Year: 1873

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you this very night"


"Thank you. shall be very glad to
see you.'


The friends parted, and Jonass thick
head was full of new ideas throughout the
day.


At six o'clock he stood before his mirror
"a triangular piece of broken looking
glass-adiusting his dress for the anticipa-
ted visit. He had already tried ON several
dickies, had parted his hair in four differ
ent lines, besides having scraped nearly all
the enamel from his tobacco-stained teeth
and cutting his nails down to the "quicl."
The "cut" of his garments was rather
old-fashioned, to be sure, but by letting
his pants down little and buttoning his
coat in front, to cover the vacancy that
was left between them and his very short
vest, he fancied himself quito dandy. BY
exercising more patience and perseverance
than he had ever had occasion for before
in his life, he was armed and equipped at
half past seven o'clock, and on his way to
his FRIEND Otis Barker.


Fortunately for his dffidence and awk-
wardness in company, there were none but
the members of the family present, and he
was introduced to Mrs. and Miss Barker,
and enjoyed very pleasant chat with
them during the evening. Every move
ment of the young lady was watched by
the bachelor and before the evening was
spent, he had made up his mind to seek no
farther for wife, provided the charming
Miss B., could by any means be induced to
be made the wife Of Jonas jerks.


She was just the model, just the style of
beauty that he most admired. She was
very pleasing in conversation, free and
graceful in her manners, and seemed to be
in every way suited to make up for the sad
deficiency of those qualifications in himself
That was the woman for him, thought
Jonas, as he bade them "good night" at
ten, with hearty promise that he would
certainly call again soon.


Had the night not been very dark, it
would, no doubt, have been a cause of
much querying and wonder to have seen
the clumsy old bachelor tripping along
upon the toes Of his boots, and springng
across the gutter with the agility of a
clark y but no one saw Jonas return to
to his lonesome home. He was blessed
with pleasant dreams for the two succeed
ing nights, and on the third evening he
again found himself in the society of his
admired. At the close of his second visit,
first for in addition to his increasing ad-
miration of the lady-Miss Barker--he felt
assured by her evident exertions to enter
tain him pleasantly, that his feelings were
reciprocated. Mrs. Barker was no less at
tentive, and he could not but believe that
his motives were anticipated with pleasure
to all concerned.


One unfortunate circumstance, however,
to which all parties were as yet strangers
must be named before going farther with
the courtship. Owing partly to Mr.. Bark
er's carelessness in introducing the ladies
as his wife and sister, merely and partly





two women at time, he had most unwit-
tingly mistaken one for the other AS
there appeared to be but little difference in
their ages, and each seemed alike at home
and equally familiar with the husband and
brother, it would have been no easy matter
for stranger, at first acquaintance, to
distinguish between them. They had the
habit, too, of addressing each other by
their Christian names, and the titles Of
Mrs. and Miss were not used for once in
his presence.


The truth was, Jonas has been deeply
smitten with Mrs. Barker, who was rather
the prettiest of the two, and who, not sus-
pecting the bachelors error strove with
unusual interest to make matters agreeable
in behalf of her sister-in-law.


Week after week passed away, during
which time Jonas performed penance for
his past negligence by " dressing up" every
Sunday night, ard endeavoriug to make
himself agreeable to the ladies' and when
two months had elapsed, he had formed
"never-to-be-got-over" attachment for Mrs.
Barker


1t was cruel deception, but no one was
to blame, for no one knew of it. Mrs.
Barker noticed that he often addressed her
as Miss b., but knowing him to be rather
illiterate, and unskilled in the rules of ct
iquette, she thought it might be slip of
the tongue merely, and considered 1t un-
lady-like to correct him.


Jonas began to feel that Suspense was