Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-11-29
BUDELL'S PROPOSAL.
Bslgravia.

BslgraviA.
This time two years ago our Square
club WAS hourisLiug; now / am sole
member. budell, Mgfby, Smithers and
myself had formed ourselves into a
private bsohelors' club tor this purposes OF
what and other intellectual ooou pstions,
and very good time We contrived ~
have together. We hadn't many rules
and bylaws for our club We were
sworn bachelors, and each OF us had TO
allegs reason why he did not intend to
wed but We had 80 far recognized tho
possibility of a change in our sentiments
rs to solemnly bind ourselves to inform |
the club at once if we should ever medi- |
tate 'halving our pleasure aud doub bling |
our expenses Smithers said he hadn't |
time to marry; was too poor, aud |
Msrby, who was regarded as our romantic |
member, gave us indefinitely u unA-s- |
stand that 'blighted Affections stood be- |
tween him and the hymsaasl altar |
Budeli at first laughed at the ldea OF |
assigning reason, and he wished to |
allege as his that he hadn't met Mrs. |
Budell yet. That was unanimously re
jsoted by the rest of the club; whereu upon
ne 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 30 We received this second
reason. For the rest We nobly resolved
not 10 fly, but to Withstand temptation.
Our maxim was that every lady is charm
ing 30 long as one is not married to her
and We were all ready to 60 into society,
and even sustain the regulations of being
dancing men, We used to relate to
each other over cur oeiibste pipes won
derful stories OF narrow escapes from
guileful women every season; but If these
were all as dependent upon the narrators
fancy for their important details as my
contributions to the conversation, the
escapes were somewhat more than hairs
breadth. Rudell was especially favorite
In society he was one of those rare
phenomena, young barristers with some
practice, and he had besides very com.
Portable allowance from his father. Like
the rest of the club, l had at first taken
rs joke his assertion that he was afraid
Of ladies but gradually came to see
that there was some truth in 1t. So long
as Budell was in large cJmpsny-in
ballroom or any place like that--he was
quite at his ease and bold as a lion but
II by any chance he happened to tall
temporary captive TO q solitary damsel's
bow and spear, he was almost over
whelmed 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 rs if he had
worse conscience than King Hsrod and
have seen him tremble at mere pass
ing mention of the conservatory by his
partner at dance. However, in the
Square club he was our most enthusiastic
member and horror and Indignation
filled our souls when We realized this
direfui tact tina Budell was 10 love, and
doing his best to be married.
Had we been women we might, prob
ably, have seen the symptoms of tie
advancing malady; but We were only
obtuse and short-sighted men. Now IS
look back over these months | recall
incidents that might have been warn
ings. The gradual decrease OF Budell 8
hllarity at tne club and the gradual in
crease OF his excursions into society
could hardly, indeed, have been portsnts,
tor Budell always did go more into society
than the rest Of us. The first allusiou
that he made to me about the lady who
WAS afterward to play Beatrice to hi.
Benedict was at concert, or rather In
the cloak room after q concert. That's
what call pretty GIRL he whispered
to me that dark-eyed girl over theirs il
the warm, hseoy, brown shawl--nons o
your himsy, white opera cloaks' Tn,
girl was pretty, in fresh, pquant sor
Of way; and even sworn baonelor nigh
have been excused for being pleased a
receiving such a frank smile as sht
greeted Budell with, Again, not many
days after he remarked to me apropo
des bottes-'Met rather an interestin,
girl last night; quite agrees with me OF
the subject OF names | may be ex
cused for neglecting this hint Budell,
think, would have found a mollus
interesting II II had only agreed Will
him that there was nothing more objec
tionable than to have ones mans muir
dered. He was nervously anxious tia
his name should be pronounced with tn
accent on the second syllable and
afterward found that he bad hesu intro
duoed (ior the second time) to TIL
interesting girl as 'Boode.' Just a
though rhymed to NOODLE as he iudig
nantly expressed it. But the mos
important hint was given the night ate
Mrs. Burton's ball, at which We had al
been present. We were loungiug il
Budell's rooms, aud Smithers wss givip
US a highly colored and graphic illustra
tion Of the frivolity taaL passas 10
conversation between young men an
maidens. That's all noussnse,' brok
in Budell it's your own fanlt at al
rate. Why, last night hsd quite
serious and interesting c0nvetsaio
about woman's conversation with
madden" even quoted Scripture t
her. a...
Bet you hat you misquoted, sal
the irreverent SmitheIs, who though
every one was as ignorant as himseIf.
No; I'm not joking it's Tact, and
got an Idea or two, let me tell you Ha
he only told us that he had venture
into the conservatory in order to carr
on his conversation without interruption
l am convinced that | ii least shout
have surmised that the aGqniaition OF a
idea or two was not the only result
However, was not long in my state
ignorance. One day, month or 50 sitei
Budell hunted me up to CONFESS to III
that the bachelors club Vas all bosh
he was over head and ears in love, al
did think he ought to eIl the otht
apo'oge in which soft b;oan eye I an
goodness knows what Utusr prrsons
attractions we're prominent. When +,
covered breath | assured him thai
thought 1t quite incumbent upon him t
inform the club. was rigid and col
with him, for 1 felt indignant it VI
almost an insult to select me as mis- coui
dant, as though my oelibate prinoipl
were less fixed than Marby's
Smithers's.
His announcement that evening VI
received In solemn silence by the 5qua
club even Smithers had at first nathiI
to say. AT last Marby asked, Is it pc
mitted to enquire the lsdys nans, 81
when the marriage is 10 take place
Budell looked uncomfortable. Well, t
fact is,' he said, Il Thought ough.
tell the club at once but haven't
that is, l don't quite know how to
about asking the lady
Budell looked SO comically distress
as he made this confession that the cl
hailed 1t with a shout of laughter. T
notion of the bold and confident Bud
finding himself muzzled by the tend
passion was too suggestive for orr ri
bility. Budell WAS seriously annoy.
Il don't think, he said, that my courte
to the club has been met will courses
He glared at me as II | specially Ii
been guilty Of revealing his confden
We apologizsd humbly, and at Ii