The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-01-02
UNCLE COTTLE'S WOOING
"Tm going to get married, Tim"


Uncle Cottle sat very upright in his
chair, and spoke with an air of invinci-
bic decision.
"What. again?" drawled his nephew,
wearily.
"Again, sir? When was married be-
fore ?"
"But this isn't the first time you've
been going to do it, uncle; that's what
1 meant" Tim explained. "Do know
the favored lady?"
Its Miss Sybil Holt, Tim," said
Uncle Cottle. confidentially. "The most
ly-the-the-oh-b | met her the
other evening at Mrs. Dynham's silver
wedding party. and she = er - quite
seemed TO take to me. I'm older than
she is." he sighed, pensively, "but
look a good ten years younger than
am; don't you think sop
Young Tim regarded him critically,
withou, hazardng an opinion. He was
past middle age and looked it; full
bodied little gentleman. with short,
dumpy legs and bland, moon-like face,
whose prevailing expression was of i'm
perturbable simplicity.
"Have you proposed?"
"Why, no, I've only seen her once. Be-
sides," Uncle Cottle sighed again, "I'm
SO shy, you know, Tim-so Internally
shy! The only time l ever managed
to propose was when 1 wrote to that
widow-you remember, you helped me
with that letter and she never an
swered. You didn't say" he added,
whether you know Miss Holt?"
81 don't remember ever to have met
her."
"Ah! If you had you couldn't forget
her. She's an aunt you'll be proud of,
my boy"
"But she may not appreciate the hon
or of obtaining me for a nephew"
eff she refuses me, Tim-if lose her
as I've lost all the Others" cried Uncle
Cottle, wildly, II shall think there's
curse on me, and I'll give in-Pll 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 jeal-
Gus eye of sole proprietor who didn't
want anybody to meddle with his busi-
ness.
"I'm his only relative" he complained
to his crony, Ted Merrows, as he sat at
breakfast next morning in the cham
bers they tenanted in common. whats
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 chill
dren,-there'll be no meat left on the
bone for mel"
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 of looking black
about it? He's been going to marry
often enough before"
"But he's never seemed so determined
as he is now. He's dyeing his hair and
cultivating figure"
"Gonc so far as that!" exclaimed Ted.
"Then I'm afraid nothing will stop
him."
81 shall try, anyhow" growled Tim.
"If l can't hit on anything better,
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 presumptuous. That widow
was the most dangerous-three months
ago. l really thought I'd lost him that
time. He was so bewitched he was
going to call at her house, only per-
Inl I, ali 70 nd 4 hot
he ought to write first and disclose his
sentiments, and ask permission to call.
undertook to post the letter on my
way home here to the Temple, and
put it in the fire. When he got no an
swer he wished he hadn't written-felt
he had been impertinent and she was Of
Tended"
Suppose he meets her and mentions
it?"
"He daren't; l 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" OBJ
served Ted Merrows. Take my tip,
and make hay while the sun Shines"
"lIow do you mean?"
"Yon are old enough to marry, and,
as your uncle's sole heir, you'd be val
liable article in the matrimonial mar
E.et; but if he marries, you'll find your
self on the shelf among the damaged
goods and remnants. Dispose of your
self while you are still heir and the fit
| ting lord for an heiress. You can't
stop the old man marrying, but you can
take care he doesn't spoil you by marry
| ing first"
"3ut don't know anybody" remon-
| stratcd Tim. "How am / to find an
heiress, get introduced and engaged
and marry her out of hand in"
"You might find one through the mat
rimonial journals"
Nonsense! Heiresses don't adver-
tise."
Don't they? All heiresses are not
in society; some of them want to
go there, and they advertise. They
wouldn't marry a gentleman with moth
ing, perhaps, unless they happened to
he old and uplv hut thew would be glad