Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-12-07

VI cnalr, ana Sp D
with an air of irwin
y chile decision.
n "What again?
Y drawled his nephew
I YEARLY.
f~T~<Ml again, sir
s&1y1 When was marie,
-1 1e aR"t th;. ;.n,4 H.
first time you've been going to do it
uncle; that's what I meant" Tim e1
planned. "Do I know the favore'
LADY,"
''It's Miss sybil Holt, Tim," sale
Uncle Cottle, confideutially. 9Th
most lovely-the-the--oh-h I me
her the other evening at Mrs. Dynham'
silver wedding party, and sheer
quite seemed to take to me. I'm olde
than she is" he sighed, pensively
"but look u good ten years youngel
than am; don't you think sop
Young Tim regarded him critically
without hazarding an opinion. HI
was past middle age, and looked it
iull.bodied little gentleman, will
short. dumpy legs and bland, moon
like face, whose prevailing expression
was of imperturbable simplicity.
"Hnve you proposed?"
"Why, no; I've only seen her once
Besides" Uncle Cottle sighed again,
'T'm SO shy, You know. Tim--so infer.
nally shy! The only time I ever man.
aged to propose was when wrote tc
that widow you remember, you helped
me with the letter-and she never ans.
wered. You didn't saw" he added,
"whether you knew Miss Holt?"
~ don't remember ever to have met
her."
"Ah? If you had, you couldn t for.
get her. She's an aunt you'll be proud
of, my boy"
"l'ut she may not appreciate the
honor of obtaining me for nephew. "
"1f she refuses me, Tim-if l lose
her as I've lost all the Others" cried
Uncle Cottle, wildly, 81 shall think
there's curse on me, and I'll give in
I'll never love again. I'll live and die
single!"
Young Tim hoped he would. Uncle
Cottle had been his guardian ever since
he was quite boy, but since he came
OF age, some six years ago, he had
rather reversed the position of affairs,
and looked upon Uncle Cottle with the
jealous eye of sole proprietor who
didn't want anybody to NEEDLE with
his business.
"Pm his only relative" he com.
planned to his crony. Ted Merrows, as
they sat at breakfast next morning in
the chambers they tenanted in com.
mon. "What's his is mine. He's said
SO lots OF times. If he gets married,
though, his wife will expect at least
half; and if he has children-there'Il
be no meat left ON the bone for me I"
They were both reading for the bar,
but Ted Merrows put aside his paper
for the moment, and placed all his in.
tellect at the service of his friend.
"What's the use looking black about
itP He's been going to marry often
enough before"
"But he's never seemed so deter.
mined as he is now. He's dyeing his
hair and cultivating figure"
"Gone' SO far as thatl" exclaimed
Ted. "Then I'm afraid nothing will
stop him"
n shall try, anyhow" growled Tim.
eff I can hit on anything better, I
shall tell him I've found out she's en-.
gagged. I've stopped him twice like
that; he's so nervous and afraid OF
seeming presumptuoua. That widow
was the most dangerous three months
ago. I really thought I'd lost him
that time. He was so bewitched, he
was going to call at her house, only l
persuaded him 1t wasn't etiquette, and
that he ought to write first and dis.
close his sentiments, and ask permis.
sion to call. l undertook to post the
letter Oh my way home here to the
Temple, and put it in the fire. When
he got no answer, he wished he hadn't
written-felt he had been impertinent
and she was offended.
Suppose he meets her and men
tions it?"
"He daren't; know him too we'll.
He'd be SO ashamed and panic-stricken
he'd run away at the sight of her"
"Well, you have been lucky SO far,
but it can't go on like this forever"
observed Ted Merrows.- "Take my
tip, and make hsy while the sun
Shines"
GLOW do you mean?'
"You ere old enough to marry. and,
as your uncle's sole heir you'd be a
valuable article in the matrimonial
market; but if he marries, you'll find
yourself on the self am ong the damaged
goods and remnants. Dispose ofyour.
self while you are still heir and the
fitting lord Tor an heiress. You can't
stop the old man marrying, but you
can take care he doesn't spoil You by
marrying first"
"But ] don't know anybody" re-
monstrated Tim. 'How am to find
the heiress, get introduced and en-
gagged, and marry her out of hand
in
"1ou might find ono through the
matrimonial journals"
Nonsense Actresses don't advey.
tise."
"Don't thoy?' All he:resses arc
not in society some of them want to
get there, and they advertise. They
wouldn't marry gentleman with
nothing, perhaps, unless they hap.
pened to be old and ugly, but they
would be glad 10 snap up man like
you, moving in good society, with a
liberal allowance FROM your uncle and
hopeful prospects. Then, if your
uncle deserts you afterward, her
money will keep tie wolf from the
door and save you fro'a working your.
self to death"