Smyrna times., 1893-08-02
A Happy Mistake.
BY LILLIAN SHAW Hustled.

ouU as aIralu OF women as though he
suspected them of an intention to eat
him. He might have had his pick OF
pretty girls, for he had a comfortable
bank account to back his attractive
looks and steady habits; but girls were
not for him: he couldn't look one in
the face when he met her, and in COM
pany his usual pleasant manner gave
place to an awkward difidence that
made him appear like a country bumu.
kin.
His companions gradually married
and settled into homes of their own
Dut John, after the death of his parents
remained quietly in the old family
mansion on the hill his servants were
all men or boys except the house
keeper, woman who had lived to SUCH
an advanced age among men that it is
doubtful whether she did not look unon
herself as an old bachelor in petticoats.
Many were the invitations showered
upon the handsome land owner. but
ne went his way as carefully and eau
tlously through life as though he were
walking on thinly-frozen mill pond.
surrounded by placards marked dan
ger"
People laughed at him girls who
had once tried mOdestly to encourage
him with smiles grew into contented.
placid matrOns, and their daughters
were duly informed of the proverbial
bashtulness of "old John Ainsworth /"
Yes, it really came to that pass-"old
John AinswOrth." And yet, at so. he
was as finely preserved man as ever
lived straight and tall, with gray
mar, blue eyes and white mustache
ne had not changed an atom from the
kind hearted John of other days, al.
ways helping the poor in his own un.
ostentatlous manner. But though re-
sPected by all he was loved by none.
Still, John was happy enough, in a
humdrum fashion, till death, having a
prior claim, stepped in and deprived
him of his hOusekeeper, Clarissa for
she mad been faithful soul, and-a
| good cook.
After that sad event JOHN began to
find certain desOlation in life. and To
realize vaguely that his comfortable
well conducted home was broken I'm:
hrst one and then another tried the
cooking, till that important branch of
the establishment threatened total col.
lapse.
One was with out a rival where
onion salad was concerned. another
could fry sausages to the queens taste.
third could pOach eggs-but WHY
enumerate? John Ainsworth could not
live exclusively on eggs, salad and sau-
sages; his digestive organs, at his time
OF life, needed pampering besides, he
could not endure the irregularity-
breakfast one morning at s, the next
at half past 10. Somehow, the main.
spring being broken, all the wheels fell
In disorder, and whereas the daily rou-
tine of domestic duties was once adj
Justed and kept smoothly running by a {
competent hand, it now sometimes
stopped altogether
John Ainsworth thought long and
deeply on the subject; he had a hor.
ror of women, but he now felt IL at he |
must make a sacrifice, and see if he
could secure the services of some spin. {
ster or widow to direct his household |
for time at least. But think as hard |
as he would, he could not call to mind t
one suitable person.
Now it happened that he had a q
staunch friend in former school chum.
one Robert wilkins, who had been i
married and settled there twenty years j
and had always kept up sort of one. $
intimacy with his bashful friend. Only i
month had elapsed since Bob helped t
him to make purchase in horseAesb a
which resulted in his profit; and in
his inability to help himself regarding 4
housekeeper he naturally thought of ?
Mr. wilkins, and finally sat down and \
wrote him the following letter; il
Dear Bob-I have decided to ask e
you TO help me in the most serious g
business of my life.
! am getting along IN years, and 4
since the death of my housekeeper
everything in my home has gone =
wrong; the place needs mistress. and Z
l want her at once. l have ALWAYS
been 80 occupied with my books that I n
really know very little about women.
and L should scarcely know how to con-
duct so delicate an affair, but if YOU II
VIII attend to it for me, ! think that a
you may safely promise, in my name. a u
good home, kindness and her own wav :,
in everything. Clarissh always had a
heart Of gold, and now greatly de- p
plore not having been more appre- a
ciative of her fine qualities. ~ 81
Yours in suspense, 6
John Ainsworth, :
Robert Wilkins sat a long time with
the open letter in his hands. What his
feelings be could scarcely describe, but
one idea stood out clear John had An. =
ally weaTled of his lonely life, and, like r
the old nursery rhyme, he wanted to g
Leave off being single I
And get him wifap p =
II was rather a responsibility for Ii
BOB, however, to do Johns wooing for a
him. Happily, "Clarissa" was his n
wife's sister, and she was fortunately T
on a visit to theiy house at the time v
and thea old memories crowded upon r.
him, until he plainly RECALLED how John ?
used to shun the girls, and how Clarissa y
mad always pleasant word for him 81
and hadn't she refused two good offers a
In her dayP Perhaps Clarissa had al.
lowed herself to be called an old maid
for Johns sake. =,
Bob took the important letter and d
went in search of Clarissa, whom he J,
found In his wife's private sitting. room a
rocking their 3-year.old baby. Il d
struck him quite fOroibly how pretty N
she looked sitting In the bamboo ct
rocker, plump, brown-eyed, brown "
haired woman of 45, though she an. al