The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-04-09
could not bear the thought Of part

After all why could he not buy 6
house and try to get Mrs. Muntle tC
keep it for him? Perhaps shc
would. He could offer a high sala
ry, and she could have plenty o.
servants. Then, indeed, be might
have friends to dine with him, and
be as happy as possible. If only he
could approach his hostess; show
1 ing her as he did so that he consid
cred her his equal and lady, an6
all that, AS she certainly was-a lit
tie countrifed, of course, but cler
gymans daughter, and the widow o.
s country doctor.
After much consideration he fin
all ! mustered courage for the effort
and walked into the front parlol
and sent the servant to ask Mrs
Muntle to please step there for &
moment.
"Graciousp thought Mrs. Muntle
"what can he want?"
Then she blushed brightly, set
tied her necktie, took off her apron
and walked demurely in.
''Be seated, maam," said Mr..
Patterson. "Sit here, please. AL
low me to sit near, as l have some
thing to ask which may require
some consideration
ooh, dear, it's coming?" said
Mrs. NuAtle.
81 suppose you know I'm a man
of considerable means, ma Fam" said
the bachelor, cable to buy a nice
house, furnish it well and live in it
eomfortablyw
$50 I've understood, Mr.. Patter-
son." said the widow.
"And Of course it is pleasanter to
live that way than at hotel" said
Mr.. Patterson.
~ should judge it might be, ''said
Mrs. Muntle cautiously.
YOU judge rightly said Mr.
Patterson, "but you know a bache-
lor must be in the hands of servants
If he keeps a house. A gentleman
don't want that, he wants lady to
superintend things for him-some
one Of taste and refinement. and all
that. Common people don't under
stand 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.
1.-THE doctor knew him. He's 60
ing to DO it, just as he said he would
if he ever did" said to herself
Aloud she answered: "Well, sir, I
am pretty free, it is trne. All my
children are married we'll"
Il know money would be no OBJ
ject to you" said Mr.. Patterson.
You have enough. But if I were
to tell that I hated boarding houses
and wanted a home, l think you
would have pity on me. I'll buy
beautiful house, and you shall have
complete control OF everything; on
~ to make my strawberry short
cake for me all my life"
He pauBed and looked at the
lady.
:;That is delicately put" he
thought. ''Nor will you hire out
for se-keeper, 1 fancy"
Il amt romantic, though" said
Mrs. Muntle; but still, we amt
young, neither of us, and it gets to
be just that with the most senti-
mental after q while"
Don't refase me-" pleaded Mr..
Patterson.
"Well, Mr.. Patterson, [ won t, "
said Mrs. Muntle. I'm my own
mistress, and though I've never
once thought of 4 second marriage,
why think I'm warranted to make
one. And no doubt, L shall never
repent for l think you've fine dis
position, &nd I understand your
ways and tastes"
Mr.. Patterson listened. He saw
what he had done; proposed and
been accepted without having any
idea what he was about. He look
en- at Mrs. Muntle; she was very
nice and comely, and ten years his
junior, at least if she was forty. He
could not have done better thing.
and would be married without any
troublesome counting. So he at
once put his ARA around Mrs. Nun
ties waist and said:
"ThaRk you, nay dear. 1 consider
myself very fortunate.
He wrote to his good doctor in
about fOrtnight's time, to tell him
that he had taken both his pre-
scriptiens, was a married man and
intended to bring his bride home
about Christmas.