Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-10-24
A Holiday Tragedy.

WIS my PROUD DuuSJ Uh'LI WuS uDI'
to dispense with feminine aid and yet
live u very enjoyable life, as, with
clock-work regularity, | went from my
bachelor lodgings to business each
morning, returning in the afternoon
and spending the evening at the club
or some place Of amusement. The
idea OF having lady companion I'M
my rambies never entered my mind.
True, my landlady good old soul y
prepared my meals and cleaned my
rooms, but that was because ! had not
time to do 1t myself, and n mnn-scr-
want was beyond my means. But IN
all else ! dispensed with woman's aid.
Boot-cleaning, sewing buttons on,
lighting the fire, etc, Wer" all done
with my own hands may, ut pinch,
have even washed pocket handkcr-
chief.
desired to stand forth AS a living
example Of the original Adam and
proof of the supcrlluidy Of the mod
ei'n Eye. But my misguided com
pamlons refused ito profit by my teach
ing or TO follow my example. one by
one they fell under female influence,
one by one they married, and then
/ cut them dead. All, me! Those free
Bohemian days were happy ones, ms
year after year pursued my adopted
course, In spite Of the continual fall
ing Off Of my comrades. Then came
thine when my circle Of acquaInt-
ances had decreased so considerably |
thah began TO feel lonely. Bachelor
chlImS were more difficult to find than
ever TO loneliness succeeded mclan-
choly, and ! grew miserable and pes.
simhstlc.
One friend, to whom | laid bare
my woes, said:
You keep to yourself too much.
What you ought to do IL to lodge with
some family where there are two or
three grown-up daughters. They
would wake you up n bit"
Ihis, to me, the hitherto ideal advo-
cate OF m lIyclcss Eden! And yet af-
ter the advice had been rendered sev-
eral times, ! began to think that such
Il change would be- beneficial. such
II course need not involve the render
ing up Of my tenetS; but, as woman
still formed Il pant Of the world, she
mIght at least contribute to my
So nftcr very serious
consideration, decided to seek fresh
apartments, with light society thrown
In.
Now my troubles commenced.
could not make the direct inquiry.
"linvc yoll any groWn-up daughIcNT'
So ] generally viewed the rooms, lis
tled thc rent, and then casually asked:
"llave You any chldrcnf" and the
reply would be; "les, four 'ivc' or
SIX" (aS the case mght bc); "thc
oldest Is 10 years old and the young
est two months, But they are ms good
Noise"
'rhc mlmbercsR journeys made
and the many dcSlltory conversations
listened to were all to NO purpose.
No one appeared to POSSESS grown-up
daughters the eldest was always 10.
y lsNI Nl'HN ! Nl'S NlF'hl w 'lbIhl'll l'iS ,
search, fortune or was IT fatcI led
me- to Myrtle Nilln Paradise Gar
dcns, Upper Dnlwlrh The door was
opened by vision of loyclIncss fault
lcrssly dressed and with bright blue
cycH alld golden hair. "Ncwly mar
the eldest won't he TO-" She invited
me In, and then disappeared; Il mid
dlc-agcd lady entering directly after,
we proceeded to discuss terms. Then
came the inevitable inquiry as to
children,
81 have two grown-up daughters
the Younger of whom opened the door
to you"
AT lnSt Need say that Within n
week | was installed in Myrtle Villa?
The landlady "a widow was genial,
alomely woman, and the youngest
Annie aged 70 have al
ready described, but the other daugh-
Ter, julia, did not Impress me favor
ably Shc was neither good.lookiug
nor pleasing. and. without being cN
n"tlS had-tcmpcnd, always insisted
upon having her own way.
now seemed to I've IN Il Now world.
My boots bore brilliant lustrr each
morning, without my add, and my
were laid ready for me in the
evening and MS for lending me a nrr-
die and cotton the idea, if | would
only leave them outside, they would
be only too happy,
] no longer need to seek relaxation
nt the club after the lahors of the day
Julia played the piano well Cher only
accomplishments. while Annie SANG
aivinrly, and thus the evenings pass
cd all too quickly, Malc acuuaiut-
an"cs they did not seem to possess
vet stay, there was one Il Mr.. Nal.
colin, whose name | frequently heard |
mentioned, but Ms his calls were nj
ways made In the daytime. | never
saw him. | had rapdly passed into
that condition of mind which raised |
4 feeling Of jealousy on HIS account. |