Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-03-14
BAGH.E5EllLI0l5R BARCLAY.


BACHELOR BARCLAY.
* When we were first married we bought
q little cottage in the. midst of a pretty
gardens cottage that had Just four
rooms and d garret IN an but we wanted
no more. t ssa., -
g Once the property of thelate Miss
Nancy Free. y the real estate dealer said
in his circular
Jack bought the house and we moved
in The place had been very carefully
kept clean by the agent, and began to
arrange and rearrange, to tie ribbon
bows on chairs, to loop fresh muslin
curtains at the window panes. to fill the
old china vases with flowers, thinking of
Jack the while, as bride would be apt
to do; when, looking out of the window,
I saw quaint old figure coming up the
road-that of a man very old in years,
and who had not changed his garb with
the fashions of the times.
His hat had bell crown and a rolling
rim, his collar and coat and neckerchief
were of the sort we see in our grand
fathers portraits. Ihad had him pointed
out to me as /" Bachelor Barclay" !" and
been told that he was rich, and of a
good old family. and had once been dis
appointed in love.
I hid myself behind the curtain and
watched him curiously as he came on,
! wondering if he were once a handsome
| young fellow like my Jack, and If he had
| loved someone as Jack loved me, and how
it was that youth could change to age,
and golden locks to gray, and why it
/ need be; when, to my surprise, he
paused at the gate of my garden and
entered. Perhaps his old-fashioned
politeness led him to call upon the
strangers, . after the good old custom
30 rapidly dying out.
1 A moment more my little maid
brought me his card. and, with glance
at the mirror, I hurried down to meet
| him Close at hand Bachelor Barclay
was older than he seemed from an upper
window, and frazier, but his face had q
sweet expression still.
/ ss Pardon my intrusion, madam" he
said. "I saw the house open for the
first time in years, and could not restrain
myself from approaching the door. 1
knew it well in bygone days, when Miss
Nancy Free and her mother lived here.
came here often then. 1 was a very
intimate friend. wanted to see the dear
old rooms once again. Miss Free was
eighty when she died; L am eighty five.
But we were very young people when we
first met-twenty- one and twenty six.
i You think me an eccentric old creature.
no doubt but 1 want to see the house
once before die, for old times sake. .
''Come in, sir, - said. % shall be
happy to show you every corner of it.
think understand -
| ..As young people understand such
things" he said. Happily they can
not quite know how the old feel, not
quite.
He held his quaint old hat in his hand
as he spoke, and gave me a sad smile
that drew his face into hundred tiny
crows feet, and as motioned the way
ihe followed me into our little parlor and
d sat down. u W W iabBuu77s
! ssNothing altered, }, he said, g This
is old, Mrs, Frees furniture, that had
been her grandmother 8 in Revolutionary
days. They. say it is the fad of the
times to buy it up, or have limitations of
it. The brass andirons, the shovel and
the tongs, and carved chairs, the escri-
toire-I remember them an. This is a
Turkish carpet-there are hardly any of
i them now. Yes, Mrs. Free Sat here, and
Nancy played the guitar, and sang
you would not think that l sang
remember, she worked at her tanbonr
frame while I read aloud from the
poets"
T" Once, +" he said, +" Miss Nancy sat for
miniature to painter then well known.
, 1t was speaking likeness. Does it by
chance remain in the house2'
81 think it does, +" / said. The heir,
nephew. a rich man, who lives in New
Orleans, wrote orders that the house
should be sold with all its belongings
and think the miniature you mean Il
here"
Invent to the escritoire, and drew
from one of the drawers the likeness of 9
lady, painted ON ivory, and set in mar.
row gold frame. doubted if it really
resemb1ed any living being,
t 1t was a beautiful doll, all pink and
white, with blue eyes, little brown curl.
, penciled ON her forehead, and a white
frin about the neck; but as I put it int
? the hands of Bachelor Barclay he gazec
upon it with rapture. 9a13 81
I" Miss Nancyls very SELF said he
'.es she appeared at twenty-five. Ther,
are NO such women now.' He paused
and with a low bow, added, a q With tn,
exception of the fair lady in who's
presence now stand I"
L bowed / hope did 1t properly. /
seemed the only thing to do under th
circumstances! After this begged tn
r old gentleman to visit any portion of tn
house and grounds he pleased, and whel
p he went away presented him with Mis-
n Nancy miniature. for which he Hsse,
a my hand, standing at long distance an,
: touching my fingers as though they wer
: sacred relics
c We talked him over at tea time, Jacl
I and I, and made up our minds that b
: had once been suitor of Miss Nancy &
n It was not dificnlt matter TO guess II
o and from that day he called frequently
y He made me his confidant last.
He had adored Miss Nancy, he toll
me. and she returned his affection, ami
they had become engaged to each othes
with the consent of the mother, and al
went merry as marriage bell, until. il
some manner, he offended the object o
his alteration
/ Judge he made her jealous. havinl
been in his day beau of the first water
and much admired by the ladies; but h
was too modest to say so outright. But
at all events, she would not forgive him
She refused him the miniature whicl
had been painted for him, she took bac,
her lock of hair and sent him back hi
letters. and IN all sorts OF ways wrecke
= veugaat1ca uT1fris him fr,- J,iu ii Jss,I,