herrings safes and square plan os?' said l
There is two pianos, sir, " said he. "Shes
musicale" ss .r. r. Lae 5Lsas =
TIE duce she isl" roared I. 1.-Two pianosl
And does she play on 'em both?" -.
Don know, sir, L N sure" said the man,
with distressed expression of countenance;;
l endured the noise until midnight, and
then l sent up the janitor's wits. =
1.-THE third floors compliments to the
fourth f cor, and would like to know if this
sort of thing is to 60 on all night @<
| Down came the woman again.
Fourth floors compliments to the third
DOR and wishes to know if he expects
people to get settled without anoise." G
The next day the plano-oniy one, new
ever-commenced. was celebrating
skeleton for scientific essay, and it dis.
turbzd me seriously. l endured it as long
as j possibly could, and thenss bad re-
course orce more to the Janitor's wife. I a
Third floors compliments to the 5fourth
floor, and feel obliged if sne will favor me
| vito little peace and quietness, long
enough to. do some necessary WrtiRg. ="
There was no reply, but the music ceased
abrul tly. s. "a 8
Butthat evening, when 4 was begin ning
to sciace myself with little violin prac'
tice IN the twilight. tap, tap, tap, came The
janitor's wife at my dOor.s a. ~
Fourth foor's compliments to the third
floor, and will teel obliEe if he will favor
ner with little peace and quietness, long
enough to write letter. II
How l hate that womanI - "A
So we lived for q month, exchanging con-
slant missiles of warfare. / C uld cheer.
fully have given up that miserable French
fat, ana gone back to boarding, only uns
| luckily | had engaged it for the year. The
70 nth floor elocutioniz d, and had friends
to select pri ate readings. whose voices
were deeper than Hamlets and more SON
oIous that of Charlotte Cushman. She
Was ch ,ritabe, and had classes of heavy
booted girls there twice q week to sing
| hymns and learn to sew A single lady,
'Bdeedl Ii she hs been a quadrupte lady,
she could not make more noise, nor en-
joyed the nAking of it more. - ga
At the end of the month, however, an
| incident happened which turned the cur
reL.t OF my whole life. W
went on 9 picnic. don't often go 10
affairs of that kind; but this was an especi-
ally selecs affair, gotten up by my friend
Harold Webster - az
/ l went, and there I met Barbara Willis,
and fell straighiway in love with her. She
wasn't exactly young, but neither am l
and to my taste q full blown rose is sweet-
er than bud, wherever you may find il
growing. She was dark-ey ed, with full
cherry lips, satin-brown hair, and com.
plexlon as fresh as roses and ivoryl VIZ
talked--our ideas coincided exactly. i
seemed as if our souls were two looking
: glasses. T. mirror each others So az
miss Willis" cried /, why is it tina
: We have never met before2 l feel as if We
were old, old friendsl"
As l spoke ! gently pressed her hand
and she smiled back unuttersbie things.
l went to my friend Webster, who wa
making up quadrilles on the upper deck
. We were accompanied by an excellen
, brass band.
i Harold" said /, ST can never thank yol
IL enough for introducing me TO that angel
$. DO you mean Barbara Wil1is?" said he
ot We'll, think she is rather fine girl"
+ We grew confidential as we sattogether o
the promenade deck and watched tn
." moonlight ripple over the suface of tide
80 "A bachelors life is but half life, Mil
a Willis" said I.
Y softly. "e 'A' Ana's s"i00 snns
II live IN fat" confessed I. - - =
IL 'Do your" said Barbara (the svea, ri
English name was just like herl. WIZ
how strangel So do Ii" 3 - -
E Isn't it dreadful" said I.
'Horridl" said she, closing her ros
lips as if she meant it.. : ~ y
a.. nd there's q female dragon soccuni.
the floor above me. and torments me out
ct my lifer' 1900
l. dence," said Barbara.
+ There's detestable old crab of bach
= lor under me, who takes all the plessal
0. out Of my existence!'