The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-02-23
A BLIND OFFER.

1t was rather late in life before | was
married. lust how old | was l leave
the reader (who is always taught to be-
lieve himself very shrewd and dis
corning perSon) to imagine, and l have
no doubt he will have solved the prob
lem to his own satisfaction before my
story is halt completed.
l had been quite successful in bust
ness, and was familiar with the ways OF
men | had learned to match the tricks
and evasions of my own sex; but of
women knew nothing, never having had
leisure to cultivate their society. | use
the word nothing IN Its literal sense l
knew absolutely nothing.
My entrance into society was some
thing after the manner of SANKEY'S
journey across the Dark Continent. |
began to explore strange and fasci-
mating world, in which there were pit.
falls against which my business facts and
figures were of no avail | found that
women differ very widely from men.
Perhaps they were not more tricky than
men OF business but their tricks were
quite Opaque. | was often in the dark
as to the purpose of certain ladies' that
| met ; but, while mystified and puzzled
at times, was also delighted. There
was no denying the charm OF womsn's
society. | felt that / had wasted a
great many years.
l do not intend to conceal my object
in entertaining the society of ladies-I
wanted wife. | wanted a wife. To
be frank, | had vague idea of the kind
| wanted. In business, when a man
orders bill of goods without first in
quirirg the price and particulars, he
| gives what is called a blind order
When l pigeon-holed my papers and
closed my office-desk with a bang
pocketed the key and sailed out to Sc.
cure what l felt needed-a good wife
I gave blind order. In effect | die
a most unbusiness like thing-I blush
now to think of it; but when a mat
pauses in his eager race after dollars tc
cultivate matrimony he is generally ap
to give blind order. What can hi
know of the ways of womenI Abso
lutely nothing. He learns rapidly, it i
true, but it requires long experience tt
meet them on their own ground ant
beat them with their own weapons.
l shall be pleased if any profit or in
terest attaches to the result of my blinC
order, and | wish to assure the reade
that it was the only one ever gave.
Among the young ladies that | me
was Miss Blanche Ridgeway. How sha
| describe her? Business nomenclatur,
cannot help men, and | aOominate 70
mantle word pictures. Miss Blanch
was a very sweet girl. When seate'
near her | was conscious ola feeling 0
shall call 1t peasere? The net tota
of a prosperous years business ha
often caused me happiness, but m
feeling in the presence of Miss Blanch
was not the same. Her voice was quit
passible, and when listening to her
seemed as If | might have some 70
nance in me after all aud when i
church she turned her bright eyes o
me
Fudge liddIesticks |, PLAIN ma
OF business, writing such bosh Pra
overlook the boyish folly.
! Miss Blanche had sister, Miss Mary
a palmer girl, but sensible and busines
like. My reason inclined me to Mis-
Mary my heart (Which [ regret to sa
had not hardened with my head) sale
marry Miss Blanche. | faced the situ
alton coolIy. l want wife, said |, an
here are two ladies. One is 22, th
other possibly 80 one is pretty, and
inclined TO be silly at times, the othe
palmer, but sensible and womanl,
Miss Blanche is a sweet girl, and she
young. There is no denying that
young girl has fascination that belong
to her years. will ask Miss Blanche
My resolution made | called on he
{" am here on important bushes
Miss Blanche" said |, when we wer
seated.
= "Indeed !" she replied, her eyebrow
j.. arching in surprise.