The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-05-03
HANNAH'S CHOICE.
"No" said Miss Gilsey.

L uDu htlDW hHub L III DOuutl W
swer.'
You are, after trifling with mans
affections like this"
well, then, don't like old bachelors,
So the old bachelor went upon his way
and travelled as usual for the house of Tape
6 Buttons. And Miss Hannah Gilsey fol-
lowed the humble occupation Of binding
shoes as before. She did sometimes think
that Mr. Glump was right, and that other
offers were not likely to be forthcoming in
village where thsre wero ten women to
ono man. And as the years1assed by and
she turned the corner of 30 she once or
twice found herself wishing that she had
allowed Mr.. Glump some little hope held
him as II second string to her bow at least
until such time as she should find a better
man ready to offer. But the young men,
ono nfter the other, took flight from the
Point. The minister married. The two
widowers selected second wives on the
principle set forth by the experienced Mr..
Glump, and no other wives died or SEEM
cd likely to die. Tho gentleman or lady
1t was spiteful enough to be the latter
who did the statistics for the Punkin Point
Republican set forth In a long column
the slight probabilities of more than one
tenth Of the single ladies Of Punkin Point
ever being anything else.
Miss Gilsey read this article through.
She sat down and reflected. 1t seemed to
be very true.
There In her own street, Deacon Dut-
ton and 10 daughters, one daughter mar
ried; Mrs. Smith and three daughters,
none married; Mr.. Price, three sisters Of
his wife, two sisters Of his own, two grown
daughters, none of them engaged or mar
ried And I refused Mr.. Glump, man
with nice bank account and tender
heart, tust because he was an old bachelor,
and then never thought II had married
him he wouldn't have been an old bache-
lor any longer"
Poor old bachelorl He sat at his win
dow that afternoon, having just returned
from commercial tour, smoking q bad
cigar and thinking dolefully enough of his
present prospects. There he had saved
money enough to live well on He hated
boarding and always kept house, having
the lower floor at Widow Raekett's, and
he never had any comfort and never any
peace. 1t wasn't proper for him to keep
any female servant, and black Jim did just
what he pleased.
His i'll success in the first offer he had
ever made in his lifo had deferred him
from committing himself second time.
II reckon I'll die bachelor, said Mr..
Glrump to himself. "Ah, dear me"
Had his ears boen sharp he might have
heard Cupid titter-Cupid, who, In the
shape Of small boy In very short trou-
sers and very large hat was tying the
grass together across the path by which
tho people were sure to go by to prayer
meeting IL they went at all. For this was
Wednesday, and the day was still bright
in that summer weather when the church
bells began to ring for evening service.
Mr.. Glump had no thought of going to
meeting He was too cross. He sat and
smoked. Soon along came Deacon Dutton,
tripped, said "Je-ru- sa- lem, tarnationl"
and passed on. Soon followed Mr.. Prices
three sisters and two daughters, who trip
ped, squealed, sstooped down and broke the
grass and passed on,
Out then came Cupid, still disguised as
the small boy, and tied moro grass
/ The wretched Mr.. Glump saw him but
had not at that instant sufficient amount
| of human kindness about him to lead him
/ to undo the mischief.
! The next figure was youngish looking
lady with wonderful new bonnet on.
She came trlppingly up the lane, caught
her feet in the grass and fell fiat, with Q
shrek.
Mr.. Glump had recognized her, and de
spite her usage Of him his heart melted
He flew to the rescue. 1t was Miss Gilsey
! AS soon as she saw who was coming tC
pick her up she tainted away. No one ever
| swoonod more completely She had nc
| idea, of course, who picked her up ol
where she was carried. A good arnful
too, for the anxious Mr.. Glump.
He put hcr on the sofa and brough
wine, and when she could not take it pre-
pared to empty the water pitcher over he
in his alarm.
Thoughts of her new bonnet at ono
brought Miss Gilsey to, She sat up, pu
her hand to her ssad and said:
Where am II"
Beneath my roof, ma am, said MIR
Glump. Are you hurtf"
II think I'm killed. I've most awfu
criek in my neck. Perhaps it's broke. =
I'm catch little Muggins-I saw hin
tie tho grassland flay him alive, sait
Mr.. Glump.
"0h don't Mr.. Glump.n
1.-THE tender heart Of woman pleading
even for her enemies, said Mr.. Glump
"If you insist ont, I'll spare him. "
~ feel better, . said Miss Gilsey. -
feel to thank Providence But how i'm
proper of me to be here, calling, as it were
on a-a gentleman
"A miserable old hachelder. Then
words struck deep
I'VE all speak words we hadn't ought
ar"
81 know T. I'm sorry to have to enter
tain lady in such state of confusion
But this Is an old bacheder s fate, ma am
rhaye nobody to do for me, Things ar
always askew.
"Then why don't you marry2" aske
Miss Gilsey.
u tried to once, :" said Mr. Glump, IAN
she offered my devotion to remarked sh
couldn't like an old bnchelder. u
''Its dreadful to see Moe handsome fui
niture like this busted lip and to see 9,
erything askew, when you ro provided s
well. y
1.-THE tender heart OF woman there as
serts itself, said Mr., Glump.
'tYou ought reail., 10 mnrEv. -