Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-10-11
A HOLIDAY TRAGEDY.

exactly a woman Halter, but a firm be
lever i'll the idea that man is the lord 0
creation, and that woman is not an alb
solute necessity. For many years it wa
my proud boast that was able to dis
pense with feminine aid and yet live /
very enjoyable life, as, with clockworl
regularity, I went from my bachelor
lodgings to business each morning, re
turning i'll the afternoon and spending
the evening at the club or some place
of amusement The idea of having {
lady companion i'll my rambles never
entered my head.
True, my landlady-good old soul
prepared my meals and cleaned my
rooms, but that was because [ had not
time to do it myself, and manservant
was beyond my means. But i'll all else
dispensed with woman's aid. Boot
cleaning, sewing buttons Oh, lighting
the fire, ETC., were all done with my
own hands-nay, at a pinch have even
washed pocket handkerchief.
I desired to stand forth as living
example of the original Adam and a
proof of the superfiuity Of the modern
Eve. But my misguided companions re-
fused to profit by my teachings OF to fol
low my example. One by one they fell
under female 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 i'll spite of the con-
tinua. falling off of my comrades. Then
came a time when my circle OF acqualnt-
ances had decreased so considerably that
I began to feel lonely. Bachelor chums
eyere more difficult to find than ever.
To Loneliness succeeded melancholy, and
I grew miserable and pessimistic.
One friend, to Whom { laid bare my
syoes, said.
lyon 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 yon up a bit.
This, to me; the hitherto ideal adyo-
cate OF ah E4eless Eden! And yet,
after the advice had been rendered sew
ers1 times, I began to think that such
change sn:2ht be beneficial Such a
course need not involve the rendering
mp Of .pg tenets; but, as woman still
formed a part Ut the world, she might
ut least contribute TO my amusement
So. after very serious consideration, |
decided to ssek fresh apartments, with
light society throsyn aat.
Nosy my troubles commenced. !
could net make the direct inquiry,
s'HaYe you any grown MP daughters. .
So generally viewed the rooms, listen
iag to the iandlady'f Terbiage. settled
she sent, and then casually asked.
Have YOU any children?' and the re-
ply would be: IVES, four five, Or
six - las the case ,night be-; "the
p eldest is 10 years old and the youngest
f9go months. But they are as good as
gold and never make g bit Of noise.
The nnmberless Journeys made and
the many desslltory conversations lis
tened to were all to 10 purpose. No one
appeared to possess grown up daughters
the sltest was always 10. Just when
was about to .sl5andon my search, for
sune-or was it fatef-!ssd me to Myrtle
Villa. Paradise gardens, Upper nnl-
Wicl1. The door was opened by vision
OF loneliness, faattiass1y dressed, and
with bright blue eyes and golden hair.
NEWLY married. thought /. "Well,
here st Least the eldest won't be ten -
She invited me in, and then disap
peared. a middle aged lady entering
directly after We proceeded to discuss
terms. Then ealne the inevitable in
auiry as to children.
y have two grown up daughters, the
younger Of whom opened the door to
you. -
At last! Need I say that, within a
week, | sHas installed i'll Myrtle Villa?
The landlady, 8 ~idqTv. was genial,
aonsely woman, and the youngest
daughter, Annie, aged %, have al
ready described, bnt the other daughter,
.5ulias did not impress sne fayorabIy.
She was neither good looking nor pleas
ing, and, without being exactly bad
tempered, always insisted upon having
her own way.
/ now seemed to be i'll a new world.
My boots bore brilliant lnster each
morning without my aid, and my slip
pefs were laid ready for ne in the even
ing, and as for lending me needle and
cotton-the ids5l IF would only leave
Fhem outside, they wonl.l only be too
happy.
l no longer needed to seek relaxation
at the club after the labors of the day.
Julia played the piano well, her only
accomplishment, while Annie sang di-
v1nely, and thus the evenings passed all
too quickly. Male acquaintance they
did not seem 20 possess. Yet, stay, there
Tyas one=-a Mr.. Malcolm, whose name |
Frequently heard mentioned, but as his
calls We're 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.
"oN, he's a very old friend Of ours
Once we thought he would have pro
posed to Julia. but nothing came of it. y
So time went pleasantly on, and then
.--how can ! confess it?--nly lifelong
creed wiss thrown to the winds, my
proud ambition BUNDLED i'll the dust,
and BECAME a willing slave to the sex
{ had so long despised and ignored. My
only thought now Wag how and in what
words should beseech my darling An
ME to become my wife Time after time
Twas on the point of speaking, but Julia
always turned up at the critical mo-
ment.
One evening Julia announced that a
week thence she had an engagement to
play at a concert. Then burst upon me
brilliant inspiration. purchased two
stall tickets for the Lyceum for that
same evening. and making pretense thai
had had them given to ms 7 persuaded
Annie to promise to accompany me.
This time Julia would not be able to in
truda. and l should know my fate. LII
Ewo months time should be taking my
summer holiday, which. would fit in inst
nicely for the honeymoon.
On the eyentful day fastened home
ward with q queer fnttering in my
heart and flower spray for Annie il.
my hat Julia opened the door, and
hardly permitted me 10 enter before she
Uniformed mo tbat t,d I,a-.x