The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1893-10-06

OF women but he now felt he must now
make sacrifice, and see if he could Sc
cure the services of some spinster or
widow to direct his household for /.
time at least. But think as hard as he
could, lie could not call to mind one
suitable person.
Now it happened that he had a
staun.h friend and former school
chum, one Robert Wilkins. who had
been married and settled there twenty
years, and had always kept up sort
of one-side intimacy with his bashful
friend. Only a month had elapsed
since Bob helped him to make pur-
chase in horsefesh which resulted in
his profit; and in his inability to help
himself regarding housekeeper he
naturally thought Of Mr.. Wilkins, and
finally sat down and wrote him the fol
Lowing letter:
"Dear Beb:-I have decided to ask
you to hep ME in the most serious bus
mess Of my life.
81 am getting along in years and
since the death of my housekeeper eve
rything in the house has gone wrong;
the plsce needs mistress and l want
her at once. | have always been SO oc-
cupied with my books that l really
know very little about women. aud l
should scarcely know how to conduct
so dedicate an affair, but if you will at
tend to it for Inc, think that you might
safely promise, i" my name, a good
home, kindness, and her own way in
everything. Clarissa always had a
heart of gold, and I now greatly de-
plore not having been more apprecia-
tive of her fine qualities.
"Yours in suspense }. AINsw,RTH.'
sRobert Wilkins sat long time with
the open letter;in his hands. What
his feelings were he could scarcely de-
scribe, but one idea stood out clear:
John had finally wearied of his lonely
life, and, like the old nursery rhyme,
he wanttd d to
Leave off being single
And get him wife!
1t was rat er esponsibiity for
Bob however, to do Johns wooing for
him. Happily, 'Cla,issa' was his
wife's sister and she was fortunately on
visit to their house at the time; and
then old memories crowded upon him,
until he plainly recalled how John
used to shun the girls and Low Clar-
issa had always u pleasant word for
him; and hadn t she refused two good
offers in her day? Perhaps c arissa
had allowed herself t. be called an old
maid for Johns sake.
Bob took the important letter and
went in search OF C.arissa, whom he
found in his sife,s private sitting
room, rocking their three year old ba-
hv. It's ruek hin SO f,rcibly how pret
J., size. IL. k-l i ing in the bamboo
+ excl, u plump. brown-eyrd, brow
n.ired weman Of live n,d forty, though
she appeared quite fen years younger.
"You remember John Ainsworth,
Clarissa? he asked.
"Yes," she reph.d. sni ing. 'Poor
John-wlat about him."
He handed her the letter and watch
ed her while ste read il; her face grew
rosy, and presently she looked up at
him, with an amused smile i'll her
brown eyes
"Why, Robert, what singular letter!
What does he mean?'
eyes, the letter Of pecu lar man.;
but under that strange exterior, CIaris-
sa, is a clean, honorable charac' er, and
you, who have always known HIM,
would max him happy
Il always liked J,.hn she sail mus
ingly, the color de .l@nins ia her smoot h
cheeks.
"And you will marry him: Remem-
DER he h Is ask. d me to pie ID his cause,
urged Bob, anxi.uSly.
But it is not so easy t, d, This, and
he went away and brought Maria, his
wife, who was charmed at the thought
of Clarissa as mistress Of the great
house on the hill; and so finally, ut a
reasonable hour OF the next morning,
Robert wen. up to see John, armed ~ih
letter of graceful acceptance from
Clarissa.
John was delighted to see his friend
and began to ell him his troub es, and
how wretched he was living in such
discomfort. In tn, midst of the recit.
al, to divert h S mind Bob handed him
ClarlSSa 8 letter.
His success Was Astonishing; the
blood rushed in crimson tide to the
bachelors very hair, his eyes grew sud
denly black and wild; great VEINS stood
out on his torehasl. Robe.t fearing
apoplexy, sl,pr-d lin on the back,
and in his etf,.t ., 3r.l his CO lar off,
nearly st ,ngled tln.. N the strug
giles they b, ush' d ',alf he china DIS es
off the bre 'kfAs' .:'l., a"i The frag-
ments lay unh' eld ..
| As sO,lI a> J D.hl r.c.v rcd hiils, If e
rose and by.n marc Ing up and dwn
the rOjm il, grea agitation. Pre-: e .tly
stopping belnle IL visitor, he excl ,im'