The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-04-04
without Any COurting.

headaches, and he hated the dusty
streets, in which the summer heat burnt
and the summer sun shone before the
green leaves had draped the trees, and
potted geraniums, which had come to be
so blessedly popular in New York, lent
their summer freshness.
'What shall 1 do, doctor?' he said to
the white headed old physician. you
say nothing ails me, but l can tell you
what my feelings are better than you
can. l know | shall be down with
something soon. I rode in car with
a half dozen dirty children, the other
day-to the small pox hospital, haven't
a doubt-very red and nasty looking,
all of them; and while l was buying
something in a store down in Broadway
the other day, horrid old woman
begged of me because her husband was
sick with typhoid fever. No doubt
I've caught both diseases and it's the
complication that puzzlesy you. Couldn't
relish my coffee this morning; left my
milk toast untouched. Hateful life,
that of bachelor at hotel. Oh, dear
me-!
'Why don't you marry, then p said
the doctor.
'They need SO much courting,' said
Patterson. 'Youspend six months or SO,
at least at a woman's apron strings.
You must 60 to the theatre and opera,
if she is gay, and to church meeting il
she is pious. At fifty man likes his
slippers and dressing-gown and chair OF
an evening. If it was just stepping
over to the clergyman's and getting
married, putting ring on her finger
and saying or nodding yes two or three
times, why I wouldn't mind it, you
know
'Ah, we'll, courting is the fun of it all
in my opinion, said the doctor, 'but
every one to his taste. And my advice
to you is to get out into the country
'To another hotel and more merce-
nary walters i said Mr.. Patterson.
NO. said the doctor, ego to a nice
private home. know one-a motherly
widow lady who cooks dinner fit fol
king. River before the house, woods
behind it, orchard to the left, kitchen
garden to the right; no fever and argue;
no mosquitoes. Heavenly am going
up there tomorrow and I'll see if she L
take you
very well,' said Mr.. Patterson, q
think will try it,
'And you must drink plenty of milk
and eat plenty of nice homemade
bread
Eyes, WILL said Patterson, overjoy
ed at least at hearing something tha
sounded like prescription. 'And yot
would advise milk p
Quart of it every day. said the doc
tor.
'I'll take note of it, said Patterson
'and if l should be very ill she'll nurs,
me2'
'Splendidly,' said the doctor, anc
went his way.
Mr.. Patterson thought the matter ove
and thought better of it every day, anc
when the little note informing him tha
the widow would be willing to 'tak,
him in and do for him. reached him
he had his trunk and portmanteau al
ready, and was all ready to start tina
afternoon. AS for the widow, the doc
tor prepared for her boarder's peculia
rites thus:-
Nice fellow; social, plenty of money
thinks himself ill, but isn't; ought t.
be married; told him so, but he hate
the idea of courting; marry off some
day no doubt; will you have me /?
'Yes,' Call in clergyman. Over
Very peculiar old bachelor but ther
old bachelors are peculiar generally
The widow was what the Yankee call
an amazing smart woman. She hat
married at sixteen and had never failet
to have washing over when other peopl
were hanging out theirs. Her breac
always rose, her cake was always good
and her butter always sweet. At forty
five she had married off all her daugh
tiers, was well-to-do, buxom and happy
Her son and his wife boarded will
her, and she added to her plentiful say
ings by taking summer boarder O
two, if they happened to offer.
Fifty and bachelor said Mrs
Muntle, looking in the glass. well
it seems pity; but when elderly gen
tlemen marry, it is to some hity-tit
girl that leads them terrible life, ant
likely it's for the best
Then she looked in the glass again
for the widow was but a woman afte
all.
Mr.. Patterson came to the widow
and obeyed the doctors prescription
carefully. He ate bread and milk, robbe'
the orchards like a school-boy, and de
clined over the strawberry short-cak
after fashion that would have mad
his reputation at the bar. Then. too