The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-04-19

IL serious ana interesting conversation
about woman's education with maid
en- l even quoted Scripture to her."
"Bet you hat you misquoted," said
the irreverent Smithers, who thought
every one was as ignorant as himself.
"No; I'm not joking; it's fact, and
/ got an idea or two, let mo tell YOU"
Had he only told us that he had vent
ured into the conservatory in order to
carry on his conversation without inter-
ruption, am convinced that at least
should have surmised that the acquisi-
ton OF an Idea or two was not the only
result. However / was not long in my
state of ignorance. One day, month
or SO after, Budell hunted me up to con-
fidc to me that the bachelors club was
all bosh; he was over head and ears in
love, and did | think he ought to tell
the other mcnP Then there followed u
shower of apologetics, in which "soft
brown eyes" and goodness knows what
other personal attractions were promi-
ncnt. When L recovered breath, | as
sured him that thought it quite incum-
bent upon him to inform the club. I
was rigid and cold with him, for | felt
indignant; it was almost an insult to
select me as his confidant. as though
my celibatc principles were less fixed
than Marby's or Smithcrs'.
His announcement that evening was
received in solemn silence by the Square
Club; even SmithcrS had ut first moth
ing to say. At last Marby asked: els
1t permitted to inquire the lady's name,
and when the marriage is to take
placo?" Budcll looked uncomfortable.
"Well, the fact is," he said, 81 thought
I ought to tell the club at once; but 1
really havcn't-that is, I don't quito
know how to set about asking the lady"
Budcll looked SO comically distressed
as he made this confession that the club
hailed ii with n shout of laughter. The
notion of the bold and confident Budcll
finding himself muzzled by the tender
passion was too suggestive for our risi-
billty. Budell was seriously annoyed.
Z" don't think" he said, "that my
courtesy to the club has been met with
courtesy" He glared at me as if
specially had been guilty Of revealing
his confidence. We apologizcd humbly,
and at last paciticd him. He really was
| proposal. Marby suggested the old
fashioned plan of plumping down on his
knees, like II swain in a valentine; but
Budcll palcd visibly. 1t was such q
cold-bloOdcd way, he objected; yet it
appeared he had almost adopted it on
| two occasions. The first time IL little
brute of u brother had inopportuncly
appcarcd-"I never knew n nice girl
that hadn't little brute of a brother"
exclaimed Budell, hastily gencralizing;
and on the second occasion he had even
got 10 the length of informing the object
of his affections (to adopt q phrase that
used to madden BudelD that he had
something to tell her, when her mother
entered. and he had hastily to devise
some idiOtic fact about a tlowcr-show.
1t was quite evident that his nerve was
not equal to a third attempt. / sug-
gcstcd that he should write; but it
seemed that the young lady, in talking
about certain novel, had laughed the
hero to scorn for resorting to so coward
ly plan as writing his proposal.
"Can't you save her life in some
thrilling manner, and then cast your
self at her fcetp" asked the romantic
! Marby.
"Or can't you get oucrtalzcn in q
! shower, and then you could neatly ask
her to share your lot rs well as your
umbrclla" suggested Smithers.
Budell smiled family "It's all very
well for you fellows to make fun of it
when you haven't to do it yourselves; but
well. l wish to do it in n neat and
direct manner, without any humbug."
cts my opinion" said Smithers,
"that you'll end by popping the qucs-
ton in some altogether extraordinary
and absurd manner"
every well, sir" said Budcll, with
dignity, eve shall see"
But when we left him, the idea of the
irrcprcssiblc Budell being tonguc-ticd
before a dainty little damscl, who
couldn't even sit on a jury, came up to
us again with rcdOublcd force, and we
awoke tho echoes of the silent street
with renewed shouts of laughter.
Poor Budcll could find no opportuni-
ty Of settling his fate. He rcvolvcd
drcarily round my rooms, where he ma
tcrially intcrfcrcd with my work by con-
stantly putting skillfully elaborated
questions to me, devised to extract my
opinion rs to his lady-lovc, without re-
vcaling her name. / rose and fell in
his estimation rs my answers were what
he desired or not; and | committed my
self to an immense number of definite
opinions as to the preference between
blondes and bruncttcs, large mouths
and small ears, etc, etc. "WhctbcI
do you prefer Greek or Saxon names
for ladics?' he once asked me. I an,
swcred at random that / liked them
both equally. "No, but really" nc
persisted, 81 mean modern names de
rived from those languages. Well" "
/ replied at a venture, q like Saxon
names" "Do you?" he exclaimed
"why, so do I. For example, ! don't
think you could find a pretticr mama
than Edith anywhere" "OhoW
cried, her name is Edith, is it?" Blu,
dell bmshCd, but couldn't deny it; and
] dare say he would have revealed hoI
surname also had ] pressed him.
August brought me an invitation from
win CarlyOn to spend n fortnight ut hi:
fathers place in Scotland. and have
shot at the grouse "Tvc asked Marby
Smithcrs and Budcll," he wrote, "anC
! expect them all. I know you fOu
have frightful chains-and-slavcry no
tions about matrmony; but there are lot
of nice girls staying here with Fanny
and if you don't all go home with tn,
full intention OF forthwith becoming
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