The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-08-03
BACHELOR sAR0TN.
BT xaEy KYLE Dallas.

When We we're frs; married We bongh;
little cottage in the midst Of pretty
garden cottage that had just four
rooms and 9 gzrret in ali, but We wanted
10 more
Once the property Of the late Miss
Nancy Free, the rezi estate dealer sid
Il bis circular.
We did not think much about Miss
Free. however, only that hsr old fash
ioned furnitUre-jast what every one
vas going Wild oTer-Eent with the
house, and that We could make It the
prettiest little nest in the world. We
we're beginning the world Why should
We think Of those who had Gone with
it2
Why should Jack and Iottie Dean,
Just married ask what had been the
hopes and griefs Of Nancy Free, spins.er,
some tine dead? We i've for ourselves
IN this world
JSck bough. the house; We moved in.
The place had been very carefully kept
clean by the agent, and ! began to ar
range and rea-znge, TO tie ribbon bows
on chair. 10 loop fresh muslin c1Ttzirs al
the window pznes, 70 I'll the old china
VASES with flowers, thinking Of Jack the
while, as bride would be apt to DO,
when looking ont Of the window saw :
quaint old figure coming up the ro2d-
that Of a man very old in years, and who
had not changed his gzrb with the fash
ions Of the times.
HIS hat had bell Crown and rolling
rim, his collar znd coat and ueckerchief
were Of the sort We see in our grandfzth-
er's portraits ! had him pointed out 70
me as Bachelor Barton, and been told
tEat he was ricb and OF a good old fAmi-
IL, and had once been disappointed in
love.
hid myself behind the curtain and
watched him euriously as he came on,
wondering If he we're once 8 handsome
young fellow Ike ny Jack, and II he had
loved some ore as Jack loved ne, and
how Il Eas that youth could change to
age. and golden locks 70 gray, and why
Il need 70 be, when 70 my surprise he
paused al the gate Of ny garden and en-
tered.
Perhaps his old fashioned pOliteness
led him to call upoa the strangers"
after the good old custom so rapidly dy-
ing ont
A moment more my little maid brought
ne his card, and With glance at the
mirror, I hurried down 10 greet him.
Close At hand Bachelor Barton was
older than he had seemed from my upper
window, and frazier, bat his face had =
sweet expression still
Pardon ny intrusi-n, madam be
said 4 saw the house open for the first
time for years and could not restrain
myself from approaching the door.
knew It vel in bygone days, when Miss
Nancy Free and her mother lived here.
l came here often then, 1 Ezs q very
intimate friend, / wanted 70 see the dear
oil rooms once again Miss Free was
eighty when she died; an eighty-fve.
Bat We were young people when We frst
net-sEeniy-one and tweniy-six- You
think ne an eccentric old creature no
doubt, but want TO see the house once
before die, for old times sake
Come in, SIR said Il shall be
happy to show yOu every corner oft
think understand -
@As young people understand such
.hings,- be said. Happily they ,znnO.
luile know how the old feel. Not
suite-not quite"
He held his quaint old hat in his hand
Is be spoke. and gave NE a sd smile
hat drew his face into q hundred tiny
rows feet and as l motioned the way.
be followed me into our little parlor and
AT down.
Nothing altered" (" be said. This Is
Id Ms. Frees furniture, that bad been
aer graadnOtbers in Revolutionary.
lays They say Il IS the fad Of the time
o bay it upcE have imitstions Of it.
The brass and irons, the shoveis and
ongs, the cared chairs, the eseritoire-
remember them all This Is Turkish |
are hardly any Of them to /
,e found noE. Yes, Mrs- Free sat here,
md Nancy played the guitar, and /
zng-you would not think that 1 sang !
y. I remember, she worked at the tam
oour frame while l read aloud from the /
ooe;s-H
he moved his head slowly about mo-
ing every detail-the pezcock feather /
ans, the cut glass deczntes and glasses. 1
he painted china in thecorner cupboard /