The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-01-31
A BACHELORS
ENCUM BRANCE

vi ahC5.
lmprimis, my patornal patronym
was not misDomer. /" | am unG e Nab
particular | was particular fro,
my childhood. l grew up varticula
Tor these ideas grew With my growth
and strengthened with my strength.
L would no. till the comfortable it'll
country estate left me because a ia,
mer must sometimes wear overAl!s g
arranged Primrose cottage as picel
as paint and elegant furniture coul
rcoder 1T, hired Dnrcas Trim rs houss
keeper and job Tnrifty as gardener
and went into town, entered into tn
commission and brokerage business
and took rooms at Essy's hotel.
My bu-tness was not wearing; ha,
q working partner, and my own capita
procured me the greater share of tn,
profits and an easy life. l had sister
but she was married and had colon,
OF little encumtrances growing M
around her, and filling nursery, hal
and drawing room with their noise
hence | went less and less to Ellen's a,
the encumbranccs increased ; and grew
more demOnstrative OF the CAPACITY
and strength OF Juvenile lungs. Prim
rose cottage WAS twenty miles from
town; and though pleasant enough for
summers vacation, when l enter
tained party OF choice guests, yet of
autumns and winters, mine host OF
Easy's hotel had the preference.
But for the journey | set out upon
late; for the story will show you by
what unlocked for means | took to nv
self an eDcumbrrnce for life.
long timethad my.old friend and
college chum, Dick Avery, been sc nd
Ing me letters descriptive OF his happy
farmer life in Montana. Whenever
you get the blues and dyspepsia, or
grow sick Of business, come out for a
month through the, glorious, great
West, and to my Montana home" !"
This had been Dicks standing invita-
ton ever since he mad immigruted to
his present home.
Providence directed me. had then
dyspepsia and,would 60 to Montana !
So, with full pocket, and unencum-
oered, save by that horrible Lyrant
whose throne was my gastronomic re.
glon, set my face toward the setting
sun.
How glad Dick was to see me He
shook my hand SO vigorously and asked
me.questions in such rapid succes sion
that l could scarcely draw free
breath between answers. Then came
lntroductiors to his wife, Mrs. Nelly
Avery, whom | never should have re-
cOgnized as the slender vile Dick
carried from tue EasG with him; the
Tour children, end Il cousin OF Mrs.
Avery, Miss Gertrude Bird, pretty
sort OF young creature With dark blue
eyes and wealth Of brown hair. Miss
Bird had been West four years teach.
ing school and was now getting home
SICK; 90 that 1t was only after much
persuasion that she consented lo stay
month or two longer with the
Avcrys.
A bachelor still, Paul" said Dick,
while Mrs, Avery and her pretty cous-
In were preparing supper. Why,
map, you ought to have been settled
down in life these ten years! You aod
] used to be about of an age, believe,
Paul, and I'm getting along we'll to
ward my forties. Thirty. .elghG last
spring"
/ 1t was certainly uncaii,I for-Dick's
mentioning ages lst then; but oome
how Dick Avery was always 6 blunt
kind Of q fellow.
Pm happy as king" he resumed,
taking h1s yOungest son-a fine fellow
whom he had Remembered me by,"
In the bestowsl OF his cognomen-upoa
his knee. "Nelly's proved a treasure :;
wasn't too much OF u fine lady to give
up her Eastern home and accompany
me out here to tho borders o. the will
derness, and have mapped out great
careers for the young ones"
Just then Gertrude Bird came into
the room and summoned us to supper.
Candidly, | don't remember the time
that Host Easy ever RJt up such q
tempting meal. And then my appetite
80 con6icted with the tyrant that had
held 1T In allegiance.
Upon The whole, ii WIS decidedly
pleasant. After supper Dick proposed
having acme music. "Wc always have
tonight propose Aud Lang Syne.'
Como, Gertie." Miss Bird sat dow n to
the piano and "Auld Lang Syne" Was
followed by dozen other melodies {;
and then Dick read chapter in tho
Bible and We oil retired for the night.
And l must say that such calm sleep
and quiet dreams never visited me- 10
my handsomely furnished bed.chnm-
ber at Easy's hotel as came to me there
In the plain little bed In which lay
down to rest that first night la Mon
tana.
But have not time here to recount
oil the events Of that month in Dick
Avery's home. Suffice 1t that each
was Iypo vi rest. anu all Lnl6 Time the
tyrant, dyspepsia, had been growing
ieebler In his sway, till finally he en-.
tlrely abdicatcd tho throne. And then
began to think OF coming home, and
then was IT that my cncumbrsnce came
to me- after this wise.
Paul." said Dick, one day, coming
to mo with q serious face from long
talk with Gertrude Bird, "how would
you like company to the East? Ger
trude is thoroughly homesick and longs
to SEQ her mother again and though
we shall lose half the sunshine of oul
homo, l cannot urge her to stay au
other month. Your going back offer
such q capital chance for her to traye
in company that Gertie's deputed M
to ask you If she'll be any encum branc,
to YOU"
80 What was left for me, Paul Par
ticular, bachelor, who had never" Z" tax
en- charge" OF q lady on journey II
all my life, but to protest to Dicl
Avery, his wife and to Miss Gertrud
Bird that 1t would afford me sinceres
pleasure 10 act as escort from Montsn
to Massachusetts to the last name
young lady And this Is how | cam
by my encumbrance
1t is one thing to meet o yolng lad
aud that lady as pretty and bewitct
Ing as Mise Bird at stated hours, daI
time and evening, and quito anothe
to find yoursef shut up In the sam