The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-09-29
SELECTED STORY.
BUDELL'S PROPOSAL.

This time two years ago our Square
Club was tlOurishing; now am sole mem
Der. Budell, Marby, Smilhers and myself
had formed ourselves into private bach
elors' club for the purpose Of whist and
other intellectual occupations, and very
good time we contriveQ 10 have together.
We hadn't many rules and bylaws Tor
Ourclub. We were sworn bachelors and
each of us had to allege reason why he
die not we'd; but we had so far recognized
the possibility of a change in our sentl-
ments as to solemnly bind ourselves to in
form the club at once if we should ever
mediate ''halying our pleasures and doub-
ling our expenses" Smithers said he
hadn't time to marry LsWas 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
at first laughed at the idea of assigning
reason; and he wished to allege as his
that he hadn't met Mrs. Budell yet. That
was unanimously rejected by the rest of
the club; whereupon he insisted upon
our accepting as an alternative that he
was afraid of ladies. We were willing to
stretch point in favor of Budell, who
was one of the jolliest possible fellows at
bachelor supper, and so we received this
second reason. For the rest we nobly re-
Axr Iry+ tp Xyit
tion; our maxim was that every lady is
charming so long as one is not married to
her: and we were all ready to 90 into So
ciety, and even sustain the reputation OF
being 'dancing men," We used to relate
to each other over our celibate pipes Won
derful stories of narrow escapes from
guileful women every season; but if these
were all dependent upon the narrator's
fancy for their important details as my con-
tributions TO the conversation, the escapes
were somewhat more than a hairs breadth.
Budell was especiallya favorite in society !;
he was one of those rare phenomena,
young barristers with some practice, and
he had besides Il very comfortable allow
ance from his father. Like the est Of his
club, | had at first taken as Il JOKE his as
serrion that he was afraid Of ladies; but
gradually came to see that there was some
truth in it. So long as Budell was III a
large company--In a ballroom or any
place like that-he was quite at his ease
and bold IT'S lion: but if by any chance he
happened to fail a temporary captive to n
solitary dam>el's bow and spear, he was al
most overwhelmed with nervousness, and
his usual powers of conversation completely
deserted him. | once met him at the royal
academy, escorting very pretty young
lady, and looking as uneasy as ii ne had d
worse conscience Than King Herod; and |
have seen him tremble az the mere passing
mention of The conservatory by his partner
at a dance. However, in the Square CLUB
he was our most enthusiastic member ;hor-
ror and Indignation filed our souls when
we realized the diteiuI fact that Budell
was in love and doing his best to be maj
ried.
Had we been women we might probably
have seen the symptoms of the advancing
malady; but we were only obtuse and
short-sig hted men. Now as | look back
over these months 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 society could hardly, indeed, have
been portents, for Budell always did 60
more into society than the rest Of Us. Inc
first allusion. that he made to me about the
lady who was afterWard to play Beatrice
to his Benedick, was at a eonceft-of
rather in the cloak-room after a concert.
That's what / call a pretty GIRL ne
whispered to me, THAT dark-eye-gIri over
there in the warm, fieecy brown shawl
none of your fiimsy white opera-cloaks. Z
The girl was pretty in fresh, pIquant sort
ofway; and even a sworn batchelor might