Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1893-12-14
A BACHELORS JOYS.
From Romance.1


6 HAD been living since my birth, If
ty-tive years ago, in an oll-fashioned
house, left to me by nv father. IT,
contained several apartments, the
best of them rented to the family Of
a schoolmate of mine, who had seen
some sad days. A financial crisis had
impoverished him, and made it necessary
for him to look for less expensive quar-
ters. Being lonely bachelor, and feel
ing at home in his family, / invented
some If fling excuse for lowering the
rent, and thus kept my friend with me.
His wife and daughter seemed over
whelmed with my kindness, showed
great feeling, and had many Invitations
to take dinner with them. Who would
not have been charmed with so much at
ten,ion from two beautiful ladies! My
own apartments were on the third floor.
[ had cut off two rooms from Them,
which we're rented to two sisters. One
was forewoman in a large establish
ment, the other weak, gentle girl, who
sewed at home, as judged from seeing
her at her window, always with needle
in her hand.
One day she was gone, but I cared
nothing about them. The rent wa paid
promptly, and l had never seen much Of
them.
New Years Day was drawing near,
and, according to my usual custom, l
wandered from store to store, in search
of something original and costly for nv
little friend, my schaolmate's daughter!
Little! Why, now she was a young
lady, nineteen years old. Next month
she would make her debut, and I must
find some pretty jewel to heighten her
beauty.
/ know she is rather vain and super
fetal, but all young ladies of her age are
more or less vain,-an | try to find
some excuse for her. The mother, a So
oiety woman, has had very little time to
educate the heart of the daughter. Time
will help, think, as 1 stop here and
there to admire the exquisite gems dis
play ed 10 the shOw-windows to tempt
the buyers. Finally, | see just what
want-a ring of rubies and diamonds. /
remember how the girl has talked about
this very ring, with longing sigh How
could have overlooked the plain hint
the innocent child had given me?
buy the ring with childish joy, and
hayAr4g stored itcarefully in my pocket,
walk out of the shop, to fl I'd myself
face to face with the mother and daugh-
ter, who with an enchanting smile and
j
feel like scholar caught by his teacher
with cigarette In his mouth, and &C
tually put my hand to nv pocket, to
hide more eff ctually the surprise it con-
tains.
wander leisurely home, to find the
wife Of my janitor In an excited state.
sob, sir, what shall we DOR she says.
ssThe girl on the third floor is very i'll,
and the doctor has just left, saying that
she will not pro ;ably live another
week." ;
s'She must be taken to the hospital" /
answer In very positive tone. 'sSee to
1t at once" l walk ups airs, feeling in
certain measure sorry for the poor girl.
But soon forget her. She is only
stranger, and, no doubt, will be better
dead than suffering, and the hospital is a
very good place, 80 have heard.
l now remember my purchase, and,
after admiring it again in its velvet case,
1 lock it in my closet to wait for the
happy New Years Day. Lighting a
cigarette. sit at nv window, dreaming
of DAYS gone by, when had thought If
plain gold ring to adorn dear little
white hand. was only a stu 'ent then,
and full of enthusiasm. My fathers OBJ.
lection cooled my warm heart, and l soon
very selfish man,-with only my own
pleasure to consider, and no one to care
for! But then had friends; such good
/ friends. even in my own house, in whose
Shome there is always place for me.
Some men are far less fortunate.
And so sit and forget ev.n time. In
a week-and -a-half it will be New Years.
l am invited to my friends for the Christ
mas dinner day after tomorrow.
The bell rings suddenly and with I'M
won,ed violence. Who can it be? Rosa.
my old housekeeper,-she has ven 81
years with the family "opens the sitting
room door and says: ''Please, sir, a lady
wants to see you."
81 her come in, Rosa" I rise to
meet the visitor. But flush of annoy
ance comes to my face. IL is my third
floor lndger!
"What can do for you, MADAME
"a great deal, sir. Please, oh, please,
take back the order to send my sister 10
the no pital! could not 60 with her,
and it ould kill her."
looked at the tall, dignified figure be-
fore me. She stands. because have not
offered her seat! Where is my Cur
an armchair toward her.
~ o"onh YOU III eisSi 10 W, ouu
needs me. have only come to tell you
thst she cannot leave the house"
Her tone xes me, it is so decided.
~ neg your pardon, she must co.
for do not wish to have death 10 my
house, especially not in these days, when
my friends"
But heavens? What IL that! The wo-
man reels, aud have barely time to pre-
vent her from falling to the ground
What brute am. How could I spe *
so cxrelessiy about a death, which would
leave her all alone, aud take from her
her dearest and best friend. l should
never, never forgive myself.
R,sa is near at hand, and with her
help am soon relieved by seeing Mrs
C.senovs omen her eyes AGAIN a. eoon