The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-05-04

4 ~ ed0 t5OOA OA0 tOWA Va 4dus
mouth; I'm forty years old If I'm day,
and, if DO say it, as good looking for
my age as any man you ever set eyes on.
Twenty years ago I was fully as hand
some as / am now, and at that time I
was engaged to the charming Mary Black,
the belle Of Falmouth. That was the
beginning of all my woe-that engage
ment. waspoor then Il own the largest
boot mandatory in Falmouth to-day
and the Lord only knew when should
be able to marry Mary. But she said
she didn't care, she could wait two or
three centuries just as we'll as not, if I'd
only be true to her meantime e
Sooner shall the blue ocean melt to air,
Sooner shall earth resolve itself to sea.
| Than resign thine image, oh my fair
Or think vf anything excepting thee.
| That's just what said. You wouldn't
think, to look at me now, that could
say anything quite so soft as the above,
would you, eh? Bless you! I had more
poetry in my head twenty years ago
than you could shake stick at. ms,
Many are poets who have never penn'd
| Their inspirations, and perchance the best.
That's what's the trouble with me. If
hadn't confined myself to leather. I
should have played the deuce with s:the
njne." Well, you understand from the
above that Mary and were all right. I
swore that I'd be true, and she dittoed; ;
but, bless me, my dear sir, the sweet
girl had father, and he was not so
young as we were by several years.
Those were days when my heart was
volcanic" but the old gentle1nan's palpi-
tator was us hard and cold as cast-iron
grindstone. The palernal Black did not
believe much in love, you see.
lie had married for money, and, in
his opinion. that was the only thing
throwing his only child away upon a
miserable vaga,ond like myself, he very
unceremoniously showed me the door
one evening, and the very next day
brought lover of his own choosing
home to Mary. The lovers name was
Bunsby, and he rolled in gold, metaphor
ically speaking; owned fine house in
New York, and lad horses, carriages
and servants "too numerous to mem
! ton" Oh, why should I linger over
this period of my existence Pin sure I
don't know why, and hang me if I do.
| You guess the rest. Mary was daz-
! zled with her new lovers wealth. She
forgot poor Roderick McStivers, and
married rhos. Bunsby. Esq, and II,
alas, was not invited to the wedding!
Anything more heartess than the above
can scarcely be imagined. I suppose I
might have .''gone into mourning"
They told me couldn't be nun on &C.
count OF my sex.
ooh, what shall do?" asked, in a
voice that sounded horribly strange, not
outstanding that it was my own. I
defy you to tell me what did do. In
the light of my twenty years experience
am convinced that did the best thing
could under the circumstances. I
| married my boarding mistress. She
was 50 and was 20 years of age; she
was
A maid unmatched in manners as in face,
Skilled in each art, and crowned with every
grace.
And, though never learned to love her
extravagantly,. l must confess that she
could make the best apple dumplings
that ever ate. In the course of time
became u father. A daughter was born
to US, and we called her Julia, after nv
grandmother, who was the most beauti-
full woman in the country, to judge of
her portrait now before me. My daugh-
ter looks much as my grandmother did
at her age. Well, as said, daughter
was born to us and son was born to
Bunsby, and they called him Tom. We
heard of the aforementioned event up
here in Falmouth, but for years I never
saw either Mary or her son, notwith-
standing they used to visit her father
quite often while the old gentleman
lived. But at last Mr.. Black was
gathered to his fathers, and about the
same time my wife was gathered to her
mothers, and was left alone with my
little Julia. was rich then-the most
wealthy man in Tadmouth-and had
built me a fine house, the same that I
Julia as housekeeper. Well, how things
will come about Last summer young
Tom Bunsby came out to falmouth and
put up at the hotel-they have quite
number of summer boarders there-and
the first thing the young man did was to
fall In love with my daughter Julia. OF
course the poor fellow was not to blame.
He couldn't help it, tor she was the
most bewitching little woman that you
ever saw, not withstanding that old Nc
Stiyers is her father.
He saw her first at picnic, danced
with her, kissed her in the ring, and
walked home with her at night. I re-
member the evening very well. was
sitting in my library smoking cigar and
thinking of the late Mrs. Nc Stivers-oh,
those apple dumplings! my mouth wa
tiers every time think o them-when,
the windows being open, I heard voices
at the door. I knew it was Julia, and L
knew she had young fellow with her,
and, tear my wig, if he wasn't begging
for kiss.
How silvery sweet sound lovers tongues by
night,
Like softest music to attending ears.
REMARKED earnestly to Mr.. McStivers.
In about five minutes Julia came in blush
ing like ten-acre flower garden, and
looking as lovely as fairy queen.
"Oh, papa! I've had such splendid
time!" said she, throwing herself into
my arms and kissing the cuticle off my
right cheek.
Yes, should think so, particularly
during. the last five minutes" re-
marked.
ooh, fatherw and she hid her face in
my whiskers.
'Who was it, my dear?" inquired.
Mr.. Thomas Bunsby.
"Tom Bunsbyw yelled, springing to
nay feet. while me eyes rolled fearfully.
Oh, it was a terrible sight, know,
because there was mirror in front of