The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-01-07

! | 3Slsssas- ~ working Win q har-
~ ~ berdasher in Cheap
e. : sa89g side, when one day
f. SSsksp it occurred to me
+ 'S@SI should like to get
" : ~ married. I don't
mean to say, that Ihad never thought
of the matter before, but on the day
in question-a very foggy one-a sud-
den disgust for my lonely life in a
lodging house came over me.
It was the day before Christmas,
and every minute the area bell was
jingling as the butchers and bakers
delivered their orders and the chill
dren were singing carols on the stairs.
and even the slavy had washed her
face and wore a holiday look, and all
the young married men in the house
seemed particularly gay, while in the
fourth story, back, was growl-
Ing at my long face in the mir
rOr.
Having made up my mind to marry,
the next question was to find the
lady; that was indispensable. So far
had the pleasure Of knowing only a
few shop-girls I met at a dancing
school in Tottenham Court road;
very honest young persons, whose
idea of pleasure was a Sunday after
noon at Apply 'Ampstead, but not
just the sort that should choose for
q wife. -:.....
Well, the holidays passed, I had
been raised to the position OF head
clerk at New Years, and in proper
ton my ideas rose regarding the kind
OF girl wanted to marry.
She did not put in an appearance,
however, and did not know exactly
how to go about looking for her, and
all the time kept getting more and
more disconnected and lonely. Well,
one evening the old man for whom l
worked sent for sme about 6 o'clock
and said: ..
"James, here's q package I want
you to deliver to Miss Goldfnch, of
Great Porter square, Noe. It's very
valuable-some presents she ordered
for her brother. And she was partic-
ular about getting it tonight. The
errand boys have gone home. I will
trust it to you" ~.-.. NJ.
I accepted the trust and started
out. Now that particular night I
was goingto ball at the Thespian
Temple, and as Great Porter square
was on my way, thought it would
be good idea to go home, dine, put
on my dress suit, and deliver the
package as passed Miss Goldfinch's
| house. $3.50
No. was the SWEETEST residence in
| the square, and was ushered into a
hall all hung with tapestries and brass
lanterns, and floor covered with rugs
it was a delight to walk over.
Even the servant-maid who opened
the door wasdressed better than the
lady of the house in our quarter. Well,
she took the parcel, ushered me into
a little back parlor all hung with am
Der satin, and said she would take the
bill up to Miss Goldfnch and see if it
was all right.
don't know whether it was the
heat of the room or the hard work Of
the day that brought on a sudden
drowsiness, but any way fell asleep.
How long I slept l had no means Of
knowing, but it must have been at
least two hours. H. ..
When awoke heard a confused
sound OF voices beyond in the draw
ing-room, and peering through the cur
tain I saw that a ball was in progress.
1t was my first impression of high
life, and you can imagine how inter-
ested l was in every movement OF the
guests,
| Well, to make a long story short,
while I was peeking through the cur
tains, who should enter but Miss Gold
finch herself She took me, Of course,
to BIZ one Of the guests, said I didn't
seem to be enjoying myself, and sat
down and talked to me for half an
hour before had chance to explain.
Her father happened to come in
while we were talking, and as she
wanted to introduce me, asked me
my name, as it had escaped her. Then
with many bushes and stammers, I
out with the truth, that was not an
invited guest, but only a simple ha-
i berdasher's clerk of Cheapside.
i thought the father would cut up
I. rough and order me out Of the house
and abuse roundly, but he didn't do
anything OF the kind not bit Of it.
He was a jolly old party, who had
worked his own way up from the
ranks and was not ashamed of it.
They both were highly amused over
4 the affair and, would you believe it?
when Twas going away father and
daughter asked me to call again!
| The acquaintance begun in such q
peculiar way deepened into friendship.
You see, was rather ditfident at first
about calling too often, but they
made me feel so much at home and
made me so welcome that I soon
found myself there about every other
night. There were only three in the
family the old gentleman, stout,