The evening times., 1895-08-26
a Holiday Tragedy.

All my life had been-well, not exactly
a woman hater, but a firm believer in the
idea that man is the lord of creation, and
that woman is not an absolute necessity.
For many years it wasmy proud boast that
1 was able to dispense with feminine aid
and yet live a very enjoyable life. as, with
clOckwork regularity, 1 went from my
bachelor lodgings to business each morn
ing, returning in the afternoon and sped
ing the evening at the club or some place
of amusement. The idea of having a lady
companion in my rambies never entered
my head
True, my iaDdiady-good old sOul-pre-
pared my meals and cleaned my rooms,
but that was because I had not time to do
1t myself, and a man servant was beyond
my means. But in all else l dispeB sed with
woman's aid. Boot cleaning, sewing but
tons on, lighting the fire. etc. were all
done with my own haBds-uay. at a pinch
l have even washed a pocket handkerchief.
/ desire to stand forth as q living ex-
ample of the original Adam and prof of
the superfluity of the modern Eve. Eut
my misguided companions refused to
profit by my teachings or ~ follow my
example One by one they fell under fe-
male influence, one by one they married,
and then-I- cut them dead. All, me, Those
free bohemian days Were happy ones, as
year after year / pursued my adopted
course, in spite of the continual falling off
of my comrades.
Then came a time when my circle of ac-
quaintaDces had decreased so considerably
4, r buora tr,f f.al Gff
were more difficult to find than ever To
loneliness succeeded melancholy, and J
grew miserable and pessimistic.
one friend, TO whom laid bare my woes,
said:
You keep TO yourself too much. What
you ought to do is to lodge with some family
where there are two or three grown-up
daughters. They would wake you up bit
This. to me, the hitherto ideal advocate
of an Eveess Eden, And yet, after the ad-
vice had been rendered several times. l
began to think that such change might
be beneficial Such n course need not
involve the rendering up of my tenets; but,
as woman still formed a part Of the world,
she might at least contribute to my amuse-
ment So, after very serious considera-
ton 1 decided 10 seek new apartments,
with light society thro wn IN.
Now my troubles commenced / could not
make the direct inquiry, Have you any
grown up daughters?" So / generally
viewed the ROOMS, listening to tie land
lady's verbiage, settled the rent, and then
casually asked, Have you any children?'
and the reply would be, Yes, four, nye,'
or six ,as the case might bel: 1.-The eldest
is ten years old and the Youngest two
months But they are as good as gold and
never make a bit OF noise"
The nunberiess journeys 1 made and the
many desultory conversations / listened to
were all to no purpose. No one appeared to
possess grown up daughters-thee eldest was
always ten. just when l was about TO
abandon my search, fortunc-or was it fate"
led ME to Myrtle Villa, Paradise Gar
dens, Upper Dulwich. The door was opened
by vision of loneliness, faultlessly dressed,
and with bright blue eyes and golden hair.
Newly married." thought /; "well, here
at least the eldest won't be teDe' She
invited ne in, and then disappea red, mid
dle-aged lady entering directly after, We
proceededto discuss terms. Then came the
inevitable inquiry as to children.
II have two growD-up daughters, the
younger of whom opened the door for you
At last, Need 1 say that within week
was installed in Myrtle Villa? The landlady
"a widow-was a genial, homely woman,
and the youngest daughter, Annie, aged
twenty five, / have already described. but
the other daughter, Julia. did not impress
me fayorably. She was neither good look
ing nor pleasing, and, without being ex-
actly bad tempered, always insisted upon
having her own way.
Inow seemed 10 be in new world. My
boots bore a brilliant luster each morning
without my aid. and my slippers were laid
ready for ME in the evening, and as for
lending me a needle and cotton-the idea!