Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-10-12
A BACHELORS SURPRISE.

A chill December evening, with the rain
and snow forming disagreeable sort Of
conglomeration on the sidewalks !; the gas
lights at the corner fl ckering sullenly
through the N ist, and the wind piercing
viciously as one came around the corner.
| Not Il pleasant evening 10 assume pos
session of a new house; but necessity
knows no law. M
| Mr.. Barhsdale put his night-key into the
| door of the red brick house. in the midd le
of the block sincerely hoping that his new
landIady would have the comm On sens "
| light fire IN the CRATE.
us it you, sir ?" asked Mrs. E5f'u, :, =
beamingly. There's good fte, sn' "
all right.'' o,or
AN right. Ell returned the bachelor,
faelin,,.t. e blue tip of his frosted nose' W
see whether it had z aas,caped oelhs ~ z,n IF
entirely. ''Well | am glad SFsz it,
| Have the trunks Gomez"
"Oh. yes, sir and the other things"
"W hat other things ?' demanded Mr.
Barksdsle.
But Mrs. Human pursed up her thin
| lips.
Il wasn't TO tell, sir. please"
'Rather an eccentric old lady!" thought
Mr.. Barksdale, pushing past her to the
! rhird-story front ROOM which he had sly
EMMY engaged the day before.
| 1t had been dark and dingy little de u
| by the light of the moon ; but now, soft
ened by the coral glow of a we'll filed
CRATE, it was quite another and different
| aspect Velvet paper on the walls; gilt
paneIing. red carpet, sleepy-hollow
chair.
Mot SO uncomfortable, after ALL" Mr..
Ba, ksdale thought, glancing around
when l get my things nnpacked it'll
seem quite home-like.
He put down his vaise in the corner.
deliberately opened it. took out pair of
Of slippers, and invested his tired feet
therein. Then he laid off his overcoat.
"Now for a cigar he thought.
The brown weed Was yet in his hand
when there came "a hustle and a futter
and a whisper and merry noise on the
landing outside and then the door few
open. as if by magic, and admitted half a
dozen blooming, laughing girls
Barksdale dropped his cigar aud COM
menced retreating.
Don't he alarmed said the taIlest and
prettiest of the bevy Its only sur
prise.'
"a very agreeable one, am sure" re-
turned our friend, recovering in some de.
gree his presence of mind.
"1here's no mistake, 1 hope" said q
yellow-tressed blonde. Your name is
N oft Greenfield ?"
mo mistake about that, l assure you, !"
Greenfield. Sit down, ladies.'' ard he
pushed forward the sleepy-hollow chair.
camp-stool and two rheumatic reception
chairs, which were all the accommo dations
possessed by bis apartment.
| But inst cad of accepting his courtesy,
| the girls all futtered out again, giggling
and in minute, before be could rea|i2a
this range condition OF affairs, they
W. re back again, bearing benches, a table
| cloth, dishes. bouquets. pyramid Of mac
"aronies. plei-up plates of sand witches,
| frosted cake, and mysterious something
| that looked like an ica-cream freezer.
The golden-tressed girl clapped her
hands.
on needn't think we are doing all this
for you. sir" she said.
''Oh." replied Mr. Barksdale, bashfully;
"I-I-hadn't any such IMPRESSION
SITS all surprise, designed for Kate s
cousin"
lis it. indeed ?" said Mr.. BArksdale,
more in the dark than eyer.
And how do you suppose we found 1t
| III out 2'' demanded the tall girl with
the black eyes and scarlet feather in her
| nat.
II haven't the least idea,' said MI.
| Barksdale.
"We found your letter to Kate, and we
girls read it, and resolved to take you and
! her by surprise. She is tc be here in half
an hour. Barbara-that is Barbara Nor
ris in the blue merino dress -pretends that
she has moved here, and Is ate is to come
and spend the evening with her. Won t
Ii be fun ~
sStupendous % cried our hero, gradu-
ally beginning to comprehend the fac,
that he was mistaken for somebody
else.
"What will Kate say when she sees you
here ?'' merrily cried another maiden.
4 .sAh, what, indeed ~ said Mr.. Banks
dale, wondering in what words he could
best explain matters.
.sOf course. we shall look the other way
IL, mar, kiaciran md hrnniro. l,ox Is