The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-03-26

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believe. The house is a fragment of the
past half decayed relic of the year 1910
so unlike modern house that people
gaze at it curiously as they pass along the
fashionable thoroughfare upon which it
fronts A mansion of gray sandstone, it
stands in the midst Of extensive grounds,
shaded by noble oaks, elms, pines and
scycamores. Such elms there are in various
portions of New England, such pines ever
Fenimore Cooper's grave, at Otsego, such
oaks near Niagara or in the bluegrass
region OF Kentucky, such sycamores along
the Ohio or the Wabash, but there are few
places where one finds them grouped
together. They give the place an air OF
secluson such as brooded over kenil worth.
Close inspection is required to determine
that the house is built of stone. Vines
cover it FROM foundation TO roof, half con-
cealing doors and windows and massing
up under the caves in great swells OF YER
dure. There are ivy, Virginia creepers and
trumpet vines, and I would gladly have
more were there space for them to grow.
1t is just such a home as a retiring old
bachelor like myself loves.
need scarcely describe the interior. l
call it comfortable; tidy housekeepers-
Heaven defend me from them!--would call
it slovenly. My aged housekeeper is not
ambitious. She tries to please me, and
does so; hut she is not tidy. My occasional
visitors assure me that the rooms are not
we'll aired, that there is a musty odor in
the parlor, that the library is quite damp.
l confess that such remarks amuse me.
The dampness and mustness have never
been apparent to me, and my housekeeper
has never mentioned the subject. l there
fore conclude that the trouble lies chiefly
in the fancy of certain prying and ofiicious
women, who have not enough at home to
keep them busy. 4.
Up in my attic, opening toward the main
street, is a small circular window, which
swings back on a hinge. Vines half
exclude the light. Birds come there
mostly sparrows IA truly detestable bird,
but robins and blue-birds also visit the
place at intervals. | once had a robin
stand on the cave within foot OF my face,
peering at me curiously. He winked and
rolled his pretty head in a most diverting
way. l half believe he thought me some
large species of bird-a gigantic cousin that
he had not seen before.
/ often peer shyly at the outside world
through this little window, standing on my
feet the while, as the opening is higher
above the floor than common. The attic is
partly lighted and is seldom used. Old
furniture, boxes, pictures, papers and
violins take up most OF the space; cobwebs
and SCOT are omnipresent There are darl;
angles and corners into which nobody but
myself ever peers. l love the quiet Of the
place and its utter lack of order. Some
times take up one of my old violins and
discourse haf.iorgotten air in so low
key that even the spiders are not dis
turhed.
a recent warm evening in July found me
in the attic. A breath of sultry air came
through the vine-choked window the leaves
on my old trees were motonless. Many
people were moving on the street, brought
out of their homes in the hope OF finding
cooler air. One young lady | singled out,
walking alone, tall, stately woman,
whose face, while dimly seen at quite a
distance, l could imagine to ne handsome
grew retrospective as | watched her.
am not given to sentmentaity; indeed,
know women too we'll to love them; but it
cannot bs denied that it is very natural for
man to let them bamboozle him. l an
well aware that the word BAN boozle is not
elegant, but no other word will convey my
idea. Women are natural deceivers. What
use have they for sincerity? How we'll
they know the power of a handsome figure
bright eye or pretty teeth With what
admirable art do they add to and improve
upon natural attractions! The sweet smile
OF girl in her teens is hard to resist. T
grant you; 1t oVerturns reason and philo.
sophy as the great wheel Of the windmill
overthrow Don Quixote but if this self,
same sweet smile fails to captivate Won is it
not soon turned upon another? Faprb,
get ont of patience! Women wind men
round their fingers. Women of tact
polite women-rule the world. II ons
could find really sincere woman-rather
pretty, too-what satisfaction it would he
to marry her! But where in the wild.
world is one to look for such?
While gazing intently out Of the win
dow, with an interest beyond the ordinary
shall / confess it-in the fair pedestrian
thought saw man moving among the
shrubbery near my gate, but on closer in
spection concluded that l had been de-
oeived. watched the stately lady out O,
sight, laughing at my own folly the ubile
and was about to turn my attention to tn.
old attic, when felt something touch me.
The touch was at first 80 faint that 7
thought it might be fancy or that might
have come in contact with the wall In
order to see the street had been forced To
y.rnttude NV ahouldar,