Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-01-07
CURKD.


thought so-and depressed; he had a
headache aud he hated the dusty streets
In. which the summer heat burnt aud
the summer sun shone before the green
leaves had draped the trees, and potted
geraniums, which had coma TO be SD
blesscdly popular in New York, lent
their summer freshness.
"What shall do, doctor ?" he:.said.
"You say nothing ails me, but can
tell what my feelings are better than
you can. know shall be down with
something soon. 1 rode in car with
q half dozen dirty children the other
day--to the smallpox hospital, |
haven't doubt-Yery red and nasty
looking, all OF them and while ] was
buying something in store down
Broadway the other day n horrid old
woman begged o: me because her hus.
band was sick with typhoid fever. No
doubt have caught both diseases, and
it's the complication that puzzles you.
Couldn't relish my coffee this morning;
left my milk toast untouched. Hateful
life. that of q bachelor at hotel. Oh,
dear me %
"Why don't you marry, then ?" said
the doctor.
"They need so much courting," said
Patterson. "You spend six months or
30. at least, dangling at woman's a.
prom strings. You must go to the
theatre and opera il she is gay. and to
church if she is pious. At fifty man
likes his slippers and dressiny-gown
and chair, of an evening. If it was
just stepping over to the clergyma1's
and getting married. putting ring on
her finger and saying or noddlng yes
two or three times, why / wouldn't
mind it, you know"
"Ah. well, courting is the fun OF it
all, in my opinion, (" said the old doctor,
shut every one to his taste. And my
advice to you IS to get out into the
country"
ITO another hotel and more merceu-
ary walters - said Mr.. Patterson.
"No," said the doctor; ''go to nice
private home. know one-a mother
ly widow lady, who cooks dinner 6t
for king. River before the house,
woods behind It, orchard to the left,
kitchen garden to the right ; no fever
and ague ; no mosquitoes. Heavenly J
I am going up there tomorrow, and
I'll see if she'll take you"
"Very well," said Mr.. Patterson; 81
think will try is."
ssAnd you must drink plenty of milk
and eat plenty of nice home made
bread. ~
"Yes, I will" said Patterson, over
ioyed at least at hearing something that
sounded like a prescription. "And
you would advise milk 2''
"Quart OF it every day." said the
doctor.
"I'll take note of it," said Patter-
son, ''and if I should be very i'll she'll
nurse me-"
ssSplendidly," said the doctor, and
went his way.
Mr.. Patterson thought the matter o.
yer and thought better of 1t every day,
Ind when the little note Informing him
that the widow would Re willing to
stake him i'm and do for him" reached
him, he had his trunk and portman-
teau already packed, and was ready to
start that afternoon. As for the wild.
ow, the doctor had prepared her for her
boarder's peculiarities thus
''Nice fellow; social; plenty of mon
ey; thinks himself III, but isn't; ought
to be married; told him SO, but he hates
the idea of courting marry off some
day, no doubt. 'Will you haye me p
sYes.' Call in clergyman, but then
old bachelors are peculiar generally"
The widow was a smart woman. She
had married at sixteen, and had never
failed to have her washing over when
other people were hanging out theirs.
Her bread always rose, her cake was
always good and her butter always
sweet. At forty five she had married
off all her daughters, was well-to-do,
buxom and happy.
Her son and his wife boarded with
her, and she added to her plentiful sHv.
ines by taking summer boarder or
two, ff they happened to offer.
"Fifty and bachelor" said Mrs.
Muntle, looking in the glass. swell.
It seems pity but when elderly gen.
tlemen marry it is to some hity-tity girl
that leads them terrible life, and like
ly it's for the best"
Then she looked in tie glass again
for tho widow was but woman, after
all
Mr.. Patterson came to the widows
and obeyed the doctors's prescription
carefully. He ate bread and milk, rob.
bed the orchard like q school boy, and
rsclined over the strawberry short-cake
after Il fashion that would have made
his reputation at the bar. Then, too,