The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-10
HIS FOURTH ATTEMPT.
How an Old Bachelor Married His
First Love.

am Sydney Brockwood; age, sixty-one; :;
tolerably goodlooking; well-preserved; ;
bachelor; no profession; fair income. l
may as well confess that shall be married
tomorrow. 1t has taken me just forty-one
years to find wife.
Before was twenty fell in love- She
was, very properly, sixteen. Her name was
Marie johnson. liked Marie" though
objected to johnson. 1t was "Miss John
son." nevertheless, for long time. After
ward, when we became more intimate, she
let me call her Marie. How shall describe
this charming creature? Iwon't attempt
to describe her. To my mind she was
superlatively pretty girl. 1 am sure she
liked me, and l was desperately fond of
her. One spring-that halcyon spring turks
IN my memory like a dream-she and her
father (she had no mother) took house in
the country, a hundred miles OF so from
New York. 1t wasn't possible for me to see
her then more than once week; but how
enjoyed the holidays! Finally | made up
my mind to propose marriage to Miss John
son. On Friday afternoon | made my ap-
pearance unexpectedly at the paternal
country seat, and found my dear girl talk
ing with Charlie Jones under a big beech
tree. There were other girls and fellows
about, and | was obliged to join them, for
Jones monOpoliZed Marie. detested Jones.
1t was only after protracted and patient
waiting that managed to have tete-a-tetc
with Marie. We were strolling over the
grounds together; there were the faintest
colorS of twilight in the sky; we were alone
i said, after much indulgence in common
place, Marie" My solemnity of voice
and manner startled her, She looked at
me in half frightened way. But | went
on boldly: Il have something to saw to
you. To tell you the truth" / stopped at
this point to gather my wits.
THE truth she murmured.
! ''The fact is" l began again.
THE fact" she murmured, gazing sky
ward.
''Yes, the fact" l exclaimed, somewhat
savagely- Then l blurted out with awk-
ward honesty: Il love you, Marie l want
YOU to marry me-or 20 let me marry you
Won't you. please?" 1 tried to seize one of
her little white hands, but she drew it
away gently, and said:
Il am so grieved, Sydney. Butt am
already engaged"
l held my breath. There seemed to he
twilight under my feet as well as over
head. My legs gave way suddenly A
deadly chill froze the blood in nv veins
TO whom?" l gasped, as soon as could
speak.
'.Mr. Jones,'' she answered, shyly.
This was too much.
"Jones!" l shouted.
"You are unkind,' she said. with dignity.
Forgive me" L replied, trying to control
my rage and bitterness. ImuSt coneratu-
late you, of course. Good-evening Z"
turned on my heels and left her where
she stood. fancy she saw the image of
Jones in the crimson and green Of the
heavens. | was blinded by the crimson
and green of jealousy, and that is Whv nv
good-breeding deserted me at crisis But
can one pretend that love-the most un-
reasonable and selfish passion under the
SUMS ever well-bred!
Eighteen years elapsed-a long and
barren stretch in the life Of bachelor. In
the progress OF so many wears one is ant to
forget the sentimental incidents of youth.
forgot nothing. After the wedding of Miss
johnson / went abroad. I Travelled over
Europe and the Orient countries. l lounged
for awhile in Paris, then in Vienna, then in
London; then IN Constantinople. 1 spent
Two or three years in Persia, and hobnobbed
with the Shah. Finally l came back to
Paris, which was more amusing than
London. OF course, during nv extended
Journey from place to place, back and forth.
i met hundreds of beautiful and fascinating
women. but much TO my own astonish-
ment, my heart staid in one spot In the
blonde loveliness of English girls, in the
richer beauty OF French demoiselles, in the
dusky sensuousneSS of yelled Turks, / per
sisted in seeing only one face-the face of
Marie. Women in all lands have assured
iarly in love. may therefore congratulate
myself On having acted, during eighteen
years, the part of hero
got tired at last of homeless wandering.
and longed to see New York again. I
longed to see Marie. All sorts of specula-
tions came into my brain when thought
of her. Was she happyl was she miser-
ables was she deads What had become of
Jonesl Perhaps he was deadl On the
whole, Twas willing to crafty my curiosity
1 sailed one evening, late In autumn, for
New York. was thrilled with a strange
pleasure when l got there. The dear old
town had changed considerably since had
left it. 1t was larger and nobler. Its ag-
gressive uglineSS had been tempered with
a certain amount of good taste and deli
cate culture. After running down the
plank from the steamer, and answering the
Gsual questions of custom-house officers,
gave orders to have my trunks sent to the
Fifth Avenue Hotel, and then walked
Gheerfully to Broadway. There entered
q stage, which rattled up slowly to Twenty
third Street. The first person met in the
hotel was Jack Dunham, an old chum. He
Seemed to be overtoyed at meeting me, and