The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-21
WHY HE DOESN'T MARTY

A. Wealthy New York Bachelor Ell.
plains she Situation.
why don't you get married, old
boya"
The man addressed rested his head
on his hands with hollow groan. His
look was haggard. his eyes hollow, his
hair bldse, but his dress was careful in
spite of the splitting head he had
raised from his pillow that morning.
He was old enough to be father, bald
on the temples with streaks of grey in
his thin hair and deep lines in his face.
But he was a rounder. and he had
been making night of it. And now
it was high noon at Delmonico's and
he was trying to straighten out his
stomach on absinthe frappe.
The other man was an insurance
adjuster, married man, on $1,000
year, and he thought his old school.
fellow. with an income double that
sum, which he didn't have 10 work for.
quite rich enough to marry and settle
down. The other man didn't agree
with him. He was old enough to make
his follies disreputable, and he was
tired of the life. But he was a COM
panionable creature, he said, and fail
ing to secure the comforts of home
looked for society in the shady hooks
of the town.
but at least" said he at last, 'the
bills are paid. l have a bigger head
than if I'd been giving cotillon in my
own house, but don't have to think
this morning of a florists bill for S.
600, wine merchants for $500. a
musicians for 5000 more, and a
milliner's for anything you please. My
dear old boy, I'd like to marry, but !
can't / envy you your home and all
that but You happened to find a girl
who would do without the accessories
to matrimony that all the maria geable
women I know require. would do
my part give up all my clubs but one
and the suppers and the theater-boxes
and-the chorus. of course. you know
but hang it all, my economies would
only be q drop in the bucket. Let
your mind rest on the sort of thing
that would be expected of me.
Il have $4,000 a year. As
bachelor it's all any man in his senses
needs. Suppose 1 married. First OF
all, there's the wedding. 1 say moth
ing of new clothes-rve got enough
for half a dozen weddings. But there's
the presents to the bridesmaids and
ushers. the thousand dollar bachelor
supper to the boys, the diamond neck.
lace to the bride herself. the wedding
tour, or, worse still. the secluded
honeymoon, all costing money. With
close economy and an imputation of
stinginess from my wife's relatives l
might contrive to get married decently
for a years income.
well. we come back to town and
set up our establishment. We give our
house warming dinners and receive the
visits of our-I mean of my wife
friends. We must have at least three
women and a man as house servants,
and coaehman. Let us suppose my
worthy father-in-law gave us our
house. furnished we'll enough before
for my mother lin laws critical eye
We won't be expected to hang our
house with pink crepe and evergreens,
a In Hicks-Lord to spend $4,000 on
flowers for one reception. like the
Morrises, or to ask 100 people to
dinner and give them Roman punch
frozen in yellow tulips or terrapin to
eat out Of silver canoes with gold
spoons like Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt.
But may be we've been asked to some
of these delectable affairs. and we
must keep our end up. you understand,
as married people of position. Now,
of course. nobody would expect my in
come to suffice. ! must marry a CHI
girl if I marry at all" and the unfor-
tunate social pauper ordered another
absinthe. -NeD YORK. GRAPHIC.