Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-02-20
NIPPED IN THE BUD.


When was n boy, attended pub
lie school in New England town not
many miles from the Hub. The teacher
of classics in that institution was a man
of the name of Virgil Monson, who
was by birth and training a Puritan,
but one whom culture had somewhat
liberalized, though he retained many
prejudices of the average Yankee.
In person he was short, heavy and
thickset. His head was dome shaped,
but it appeared to me that his bumps of
Veneration and combativeness had been
unduly developed at the expense of tho
bumps of conjugal affection, which was
sufficient explanation of the fact that he
had not yet committed matrimony,
though he had turned 80 at the time
first knew him.
Whatever may have been his defects,
l must do him the justice to say that
his forehead was broad and high, sure
sign of intellectually; his nose of the
Roman variety, which always indicates
strength of character and tenacity of
opinion, while his manner of compress
ing his lips pointed not the less certain
ly to his firmness, to which square
chin also contributed.
His disposition was by no means
lamblike, nor his temper equablc, as
his red hair-what there was of it-and
red beard bore abundant testimony to
the contrary. L grieve to say that much
learning had made Mr.. MOnson not
mad, but bald. The dome part of his
head was won't to shine like the golden
dome of the state capitol in Boston, es-
pecially after the vigorous polishings ho
gave it in his toilet. A fringe of sandy
hair surrounded the aforesaid bald sur
face like the divergirg rays OF light
around the aurora borealis.
Add to the foregoing an excitable
temperament, quicl, and nervous mnn-
ner, love of pedsntic display, fond
ness for Greek and Latin roots and
most of all for natural science, and you
have a tolerably fair description of an
interesting personality.
1t was our professors habit to seek
recreation in the woods during the in
tervals of pedagogical labor, and there,
amid the siglliugs of trees, the singing
OF birds and the chirpings of crickets,
to combine his pursuit of health with
the study of natural science. After
spending an afternoon in the fragrant
seclusion of the forest he would return
with his pockets full of botanical and
chronological specimens. Among the
last may be mentioned caterpillars,
moths, butterflies and other deniZens of
the woods.
His room was next door to mine and
had the appearance of museum. There
were numerous books, of course, on all
sorts of subjects, ferneries, cabinets Of
minerals and chloroforned butterflies,
suspicious bottles containing queer crea-
lures in all stages of alcoholic intoxica-
tion and aGuaria containing living fish,
toads, lizards and so Oh.
Absorbed as he was in his duties at
school, his favorite studies and pursuits,
Mr. Monson had had little time to think
of matrimony, and though some design
ing mammas had pressed the question
home to him his invariablo reply had
been:
Il don't need wife. am happy
enough as am.
This reply served as n wet blanket to
the enthusiastic interest his lady ac-
quaintances entertained in his happi-
ness. Though his character and dispo-
sition were not such as to make him
popular with tho fair sex, still the few
who knew him respected him; wondered
at his prodigious learning, which he
took no pains to conceal, and secretly
laughed at his eccentricities and hob
bies.
Having eyaded Cupid's darts SO long
and with such signal success, no one
supposed for a moment that he would
succumb at last to the charms of a
coquettish country girl. But so it turned
out, thus proving the truth of the old
adage that there is no fool like an old
fool. He fell victim to love SO late in
life that, like mumps and measles, it
| attacked him with greater virulence
than it would have done in his younger
days.
The girl, whom we will simply call
Lillian, was a brunette of fascinating
manners, but rather homely features.
But if she satisfied Mr.. Monson's no
tions of an ideal woman no one else
had right TO complain. She was still
| attending school, though past 21 years
of age, and as fate would have it wac
boarding in the same house as the pro-
fessor. It was observed by the landlady
| and her daughter that after Lilian's ad
vent Mr.. Monson was changed from his
ewn self. he paid more attention to his