Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-05-13
CHATTER v.

rCHAFTEH v.
VANITY CAN vANoUrsH LOVE
The following morning Mr.. Brent received
q letter from his son In Australia, announo-
ing his intention Of returning 10 England for
o few months The reason Of this return the
letter went on 10 furnish. The son said he
feared his father would think him very
foolish; but love was bringing him home, and
hare was the worst Of the matter-loye under
very peculiar circumstances He had fallen
IN love with-a pictured He had seen the
portrait Of q girl whose face had impressed
him as never the living face Of any woman
had, and having ascertained that the original
q the picture really lived. and was English,
and not duchess or princess, which well
she might be, but girl Of his own rank In
Life, young Brent was determined to find her
out and try to secure her for himself. The
letter wound up in very ingenious language,
admitting the apparent absurdity Of the
whole proceeding; but protesting that the pas
sion was true and deep, and that nothing
could end it except realization or absolute
and ascertained hopelessness.
Rector Brent was good natured man and
q kind father; so he shook his head and
smiled over his sons folly, being sage him
self. But he wrote kind reply, saying
that his son would be always welcome home
under any conceivable circumstances, and
that though he must confess the expedition
seemed rather wild, yet he well knew that in
the latter scenes of the affair his son would
be ruled by his own good sense and his
fathers counsel
aAnd now,n the rector said, as he sealed
this praiseworthy epistle, II think before Per-
cival comes home had better have my af-
fairs settled" This be said, and as he spoke
he looked at his own likeness in the chimney
glass. Something struck him. "Dear me-"
he exclaimed, u must get some new teethl"
For fifty years Of good living had told upon
this portion of his mechanism; and now re-
fecting that he was about to marry, he
reasoned thus: "At such times we refurnish
our houses Think Of man refurnishing his
house, and not refurnishing his mouth II I
am to have new dining table, ought to
have new set of teeth to use at it. Besides"
He grinned in the glass. @Yes,' he said,
shaking his head, mot at all progressing"
He grinned again, and this time by the power
Of fancy set new white teeth in the vacant
spaces. "Not doubt Of it," he murmured;
the greatest Improvement
So that morning, instead of making pro-
posal of marriage to the lively widow, he
went to an adjacent town, where notable
dentist practiced, and here he had his jaws
overhauled and plan Of the projected i'm
provements drawn out. The dentist was q
man of chat, and when he ascertained whence
the parson came he had all sorts Of questions
TO ask about various people in the neighbor-
hood, and curious stories to tell, and gossip to
exchange; so that our little rector, perched in
the operating chair, laughed and chirruped
and looked the image of enjoyment. Short
sighted man!
"By the way" said the dentist, pausing
moment with one of his tools in his hand,
'has not Mrs. Temple settled in Kettlewell
during the past yearn
Rector Brent knew that faint blush shot
out of his cheek as he answered eyes"
"A remarkable woman" the dentist con-
tinued, forgetting his task, while with med
itative face he seemed to contemplate bygone
days. "A very remarkable woman"
"A very, pery remarkable woman" the
rector replied, determined to add an adverb
in this very peculiar case. fa
"Wonuerfuf energy said the dentist
1Most wonderful" the rector rejoined, still
ON the augmentation principle
"And such face and fgurei" the operator
said again. ntg
"Ah, such face and flgnrep repeated the
rector, unable to refrain from rubbing his
hands together. III ,Fs
aFor her years, . the dentist remarked, in
an explanatory voice.
20, come, comein cried the rector, in tones
Of remonstrance II don't see that. She is
youthful, certainly, and sprightly; but still
women are not old at forty-fve."
1At schat fivel" asked the dentist, not hay-
ing caught the first word
"Forty FIVE" repeated the rector, boldly
and emphatically
1Seventy-five, more likely, the blunt dem
list said, now intent on his tool, which was
out Of repair
20, / see, i see!n cried Rector Brent; ayou
are talking of her mother. We don't know
the mother. The mother does not live with
them now"
Sunless Mrs Barbara Temple is herself
and her mother at the sasae time am not
talking OF her mother,r the dentist an
swered @That lady is sev,uty years Of age,
IL she is seven"
Saying this with great unconcern, he adj
vanced to take some further measurement of
the clergymans mouth, and observing his
face Of horror, he said, .reassuringly:
Don't be uneasy; I am not going to take
anything out"
The rector, gasping waved him away. So
c0nvulsive were his movements that for
moment the dentist feared that he might have
left one of his minor implements in the
patients mouth, which implement, having
bean inadvertently swallowed, was, from
its unaccommodating material and unusual
shape, doing violence to nature in one or
other Of the canals which traverse the human
continent
1Do you mean to say" said tho astounded
ple-the lady who has three fine daughters
is more than forty-fver
Before one Of those young hdts was
born, ? taae dentist replied, little thinking how
dreadful we're bis words, II made front
tooth for Mrs Temple-not Mrs. Temple
thsn. She was q remarkably handsome
woman, something over forty Just a tint of
gray In her hair. Twas not surprised when
heard, few months after, that young Cap
tain Temple was going to marry her. But
iUas little surprised when heard subse-
quently that his wife was going to present
him with child; and when heard that this
child was followed by a second, and that by
q third, ] was, confess, surprised not
little.
ABut Mrs Temple was only about two-and-
the rector said. still unable to credit what he
heard
aMy dear sir,n the dentist said, laughing,
4. IFy.z