The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-02-20


orally understood that there is alway:
hope for the hopeless variety, ant
confirmed celibates have a way ol
succumbing to the tender influences O
love in the most sudden and uuex.
pected manner. He was just an 'old
bachelor" and people had long given
him up as a bad job. Only his sister,
Mrs. Jephson, did not quite despair
of him. She had arranged scores OF
suitable matches for him, neverthe-
less, and each selection that she made
was more eligible than the last, but
somehow no one of them ever came
to anything.
There was really no excuse for
Balkin's unmarried state.
sYou ought to have somebody to
TAKE CATE " y ~ n ySSsK r = -
said Mrs. Jephson.
"Thank you, said the old bache-
lor, dryly. when I get to that
time of life I'll think about it. In
the meantime I'm pretty comfortable
as / am"
81 want you to come over and dine
with us tomorrow night, Lemuel, ;"
said the lady, with an air of giving
up the argument. Then she added,
"Oh, by the way, Grace Tarrant is
to be there. You remember Grace,
don't you?"
81 don't know that I do" said
Balkin.
"Your memory's falling as well as
your eyesight," said his sister, cruel
ly. Grace Tarrant was at the Acad-
emy with me when was a girl. She
married Tarrant, the soap man, and
he died four years ago and left her
close on to a quarter million dollars.
They never had any children, and I
wouldn't be surprised if she married
again. Iknow you'll like her. Well,
be sure to come. oodbye." )"
There's another of 'em," growl-
ed Balkin when his sister had left.
II wish she'd let me alone. Marry |
Well, l guess not. I know when
I'm well off,"
As a matter of fact, there were few
married men more comfortable than
Balkin. His housekeeper, Mrs. Jones,
who had been with him for years,
was treasure. His household ran
like clockwork.
Balkin dined with his sister and
her old-time school chum, however,
and made a good impression on the
latter. She informed Mrs. Jephson
that she thought her brother was a
m lost delightful man-aud really
handsome and distinguished looking.
Mrs. Jephson told Balkin this, aud
Balkin said he considered Mrs. Tar
rant woman of remarkable intelli-
gence and an entertaining conversa-
tionalist.
'Don't you think she's good look
Av;-.sy aaa-..ssiz..rlun nl.i<aa;etar.
"Ye-es," (" said Balkin. "She'd d
pass-in crowd" -.
Mrs Jephson went back and told
Mrs. Tarrant that her brother was
raving over her. Altogether it look
ed promising. Still, in spite of all
the opportunities to be together that
Mrs. Jephson contrived for her broth
er and her friend, the affair did not
seem to progress at a satisfactory
rate. Once she became impatient
and asked Balkiu outright why he
did not propose. II know she'd take
you" she said. tive sounded her
and she thinks everything in the
world of you. She told me as much. 7"
Don't you encourage her, Eliza, ("
said Balkin. ''I've told you hum
dren times that don't want to marry.
I'm perfectly comfortable as I am"
"That's just it," thought Mrs.
Jephson. 'He's too comfortable.
AS long as that woman is his house
keeper he never will marry. / wish
she'd leave him. I'd get her a good
place somewhere else if l thought she
would. / wonder if she wouldn't
believe I'll sound her."
Accordingly she chose time when
she knew her brother would be out to
call on her. Mrs. Jones opened the
door for her. Mrs. Jones was stout,
comfortable looking person about as
years of age. She welcomed Mrs.
Jephson with pleasant smile. Mrs.
Jephson began to sound" her. Hall
an hour later she went away satisfied,
She had not been able to tempt the
housekeeper away from her brother S
service, but she had prevailed on hei
to say that she would ask Mr.. Bal
kin's consent to visit her friends il
Iowa.
Of course Balkin consented. He
knew that Mrs. Jones deserved a va
cation and he was fair minded man
So Mrs. Jones went, and then it seem
ed that Mrs. Jephson's little plot wa:
bound to succeed. Inside of week
Balkin began to look careworn. Mrs
Jones' substitute inaugurated chao:
in the house. His meals were badly
cooked and irregularly served. Hi
wants were neglected, and dust ant
disorder were supreme. He dis
charged the substitute and hired an
other, who was even more incompe
tent. He complained to Mrs. Jeph
son.
81 told you so," said that lady
"Why don't you be sensible ant
marry? OF course Mrs. Jones viii
straighten things out when she re
turns, but you don't know that She
won't leave you for good some o.
these days. There's nothing to pre-
vent her from marrying"
Balkin looked thoughtful at thi'
and his sister smiled in her sleeve
care you going to take Grace and m'
! to the concert tomorrow night ~
IN afraid not" said Balkin aftel
some further reflection. ''I've some
business calling me out of town and
may be gone a week or two. Yes
it's unexpected, but I'll have to go. :
Balkin was gone for over two