The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-27

line humanity eye ever looked upon j. an
old bachelor 10 search OF wife--a creature
who has wasted all the best years OF MS lie
In digging aud delving to accumulate store
OF treasures TO lay UP where thieves preak
In and steal, or by an endorsement on
neighbor's paper to see 1t all 90 gnmmerlng
acme fiue morning after term OF the Cir
emit Court and snugly slowed away In
the sherif,s saddle-pockcts. Not that the
Accommodations OF every old bachelor are
stolen by thieves or lost through indorse'
mems. Some OF them--I might say the ma
FORTY OF tbem-sre sharp enough when IL
comes to looking after their money. But
Hbeu old age comes on apace the hair grows
Thin and gray, wrinkles furrow the face,
and the rheumstics lay hold OF joint and
marrow, then the old, decrep.t, WORKOUT
creatures begin to feel the need OF woman
about the house, and strsightway look
about them for the desired article OF furni.
ture. And did you ever know them to fail
In clapping their eyes upon the yonngest,
buxomesf, liveliest, gayest girl in the neigh
borhoodf
There's Sal Rigsby, for instance. Ask
"Gypsy," who is her bosom friend, or =" In
uocent Ed.," who thinks the sun rises in her
pretty face and sets in her shoe-tracks.
There isn't gayer girl in all Breckenridge
county than Sal. Her eye is the blacklist
.asd saueiest. her lips are the reddest and
poutingest, and Der step the lghtest aud
quickest in the dance, between Clover and
Rough creeks and Pinchecoe and Custer.
She is, too, as wild as colt and frolicsome
as kitten.
Mrs. kigsby, her mother, is widow, and
Sal is her only child. OF course she adores
the girl, and her anxiety on her account is
almost as great and unbearable as the
-spasms Of rheumatic that periodically visit
her left knee and right wrist.
al jes' know" is her constant plant
poured into any sympathetic ear; 81 ies'
know that Sal will marry some no count
orpary Teller, an III hev to keep him,
cause Sail never leave this house longs
NV ole bones is above the groun'."
A near neigbbor Of Mrs. Rigsby is old ST
Boland, the shrewdest farmer on Rock
Lick, who is also reputed 10 be the richest
man In the Dejghb0rbood, and whose por-
trait outlined in the opening paragraph OF
CHS sketch.
Old ST, month or two ago, took it into
his head that there was something lacking
about the place. His barns were filed with
excellent tobacco, sure to bring q good
price when put ON the market; his cribs
were full OF corn; bis horses and mules,
and cows and calves, and hogs and sheep
were fat, hearty, and proilfic-the admit
ration and envy OF every farmer for ten
miles around. His acres are many and
in high state Of cultivation. His
house Is large, r0omy, set on hill, sur
rounded by a charming msple grove, and
wellfurnished inside. IL lacks but one
thing to make it perfect home. 1t needs
housewife. The wonder is that it took
him nearly half century TO discover the
n,,ft ho rao inn a. Iocf nd
as he claims to be minute man" 10 all
matters OF business, he hesitated not upon
the order OF his going in search OF help.
meet, but went at once.
His first step was 10 provide himself With
a new suit OF clothes from top to toe. His
next was to attend service at Goshen church
to select the needful article Of domestic fur
niture.
Another accomplishment of Sal Rigsby's
l neglected TO mention. She sings like
nightingale, and her fresh, young voice
rings through the hymnng at old Goshen
on church Sundays like a Chime OF silver
bells.
Her musical voice stole in at old Sis ears
and captured the heart that time and sell
fshness had toughened into gristle. Her
pretty, piquant face was pleasant picture
TO bis weak and bleary eyes.
by gOliy nc cnuckleu W nIinseli, ao
he rubbed bis horny and skeleton hands to-
gether; "that's the girl for me. Pve
kuowed her sence she was a little kitten.
She's smart an she's lively, as was her
nanny aiore her. Abi 1 used to think
right peart o. her nanny in my young
DAYS. when she was purity Polly Slocum,
but then / was too pore to marry. Ell she
has brung up her girl az she was b;ung up,
pli be an uncommon lucky Teller. Yes, by
gun, Pve made up my mind"
The old wretch never once thought about
Polly Rigsby's girl having something to
say herself in such bargain.
That was on the last Sunday we had
meeting at Goshen.
Old 81 was never the man to let grass
grow under his feet when anything was
70 be done. So that night, after arraying
his scraggy neck in an Immaculate standing
collar, and swathing 1t with gaudy Grim.
son choker--the clerk at Moorman's store
had soemnly assured him was "the latest
agony" him at the Widow Rigsby's
house.
AS luck would have ii none of Sal's
numerous beaux put in an appearance, and
nc 1ad clear field. And, as further luck
would have IL, the widow was confined 10
her bed with the rheumatic, and old 81 aud
Sal had The f" best room all to themselves.
"Sal," said the old rascal, "Pve knowed
you ever sence you was baby, but never
knowed till to-day what mons'ous fine
singer you was. Can't you give us a song
one % them bymes what was sung to-day
over at Gosben?"
Now, Sal Rigsby, like all other girls, has
her little vsnities. She Is really good and
sweet singer, and she likes TO be told OF II.
Besides, she found an additional incentive
10 be obliging TO old 81 that night IN the
thought that flashed into her pretty head
that he had come over to court her mother.
The little goose did not imagine for a mo.
ment that the old fox preferred the plump
and tender little pulet to the tough old
ben. And, 10 tell the truth, she was not at
MI ayerse TO the idea Of stepfather. The
foolish girl did not imagine for moment
that the old scamp was after her. So she
sang hymn after hymn to him, never dream
tBg that with every one she was but con-
1rming him more and more 10 the determi-
nation he bad formed In church that morn.
lng.
All things have an end, and finally there
was an end to the singing In the Widow
Rigsby's best room.
"Sal, said old 81, hitching his chair a
little nearer 10 her, :" s'pose as peart girl
Is you be has plenty o beaux trapesing
arter her now"
HLawsi Mister Boland," she exclaimed,
blushins rosily, " what put that into your
hea0tv
"Why, ksse know the young men round
here Is not blind nor FOOLS" said The old
fellow.
APsbo. now: I'd like TO know what'd
make 'em come after me-" she rejoined,
GsbinR for commitment.