The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-08-29
A HOLIDAY TRAGEDY.


hever in the idea that man is the lord
of creation, and that woman is not an
absolute necessity. For many yeav it
was my proud boast that | was able to
dispense with feminine aid and yet live
very enjoya BILE life, as, with clockwork
regularity, l went from my bachelor
lodgings to business each morning, re-
turning in the afternoon, and spend
ing the evening at the club or some
place of amusement. The idea of hav-
ing lady companion in my rambles
never entered my head.
True, my landlady good old soulD
prepared my meals and cleaned my
rooms, but that was because l had not
time to do it myself, and man-serv-
ant was beyond my means. But in all
else | dispensed with woman's aid.
Boot cleaning, sewing buttons on,
lighting the fire, etc, were all done
with my own hands-nay, at a pinch,
| have even washed pocket handler-
chief.
| desired to stand forth as a living
example of the original Adam, and a
proof of the superiority of the modern
Eve. But my misguided companions
refused to profit by my teachings or to
follow my example. One by one they
fell under female influence, one by one
they married, and them 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 acquaintance had de-
creased so considerably that l began
to feel lonely. Bachelor chums were
more difficult to find than ever. To
loneliness succeeded melancholy, and
l 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 adj
vocate of an Eveless Eden! And vet,
after the advice had been rendered
several times, began to think that
such a change might be beneficial
Such course need not involve the rem
dering up of my tenets; but, as woman
still formed a part of the world, she
might at least contribute to my
amusement So, after very serious
consideration, | decided to seek fresh
apartments, with light society thrown
in.
Now my troubles commenced. /
could not make the direct inquiry:
Have you any grown up daughters"
So | generally viewed the rooms, listen
ing to the landlady's verbiage, settled
the rent, and then casually asked:
Have you any children" and the re-
ply would be: Yes, four five or
six" las the case might be-; 1.-The
eldest is ten years old and the young
est two months But they are as good
as gold, and never make a bit of
noise"
The numberless journeys l made
and the many desultory conversations
l listened to were all to no purpose
No one appeared to possess grown-up
daughters-the eldest was always ten.
uoU witch was W dDduuOu my
search fortuue-or was it fate?-led
me to Myrtle Villa, Paradise Gardens,
Upper Dulwich. The door was opened
by a vision of loveliness, faultlessly
dressed, and with bright blue eyes
and golden hair. Newly married."
thought l. We'll, here at least, the
Oldest won't be ten!" She invited me
in. and then Disappeared a middle
aged lady entering directly after, we
proceeded to discuss terms. Then
came the inevitable inquiry as to chill
dren.
Il have two grown-up daughters,
the younger of whom opened the door
to you"
At last! Need l say that within a
week was installed in Myrtle VillaP
The landlady Ia widow was genial,
homely woman, and the youngest
daughter, Annie, aged twenty-five, /
have already described, but the other
daughter, Julia, did not impress me ia
vorably. She was neither good looking
nor pleasing, and, without being ex-
actly bad-tempered, always insisted
upon having her own way.
now seemed to be in a new world.
My boots bore brilliant luster each
morning without my aid, and my Slip
pers were laid ready for me in the
evening, and, as for lending me a nee
die and cotton-the idea!-if l would
only leave them outside they would
only be too happy.
no longer needed to seek relaxa-
ton at the club after the labors of the
day. Julia played the piano well Cher
only accomplishment, while Annie
sang divinely, and thus the evenings
passed altogether too quickly. Male
acquaintances they did not seem to
possess-yet, stay, there was one-a
Mr.. Malcolm, whose name frequently
heard mentioned, but as his calls were
always made in the daytime / never
saw him. had rapidly passed into
that condition of mind which raised a
feeling of jealousy on his account, so
one day | questioned my landlady on
the subject.
"Oh, he's very old friend of ours.
Once we thought he would have pro-
posed to Julia, but nothing came of
it"
What relief Only Julia!
SO time went pleasantly on, and