Evening star., 1927-09-27
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
MRS. BULLFROG.

Of New England Puritan stock. In 1850 he
Scsr,eta aons I,s ior % h,s yas n0ys ented m ne r
Justly placed among the masterpieces of ne
on I'M American literature. The present de-
ughtiut story is taken from the collection
ehtltted Moses From an Old Mause first
published in 1872
As a bachelor | become very fussy
about women was the accom-.
hlished graduate of a dry goods store.
where by dint of ministering to the
whims of fine ladies. 1 grew up a
very ladylike sort of g. gentleman. 1t
is not assuming too much to affirm
that the ladies themselves were hardly
80 ladylike as Thomas BullfroG. So
painfully acute was my sense of fe-
male imperfection, and such varied
excellence did / require in the woman
whom / could love, that there was an
awful risk of my getting no wife at
al or of being driven to perpetrate
matrimony with my own image in the
looking-gla | demanded the fresh
bloom of youth, pearly teeth. glossy
ringlets. with the utmost delicacy Of
habits and sentiments, a silken texture
OF mind, and, above all, virgin heart.
There was every chance of my be-
coming most miserable old bach
elor, when by the best luck in the
world / made journey into another
State, and was smitten by and smote
again. and wooed. won and married
the present Mrs. Bullfrog. all in the
space of a fortnight. Owing to this
speed | not only gave my bride credit
for certain projections which have not
Yet come to light, but also overlooked
certain trifling defects, which, how
ever, glimmered on my perception long
before the close of the honeymoon.
The same morning that Mrs. Bull
roC and / came together as a unit
we took our seats in the stage coach
and began our journey toward my
Place of business. There being no
other passengers, we were much alone
and free to give vent to our raptures
My bride looked charming in a green
SILK hooded bonnet and riding gown;
and whenever her. red lips parted in
a smile each tooth appeared like an
lneStimable pearl. Such was my pas
*'2nate warmth that l pleaded guilty
p the freedom of a kiss. Emboldened,
threw back the bonnet to let my
fingers stray among her glossy curls.
My wife deliberately drew my hand
away and restored her bonnet.
suddenly an accident occurred Our
CrlVer drove carelessly over some
gravel and capsized the coach. 1t
'hanced that in the confusion of our
overthrow l quite forgot that there
was Mrs. Bullfrog in the world. Like
many mems wives, the good lady
served her husband as a steppine
stone. | had scrambled out of the
coach and was instinctively settling
my craVat when somebody brushed
roughly by me and I heard smart
thwack upon the coachman's ear.
Take that. you villain" cried a
hoarse. strange voice. you have
ruined me. you blackguard. I shall
never be the woman 1 have been,"
There came a second thwac!z. which
;tlt the drlVer on the nose and made
These blows were given by a strange
person with a head almost bald and
sunken cheeks, apparently of the
feminine gender, though hardly to be
ciassed in the gentler sex. There being
no teeth TO modulate the voice it had
mumbled herceness-not passionate.
out stern-who could this phantom
ne? This ogre-or whatever if was
had riding gown like Mrs. Bullfrog's
ana also green bonnet, hanging down
her back by the strings. In my terror
and turmoil of mind l imagined that
Ola NICK at the moment of our over
turn had annihilated my wife and
jumped into her petticoats This idea
seemed the more. probable since /
could nowhere perceive Mrs. Bullfrog
alive, nor. though 1 looked very sharp
about the coach, could / detect anv
traces of that beloved woman's dead
body. There would have been a great
comfort in giving her Christian burial.
Come, sir. Bestir yourself!" said
the hobgoblin to me. Help the rascal
set up the coach" Then with a ter
rife screech to three countrymen at
distance, Here, you fellows. Help
fix the coach"
The countrymen helped the driver
right the coach. The driver tugged