The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-08
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BUBBLES PROPOSAL,

4nlb time TWO yeaEb ago ouf square OIuI
was flourishinR; now l am sole member
Budell, Marby, smithers and myself ha,
formed ourselves into a private bachelors
club for the purposes Of whist and othe
intellectual occupations, and very gooc
time we contrived to have together. w
hadn't many rules and bylaws for on.
club. We were sworn bachelors, and eacl
Of us had to allege a reason why he did no
intend TO wed; but We had 30 far recog
nizsd the possibility OF a change in oul
sentiments as to solemnly bind ourselves
to inform the club at n C If we should
ever mediate ''halving our pleasures and
doubling our expenses" Smithers said be
had not timeto marry wac too poor, and
Marby, who was regarded as our romantic
member, gave US indefinitely to under
stand that "blighted affections" stood be-
tween him and the hymeneal altar. Budell
ut first laughed at the idea Of assigning O
reason, aud he wished to allege as his that
he hadn't met Mrs. Budell yet. That was
unanimously rejected by the rest oil
the club, whereupon he insisted
upon our accepting as an al.
tentative that he Was afraid Of ladies, We
were willing to stretch q point in favor Of
Budell, who was n Of the %iolliest posi-.
bic fellows at a bachelor supper, and so
we received this second reason. For the
rest, we resolved not 10 fly, but to with
stand temptation; our maxim was that
every lady was charming SO long as one is
not married 10 her; and we were all ready
10 60 into society, and even sustain the
Of being dancing men," Budell
was especially a iavoritc in society; he was
one OF those rare phenomena, young bar.
rfsters with some practice, aud be had, be-
sides, q very comfortable allowance from
his father. Like the rest Of the club, |
had at first taken as a joke his assertion
he was afraid OF Ladder but I grad
ually came to see that there was some
truth in 1t. So long as Budell was IN q
large company-in a ballroom or any
place like that-he WAS quite at his ease
and as bold as a lion; butt by any chance
he happened to fall q temporary captive to
q solitary damseEs DOW and spear, ne WAS
overwhelmed with nervousness,
and his usual powers OF conversation com:
deserted him.
Had we been women we might probably
seen the symptoms Of the advancing
malady; but We wtrs only obtuse and snort
men. Now, az | look back over
these months, l recall incidents that might
have been warnings, The gradual decrease
Of Budell's hilarity at the club and the
gradual increase OF his excursions into So
icety could hardly, indeed, have been por-
tents, for Budell always did go more into
THAI the rest OF us. The first allusion
he made Il me about the lady who was
to play Beatrice" to his "Bene-
WIS at a concert, or, rather, in the
cloak-room after g concert. THAT'S what |
call a pretty girl,''-he whispered to me-
shat dark.eyed girl over there in the warm,
ileecy brown shawl; none OF your iimsy
white opera cloaks.d The girl was pretty
ia a fresh, piquant sort OF way; and even q
sworn bachelor might have been excused
for being pleased ut receiving such a frank
smile as she greeted Budell with.
He was nervously anxious that his name
be pronounced with the accent on
the second syllable; and | af'erward found
that he had bsen introduced (tor the sec
ond time) to this Interesting girl as
Doodle" Just as il | rhymed with
NOODLE" as he Indignantly expressed it.
But the most important hint was given the
night after Mrs. Barton's ball, at which We
had all been present. We were louuging
in Budell's room, and Snithers was giving
highly colored and graphic illustra-
lion Of the ~friyolity that passes for couver-
sation between young men and maidens.
''That's all nonsense" broke in BudelI; ''it,'a
your eva fault, at any rate. Why, last
l had quite u serious and interesting
conversation about women's education
with a maiden ! even quoted Scripture
to her"
One day a month or so after Budell
hunted me up 10 conide to me that the
bachelors club wa bosh; he was over head
and ear In love, and did / think he ought
TO tell the other men2 Then there follow
ed q shower OF apologetics, in which "soft
brown eyes" and goodness knows what
other personal attractions were prominent.
When | recovered breath 1 assured him
that ! thought it quite incumbent upon him
to inform the club. l was rigid and cold
with him, ior l tslt i%ndignauG 1t was almost
an insult to select me as his %conhdant, as
my celibate principles were less
fixed than Marby's or Smithers.
HIS amour cement that evening was re-
ceiyed in solemn silence BY tie Square
Club; yer smithers had ut Unit nothing TO
gay. At last Marby asked, "ls it permitted
10 Inquire the lady's name, and when the
marriage Is TO take place? Budell looked
uncomfortable. "Well, the fact is," he
raid, II thought l ought to tell the club at
once; but | hayen't-that is, | don't quite
know how to set about asking the lady.
Giant you save her life in some thrilling
manner, and then cast yourself at her
asked the romantic Marby.
"Or can't you get oVertaken in q shower,
and then you could neatly ask her to share
your lot as well as your umbrella ?" aug.
gested Smithers.
Budeli smiled family.
Its all very we'll for you fellows TO make
fun Of It when you haven't 10 do it your
but all the same its 3 tickljsh thing
to do well. | wish to do 1t In 9 neat and
direct manner, without any huabug."
"lt's my opinion" said Smithers, ''that
you'll end by popping the question in
some altogether extraordinary absurd man.
ner."
"very well, sir" said Budell, with dig.
nifty, I'VE shall see."
But when we left him the idea Of th6 in.
repressibls Budell being toDgue-tied be-
fore a dainty little damsel WAC couldn't
even sit on q jury, came upon rs again Tith
redoubled force, and We awoke the echoes
Of the silent streets with renewed shouts Of
laughter.
Poor Budell could end no opportunity Of
his fate. He revolved dreaiily
round my rooms, where he materially in
teriered with my work by constantly put
ting skillfully elaborated questions TO me,
to extract my opinion as TO his
lady-love without revealing her name.
I rose and fell in his estimation as my an
swers were what he desired or not, and l
myself to an immense number
Of definite opinions as to the preference
between blondes and brunettes, large
rnn,Naa avid avail para akn UIVbiok IL