The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-12-08

savings Oy taxing q summer DOarder
or two, if they happened to offer.
Fifty and a bachelor" said Mrs.
Muntle, looking in the glass. "Well
it seems a pity; but when elderly
gentlemen marry it is to some hity-
THY girl that leads them a terrible life,
and likely it's for the best"
Then she looked in the glass again;
for the widow was but a woman, after
all.
MI. Patterson came to the widows
and obeyed the doctors prescription
carefully. He ate bread and milk,
robbed the orchard like a school-bo 70
and reclined over the strawberry short
cake after a fashion that would have
made his reputation at the bar. Then,
too, Mrs. Muntle did not smile at his
aches and pains and insist that he
must be perpetually well because he had
a fresh complexion and dimples on his
cheeks. She had savory herb teas and
potions which she produced when he
complained of feeling miserable.
For two months and more, Mr.. Pat
terson boarded with Mrs. Muntle, and
happier months he never lived through.
Then he went back to the city for a
few weeks, returning in urgent need
of more pellets from the medicine
chest, and staying until the last pink
chrysanthemum was blooming on its
withered branches. He had grown so
fond of his little room, with its white
curtains and fresh grass bleached linen,
of the country good things and of the
buxom Mrs. Muntle, that he could not
bear the thought of parting with them
altogether.
After all, why could he not buy a
house and get Mrs. Muntle to keep it
for him? Perhaps she would. He
would offer a high salary, and she
could have plenty Of servants. Then,
indeed. he might have friends to dine
with him. and be as happy as possible.
If only he could approach his hostess.
showing her as he did 80 that he con-
sidered her his equal and a lady-and
all that she certainly was; a clergy
mans daughter and the widow of a
country doctor.
After much consideration he finally
mustered courage for the effort, and
walked into the front parlor and sent
the servant to ask Mrs. Muntle to
please step there for a moment.
Gracious y thought Mrs. Muntle
to, herself; "what can he want?"
Then she blushed brightly, settled
her necktie, took off her apron and
walked demurely in. ~ -
"Be seated, ma'am," said MI. Pat
terson. "Sit here please. Allow me
to sit near you, as I have something to
ask which may require some consider
alton"
"Oh, dear, it is coming r. thought
Mrs. Muntle.
II suppose you know I'm a man of
considerable means. ma'am," said the
old bachelor, liable to buy a nice
house, furnish it we'll and live in it
comfortably?"
$50 I've understood, MI. Patterson"
said the widow.
"And Of course it is -pleasanter to
live that way than at a hotel,'' said
MI. Patterson.
Il should judge it might be-" said
Mrs. Muntle cautiously.
you judge rightly" said MI. Pat
~terson; "but you know a bachelor
must be in the hands of servants If he
keeps a house. A gentleman doesn't
want that; he wants a lady to superin-
tend things for him-some one of
taste and refinement and all that.
Common people don't understand his
feelings, and mercenary servants are a
poor dependence"
81 know that" said Mrs. Muntle.
You are almost as much alone as I,
aren't you, Mrs. Muntle?" said Mr..
Patterson, coaxingly.
"The doctor knew him. He's going
to do it just as he said he would If he
ever did," said the lady to herself.
! AlOud she answered. 0Well DIR ono