Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-05-17
"Yes-that is, no; upon my life I can't

ambulatOr in the streets; ana am, upoi
my life. 1 think they are all bad tempered
and bad-mannered, and have common
habit of working themselves into fright1u
passion about nothing in particular, just t(
plague people and make them uncomlort
able"
For answer my fat friend shook his fat
sides with laughter, and, when he coulo
speak, said:
"You talk like a bachelor, Fritz"
"You forget / have not had twelve
months experience of matrimOny,' salo
hitting home.
He only laughed all the more at this. My
reply seemed to please his fancy.
TIT would be the best thing in life for you
if you had; it would make you happy
man." he said, when he recovered himself
''Take my word for it, you don't know
what comfort is until you're married"
lam not very miserable in my present
state of blessed bachelorhood, and in nc
hurryto make a change" said l.
"Then you are wrong, my boy. DO you
know why / sent for you ?'j he said, look
ing at me suddenly, and as thought after
ward, speculatively.
"To stand godfather to your son OF
course"
"That is one reason; but I have another.
May and have laid plot. Pm afraid Pm
spelling sport by telling you, but Pm hang,
ed if l can hold my tongue"
81 am the victim of your plot, suppose":'
l inquired, mildly.
"You are, my boy. We want to make
YOU as happy as.Ourselves by marrying you
to one of the brightest and best of girls.
She is just the one to make you as happy as
you could DESIRE"
"Upon my life, you are awfully good,
both of you; but have no inclination to
join the list of martyrs-1 mean toto en-
ter into the holy bonds Of matrimony."
"We will say no more about her until
you see her."
"When will that bew I asked, feeling
rather curious to see the woman whom my
friends had decided was to make me a
happy man.
'On Wednesday morning she is to be one
of the godmothers."
There was much ado about the christen-
ing. The cake was of gigantic size, as If
ordered with a merciful consideration for
the healthy appetites of the sisters, cousins
and aunts of Tom Phelan and his wife.
The previous night dinner was given to
celebrate the event more fifty. was dress
ed early, and went down into the drawing
room, where Tom was talking to Mrs. Nc
Fun, little woman with twinkle in her
eyes, and a juvenile cap OH her head, who
prided herself on being connected with the
family of the great McFums, to whom
Brian born himself was but an upstart,
and the Lords of Kildare and Leinater
but "mushrooms me dear, if it comes to
that" as she used to say, with sense OF
pride, eXpressedb by sudden backward jerk
of her head, that made the lacT of her cap
flutter airily, and the roses tremble from eX-
i,, than fhllr
wire stems. When my host had introduced
me, and she had nodded her juvenile cap
in recognition of my best bow, she went on
with the narrative what her dear friend
Lady Aradne had said to her when she was
last in London, which Tom had interrupted
for the purpose of introducing me.
I saw that he was impatient to get away,
but there was no use in his striving to stir
from Mrs. McFum just then, who started
with fresh anecdote of what Tom Moore
had told her he had said to Lady Blessing
ton, when she sang, "Believe me if ALL"
and so I was left to make my acquaintance
with the guests already arrived, all of whom
were strangers to me.
"Charming day this has been," said a
young lady, who evidently took pity on
my fOrlorn condition.
"Charming-beautifu I replied, look
ing at the speaker, who had the most won
derful grey blue Irish eyes had ever seen,
which had now merry look in them they
strOve in vain to conceal.
She gave a pleasant, soft musical laugh,
when | had spoken.
"You forgot that it has been raining all
day." she said, looking at lie with quiz
80 it has" said I, remembering the fact
and laughing with her at my mistake; all
the while felt myself blushing.
II only spoke of the weather to break the
conversational ice," she said.
"You are merciful," answered, wonder
ing if she was laughing at me.
Gam /? / saw you were stranger to
us, and Mr.. Phelan is being instructed in
the pedigree Of the McFums, / suppose, and
introduce YOU" she said with a friendliness
that set me at ease at once.
"Will you allow me to do myself that
pleasure:"
81 think I can spare you that trouble"
she replied, in the most musical Of voices.
"You have come from London to stand
godfather to the baby"
81 have" l answered, wondering how
she knew, and watching with pleasure the
arch look that suddenly darted into her
wonderful eyes. l began to think that she
had one of the most interesting faces | had
ever seen. Her lips were red and saucy,
and were, l thought, just made to kiss
and be kissed.
''Shall l point you out the godmother"
she asked, watching my face as she spoke.
''No-that is; yes" l replied, thinking of
what Tom had told me, and just little Gu
rious to see his beau ideal of my future wife.
"There she is, at the other side of the
room, in a gray silk dress, talking with
that stout little man with the brown wig"
"Do you mean"
eyes, that tall, angular lady with the
little bunch of curs at each side of her face.
She has been beauty in her day, and has
lust come in for thousand year, since
which time she has had six proposals of
marriage, and has stood godmother to one
hundred and tWenty-three children. Be-
fore she came in for that legacy, no one ev-
er noticed her; and though her manners
have not changed in the least, the world has
only now discovered that she is one of the
most amiable women living. Now l al
ways knew that fact and stated it openly,
though no one would believe it,"
While my new friend spoke | felt that
she was watching my face keenly. This,
then, said to myself, was the woman who,
Tom Phclan had assured me, would make
me Il happy man. The lady was at least
twenty Years older than | was; but amy
disparity in that way Tom evidently thought
would be made up to me by the fact of my
future wife possessing thousand a year.
began to think that my friends character
had undergone Il change. | had always
considered him far from mercenary; but
probably the cares and expenses Of his life
had made him regard money in Il different
light from what he had done in the old
days; and he thought he would do me Il
friendly turn by marrying me to Il woman