Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-05

4
| length along one side OF the room: six exceed
| fngly heavy and clumsiIy carved mahogany
chairs, with high backs, short legs, and broad,
sauare, i1at seats any one OF which might have
| cord1ng TO their mode OF sitting, stood aroupd
the room; these chairs, recollected had been in
tne dining.room at the rectory, but then there
| was great lubberly cub OF footman TO Ing
them about The fireplace was particularly
neat lt had an old brass fender polished up 10
inc semolance OF gold, del1neating In its pattern
divers elrds and beasts, the like OF which never
entered Noah's ark, but they had right to 90
| In by sevenS, for they were as clean as q penny.
Inc poker looked like toothpick the shovel
Ike an old fashioned salt spoon, and the tongs
| like pair OF tweeZers. The little black stove
| shone with an icy coldness as II the maid had
Deen scruobiDg 1t all the morning to keep her
sen warm; and the cut paper was arranged
| over the vacant bars with a cruel exactiuude
thai gave no hopes of fire. The ladies them
selves looked as cold as the fireplace; and
| could hardly help thinking that a stove without
a fire, and the cold end of August looked some
thing like an old maid. The ladies, however, were
very crafty; they all spoke together-or nearly
| SO; for when one began the others went on, one
after anoi her. In the way and after the manner
| OF catth, or more accurately speaking per-
| maps son ewhat In the simllitude OF fugue.
They tall ed very loud, and sat very upright,
| which lest circumstance l should have Thought
| very conducive to health but they were not
heaitby; the fact Is, they lived too sparingy for
1or their father had left much less than had been
| expt G. ed and they were obliged to keep up ap-
peal aneeS, and they still visited the first FAINT
lies in the neighborhood. BY living together
they hao very much aSsimilated In manners;
tDey all nad the same sharp. Shrill voice. and
| OF speaking.
| When called on them had not dine1, but
| supposed they had. for they asked me to stay
| aLo uf1nk Tea with them though should have
preferred dinner to tea yet for the sake OF such
OLD acquaintance, was content to let that pass
Iney pressed me very much TO take glass OF
| wine and ylelded-but afterward | repente1
IL. MI pd
on In the article OF wine; ilI-luck to those who
cheat them! Then we had tea. knew the old
cups and saucers again. and the little silver
teapot, and the little silver cream jug, and the
sugar.tongs, made like pair or scissors; 1 was
glad 10 see the tea urn, for 1t helped to warm
,ne room. me Tea made us quite communica-
tive; not that 1t was strong enough to tntoXi-
cate, quite the contrary. 1t was rather weak
l sn0uld also have been glad of some more
bread and butter, but they handed me the last
piece, and could not think OF taking ft, so it
went INTO The kitchen for the maid and
did not gruGge it her, for she seemed, by the
way, to be not much better fed than her mis-
women.
After tea we talked again about old times.
ana gave several broad hints and inttmations
that should like to hear their respective histO-
r1es; In other words, wished TO know how IT,
was that they had all remained single: for the
history OF an old maid is the narrative OF her
escapes uOm matrmOny. My 1ntimation was
well received. and my implied request was COM
pied with. Mary, as the eldest, commenced.
=, Il peiieve you remember my friend, Mr.
Il do so, ard is he livlng?D
He is, ana still Single'
smiled and said. Indeed" The lady smiled
not.
YES" continued the narrator .sbe IA still
nv1ng and still single. have occasionally seen
him. but very seldom OF late years. You remem-
Der, dare say. what cheerful com Janion he
was, and now very polite. He was quite OF the
old school, but that was only as regarded his
external manners. In his opinion he partoOk
100 much OF the new school. He was one OF the
liberal party at Cambridge, and though he was
generally very serious and good man. he ner
picked his head with some strange no.
TONS and when the time came that he should
take orders, Lac declined doing so on account of
some objections he had to some of the 20 artt
Giles. Some people have gone so far as to saw
mat ne was no better than SOclnfan though
l 90 i noH pelleVe ne was ever so bad as
that sui, however, 1t would never do for the
daughter or a clergyman 10 marry man who
had any doubts concerning any of the thirty
nine articles. We did all in our power to con-
vince him that he was wrong, and he did all I'm
bis power TO convince US that he was right: but
III was all 10 no purpose. Indeed, he seemed to
consider himself a kind OF martyr, only because
we talked TO him. He argued most ingeniOusly
that exact conformity Of opinion was not essen
uai TO happiness. But l could not think ii cor.
rect 10 marry man Who had any doubts con.
corning the articles for as my father very Justly
observed; when man once begins to doubt. 1t is
Impossible to say where 1t will end. And so the
matter went on from year to year, and so it re-
chapter VIII never give up the thirty-nine
articles"
All the sisters said that she was perfectly
right; and then Martha told her story saying:
III was Just about the time that you were
Visiting Littletoh that MIR. b, who had long
paid lie very particular attention, made me ali
o1ler MT. B. was not man of firStrate
ing; he was also tOlerably good humored
though occasionally subject to fits OF Violence
HIS father, however, most strenuously OBJ
Jected 10 the match. and from being on friendly
terms with us he suddealy dropped our acquain-
lance, and almost prosecuted US. My Iather
was man or high spirit, and could not pa
t1ently brock the insults he received and nave
every reason TO believe that thereby his days
We Mere a,s shortened; In proportion. however, as
affections OF the younger seemed to lncrelsa,
and he absolutely proposed a marriage in SEQ
laid, but my father would never allow auyn.
Ter or his to be married otherwise than by the
rites OF the church OF England. At length old
MI b died. and then 1t was thought that
we should be married: but 1t was necessary to
wait decent time after the old gentleman,s
death, In which interval the young squire,
whose attentions had diminished of late went
TO London, where ne married a widow with
fortune. They are now living separately
. You were faithful to your first loves" OBJ
served.
"But l." said Anna, have different story tn
tell. had four offers before was 10 years OF
age; aid thought that was exercising great
Judgment and discrimination In endeavOrlng to
w
so walked, and talked and sang, and played
and criticised with all In their turn; and before
could make up my m1ad which to choose l
lost them ali. and gained the character OF a
fi1rt. II seems very unfortunate that we are
placed under the necessity of making that de-
clsion which must influence our whole destiny
lot lie, at that very period when we least Know
what life is"
1T is expedient," said 1, ''to entertain sew
eral lovers at once"
Il found IT expedient," said Elizabeth. ssto
entertain several lovers In succession NV
drstl lover won my heart by flute pIaytng
de was lieutenant in the navy, visiting In
the neigh borhood. My father disapproved the
connection, but 1 said that 1 would not live
Without him. and so a consent was eXtorted. hut
alas. my flute players ship wassOrdered to the
west lndieS and heard OF him no more NV
next lover, who succeeded to the first rather too
soon In the opinion OF some people, was a medi-
Cal man and for marriage with him reluctant
consent was obtained from my father; but be-
lore matters could be arranged, 1t was found
tnat his business did not answer, and he de-
parted. Another succeeded to the business
and also 10 my affections and third reluctant
consent was extorted but when the young gen.
tleman found that the report of my fathers
wealth had been much exaggerated. he de.
parted ALSO and In time l grew accustomed
70 these diSappOintments, and bore them
better than | expected. might perhaps have
had husband, II l could have lived without a
lover
So ended their sad stories; and after tea we
walked into The garden. 1t was small garden.
with four sides and a circular center, so small.
that as we walked round we were like the
names In round robin IL was djflicult tn cav