Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-03-17
NUMBER FIFTEEN.

My name is Roderiek McStivers. and
I'm native Of the god old town of
Falmouth; I'm forty years old, if I'm
day, and, if | do say it, as cookbook
ing for my age as any man you ever
set eyes on. Twenty years ago 1 was
fully as handsome as am now, and at
that time was engaged to the charm
ing Mary Black. the belle of Tad
mouth. That was the beginning of
all my woe-that engagement. Twas
pO)r then Il own the largest boot
mandatory in Falmouth tO-dayl.
and the Lord only knew when I should
be able to marry Mary. But she said
she didn't care; she could wait two or
three CENTURIES Just al well as not, if
Id only be true t. her meantime.
"Those were days when my heart
was volcanic" but the old gentleman's
plpitator was as hard and cold as cast
iron grindstone. The paternal Black
did not believe much in love, you see.
He had married for money. and. in
his opinion, that was the only tlIing
worth marrying for; and 50, instead of
throwing his child away upon a miser-
able vaga5ond like myself, he very un-
tremendously showed me the door one
evening, and the very next day
brought lover of his own choosing
home to Mary. The love- S name was
Bursby, and he rolled in gold, meta
phorically speaking; owne1a fine house
IN New York, and had horses, car
Tiages and servants "toO numerous to
mention" Oh, why should / linger
over this period Of my existence. I'm
sure don't know why, and hang me
if do. -
You guess the rest. Mary was
dazzled with her new lovers wealth.
She forgot poor Roderick McStivers,
and married Thomas Bunsby, ESQ.,, and
II, alas, was not invited to the we'd
ding. Anything more heartless than
the above can scarcely be imagined. l
suppose l might have gone into
mourning" They told me couldn't
be nun on account of my sex.
"Oh, what shall do?'' asked, in
a voice that sounded horribly strange.
Notwithstanding that it was my own.
l defy you to tell me what / did do.
In the light of my twenty years ex-
perience, | am convinced that l did the
best thing could under the eircum-
stances. | married my boarding mis-
tress. She was thirty-five and was
wenty years of age; she was
maid unmatched in manners as in face,
Skilled in each art, and crowned with every
grace.
And, though / never learned to love
her extrayagantly. must confess that
she could make the best apple dump
lnss that Lever ate. In the course of
time became a father. A daughter
was born to US, and We called her
Julia, after my grandmother, who was
the most beautiful woman in the eoun-
try, TO judge from the portrait now be-
fore me. Ny daughter looks much as
her grandmOther did at her age. Well
as / said, daughter was born to us
and son was born TO Bunsby. and
they called him Tom. We heard Of
the last mentioned even up here In
Falmouth, but for years and years |
never saw either Mary or her son. not
withstanding they used to visit her
father quite often while the old gen.
tleman lived. But at last Mr.. Black
was gathered TO his fathers. and at
about the same time my wife was
gathered to her Mothers and l was left
alone with my little Julia. was rich
then--the wealtliest man in Falmouth
and I had built me a fine house. the
same that / have lived in ever since.
with my little Juiia as housekeeper.
Well. how things will come about
Last summer young Tom Bunsby came
out 10 Falmouth and put up at the
hotel-they have quite a number Of
summer boarder3 there-and the first
thing the young man ID wa to fan
H|He 4