The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-05-03
BUDELL's PROPOSAL.

ouuCIls anu
myself had formed ourselves into a pri-
Vate bachelors club for the purpose of
whist and other intellectual occupa-
tions, and very good time we con-
trived to have together. We hadn't
many rules and bylaws for our club.
We were sworn bachelors, and each of
us had to allege a reason why he did
not intend to wed; but we had so far
recognized the possibility of change
in our sentiments as to solemnly bind
ourselves to inform the club at once if
we should ever mediate s'halving our
pleasures and doubling our expenses. ="
Smithers said he hadn't time to marry;
l was too poor; aud Marby, who was re-
garded as our romantic, gave us indef-
initely to understand that 'blighted
affections stood between him and the
hymeneal altar. Budell at first laugh
ed at the idea of assigning reason;
and he wished to allege as his that he
hadn't met Mrs. Budel1 yet. That was
unanimously rejected by the rest of the
club; whereupon he insisted upon our
accepting as an alternative that he was
stretch point in favor of Budell, who
was one of the jolliest possible fellows
at bachelor supper, and so we receiv-
ed this second reason. For the rest we
nobly resolved not to fly, but to with
stand temptation; our maxim was that
every lady is charming SO long as one
is not married to her; and we were all
ready to go into society, and even sus-
tain the reputation of being dancing
men, We used to relate to each other
over our celibate pipes wonderful
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 es-
capes were somewhat more than hairs
breadth. Budell was especially fa-
vorite in society; he was one of those
rare phenomena na-young barriSters with
some practice-and he had besides a
very comfortable allowance from his
father. Like the rest of the club, had
at first taken as joke his assertion
that he was afraid of ladies; but I
gradually came to see that there was
some truth in it. So long as Budell
was in large company-in a ballroom
or any place like that-he was quite at
his ease and as bold as lion; but if by
chance he happened to fall temporary
captive to a solitary damsePs bow and
spear, he was almost overwhelmed with
and his usual powers OF
conversation completely deserted him.
1 once met him at the Royal Academy.
cscorting very pretty young lady, and
looking us uneasy as if he had worse
conscience than King Herod: and have
seen him tremble at mere passing
mention of the conservatory by his part
ner at dance. However, in the Square
m1ember; and horror and Indignation fill
fu1 fact that Budell was in love, and do.
ing MS best to be married.
Had we been women we might prob
ably haye seen the symptoms of the
advancing malady; but we were only
obtuse and short-sighted men. Now as
I look back over these months recall
incidents that Bsight have been warn
ings The gradual decrease of Budell'
hilarity at the club. and the gradua
increase of his excursions into society
could hardly, indeed, have been portent
for Budell always did go more into
society than the rest of US. The frs
ailusion that he made to me about the
lady who was afterward to play Beat
rice to his Benedick was at concert
or rather in the cloak-roOm after a con
cert. That's what l call a pretty
girl he whispered to me; "that dark
eyed girl over there in the warm, tleecy
brown shawl-none of your tiimsy
white opera cloaks." The girl was
pretty, in fresh, piquant sort OF way
and even a sworn bachelor might have
been excused for being pleased at re
ceiving such frank smile as she greet
ed Budell with Again, not many days
after he remarked to me Gpr0pOS de-
botes-''Met rather an interesting cir
last night; quite agrees with me on tht
subject of names l may be excused
for neglecting this hint; Budell, thinl
would have found mollusk ''inter
esting' if it had only agreed with hin
that there was nothing more objection
able than to have ones name murder
ed. He was nervously anxious that hi
name should be pronounced with thu
accent on the second syllable; and
afterward found that he had been intro
duced (for the second time) to this ''in
teresting girl'' as Doodle" p" ''Just a
though l rhymed to noodles he in
dignantly expressed it. But the mos
important hint was given the night afte
Mrs, Burton's ball, at which we had al
been present. We were lounging il
Budcli's rooms, and Smithers was Civ
ING US q highly-colored and graphic
illustration of the frivolity that passe
for conversation between young mel
and maidens. That's all nonsense,
broke in Budell; 'It's your own faul
at any rate. Why, last night L ha'
quite serious and interesting CONVEX
sation about woman's education with
maiden I even quoted Scripture t.
her."
s.Bet YOU hat you misquoted," SAT-
the irreyerent Smithers, who though
everyone was as ignorant as himself.
s.No; I'm not joking; it's fact, an.
got an idea or two, let me tell you.
Had he only told us that he had ven
tured into the conservatory in order t
carry on his conversation without II
terruption, / am convinced that L
least should have surmised that the &C
uuisition of an idea or two was not tn
only result. However, was not lon
IN my state of ignorance. One day,
month or so after, Budell hunted m
up to confide to me that the Bachelors
club was all bosh; he was over hea
and ears in love, and did l think b
ought to tell the other men? Then ther
followed a shower of apologetics,
which ''soft brown eyes," and goodne:
knows what other personal attraction
were prominent. When l recovere
breath 1 assured him that l thought
quite incumbent upon him to inform
the club. l was rigid and cold with hin
for felt indignant; it was almost an il
suit to select me as his confidant, {
though my celibate principles wei
less fixed than Marby's or Smithers
His announcement that evening WI
received in solemn silence by the Squal
Club; even Smithers had at first nothir
/ to say. At last Marby asked. els
permitted to inquire the iady's nam