478 
A BACHELOR’S SOLILOQUY. 
jiv r. it. <>. 
Tiikv call me an old bachelor. 
And X am forty now j 
Some white hate hide union? the brown, 
And wrinkle* .spun my brow. 
But that I'm single* yet is net 
From choice of such estate, 
For I have nought. these twenty your*. 
Both far and near, a mate. 
1 hear her image In my heart, 
Its tints time makes more fairs 
And seeking, hoping, waiting, I 
Have never known despair. 
For I shall find her yet Home time,— 
Somewhere with faith long tried, 
Sho'» waiting now for me to come 
And claim tier as my bride. 
I sometimes iihihp, Where Is her homeY 
Within a verdant valley, 
’Along flocks and herds and singing birds? 
Or In some brick-bound alley ? 
1’erhap* beside the ocean's tide, 
Or high on AIplnc. mountains; 
Or nestling ’rnong Magnolia blooms 
And lulled by murm'rlng fountains. 
They say f am a bachelor, 
Not knowing how tuy life. 
Long years Its till •>1 faith and love 
Hath lavished on u wife. 
TllO* unrew arded yet my qncfst, 
My tireless feet Bhull try 
All paths and places, and I’ll And 
My Burling by and by. 
MOORE’S RURAL NE W - Y © RV,ER 
happened during her absence, l>nt Hal's prac- his surprise, lie found some old friends in an 
lined eve saw that she had bail a dangerous but. agreeable family he had met while traveling 
MARSH -IS 
?tonr- 
not fatal lioruorrhw?* and could *0011 bo res tor- 
od to consciousness. With a few consoling 
words to the daughter, which enabled her to as¬ 
sist him, he proceeded to treat the case us well 
as circumstances would permit, noting as he 
did so that, ghastly as was the pallor of the thin, i 
carcwonifaco.it still showed trace* of former 
beauty and of unmistakable reflueuiout, 
A( last the sufferer opened her eyes with the I 
vague, indifferent look of complete physical ex- j 
liaufltlon, bill dosed them again wearily. 
“ Du not speak to her," said Hal in a whisper. ( 
"she must l>e kept perfectly quiet; hut I think j 
she will do well now." 
As he proceeded to give the necessary direr- | 
lions for further I real merit, his eyes wandered 
round the room, which was neat, though mea¬ 
gerly furnished, and bore witness to that strug¬ 
gling destitution so much more pitiable than 
thriftless, squalid poverty. 
Under the lamp on triable lay several pieces 
of line needlework in a confusion that showed 
how recently the labor upon them hail been in¬ 
terrupted, Ostensibly searching for something 
in his letter-case, Hal bent over the delicate 
embroideries with a wondering pity for the pa¬ 
tient toll by Which they were produced. He 
had been among poor people lie fore, but never 
when liis sympathy was so deeply elicited as in 
this instance. Doth mother and daughter 
seemed so wholly unfitted for this hard life—so 
helpless and forsaken! 
The girl came toward him trying to express 
her grafil udo. 
“ Have you no relatives or friends?" lie asked 
her. 
She shook her head sadly. 
“ Your father?" 
SCATTERING- BREAD, “Ho AM two years ago. just after we came 
here to live. We have no money just now,” she 
WHICH RETURNED AFTER MANY DAYS. {. on tJnuod, inJsnimlerst and lug the motive of his 
questions, "but 1 shall get some as soon as this 
“It is one o’clock, gentlemen," said the ob- work ^ unshed. and if you will give me your 
sequlous and weary waiter, entering a luxuri- address, I will 
ous, brilliantly-light ed room in a fashionable “ I did not mean that," ho int errupted hastily; 
ciub-houso, where a jovial little party of young but he did not add that he was really thinking 
gentlemen were assembled. how soon she might lie alone in the world, for 
“What« bore you are, Dermis,” answered Hal her mother was evldentally a victim of quick 
Burgess. “Why didn’t you stop the docks? consumption. “I am going to Europe to-rnor- 
Are you aware, my good fellow, that l his is my roW( ” |,q went on, “ so I shall not lie aide to call 
last night here Tor a longtime to come? (live si^guiri; but I will leave a prescription for vmir 
us a fresh pack of cards to change the luck. We mother, which 1 trust will do her some good." 
must have one more game while you ore bring- j {( . wrote n few lines on a scrap of paper; 
ing us another bottle of Carte Blanche for n (hen, availing himself of n moment when lie 
farewell bumper. Just think," lie continued, unobserved, lie slipped the money he had 
appealing to ids companion? seated around the recently won Into an envelope and left it on the 
table, "to-morrow night at this hour I shall be fcll bi t ,. Fortunately, it was a considerable 
playing a lively game of pitch and toss with old itm ount, alt hough lie regretted that it was not 
Neptune, and getting badly worsted in the eu- i() |,j s ))(nvt . r to give something beside money, 
counter. Console yourselves with that thought a)u j u,ft, thoughtful at the contrast between 
for ray extraordinary good fortune this even- prodigal, careless pleasure, and anxious want 
jug.” which I he last few hours had forced upon him. 
“ Don't speak of it, Hal. Wo hale to think of Amid the distractions of foreign travel, how- 
your going,'" cried several voices in tones <>i ever, tho incident was soon forgotten ; but bo- 
genuine regret that proved what n favorite he f ore i( yon . r had passed lie was reminded of it by 
was in that coterie of gay young bachelors. receiving a note dated from a large Western 
The card party which hod just been Interrupt- ^ty, and inclosing n draft for the amount lie 
od was the sequel of a farewell dinner given on had given away that night. 
the occasion of liis departure for Europe, where The style of this missive was curt and busi- 
iie intended to pass several years before enter- m , gs _ lik ;.. 
ing upon the practice of his profession, it was 
Ill- h*»-r*■»"»' in wl.l.-hk* “ lion 
had been a leading spirit, and, reluctant as they t(1 !)iy lister and niece at a time when they 
were that it should come to an end, “tho wee were in much need. Without wearying you w ith | 
sma' hours nyont Hie twn " refused to tarry at my personal affairs, I will merely ex.p Hint hnt 
..... was flniilly played. 
and the last merry toast proposed. Hal hau a g a |„..t mv wishes a man who gradually 
won largely, and rose cramming a roll of hills squandered t he little fortune she possessed. Ail 
carelessly ini.. 1,1. Tn»'<-, «".! prnmWiMr U- 
opponents their revenge when lie returned. tu< ( fin vvhlch fo- ,wed. until the dread of leav- 
Then cordial adieus wore spoken, and leaving j n(J her daugilfle,' .IRiout any protector nver- 
his friends at the door oT the club-house, ho came her pride t ; resentment, and .-dm wrote 
,v..lkcl l.rl.kly UP U» nvWlllP. M I I,nt IP. .VhSl 
hour of the night it was silent and deserted, | oar)U( j n,rough mv niece that it was to 
but. turning a corner, he saw a young girl com- v ,,„ ri parity she was indebted Tor her last earth¬ 
ing hastily from the opposite direction. The ^ yAm-’ ad^ 
bewildered, irightened expression of bet "an . m(1 ( | UlotcM p, remit to y <>u the amount 
but beautiful face, revealed by t lie gaslight near of t j^, pocun iiirj indebtedness. as well as to ex¬ 
whirl) they met, caused him to stop, and ox- press my gratitude for the service you rendered 
claim;-" What, is the mat ter? Can I do any- to tpembets nf my family ymj( . s 
thing for you?" John ,T. Rhodes." 
“I must And a doctor; do you know whore . ... 
there is one?" -he answered hurriedly, with a “ bather a romantic ending to that U-tle opl- 
...dck questioning glance, and reassured by his 
re -There is none very near here." Hal said after her after her mother died. I wonder it Jshftll 
a moment’s reflection, and added, from what ever see her again riw * ele « ov cutly 
the young men lu- had just left would have well off, since he discharges his peciuilo in 
deemed a moat Quixotic impulse. " hut I am al- debtedness,’ as he calls it, so l>rwnpM>. ■ udn- 
most a physician mvself: unless the ease is very ing from the uote.it wounded his pride, and 
" ^rlu, «. I think l .,.,,,,,1 It." .M. 11,-1 „„t W ... ««“<?*“*' " '' “ 
“Oh! please come quickly then,” replied the «V»rd. What the deuce am I to do with this 
eirl and she led the wav rapidly past several money, any was ? .... . 
blocks of stately bouses to one of those ... He would nol have asked that question two 
neighborhood* which arc sometimes found year, later, when the ’“ h'o lo-ir,i- 
crouehing at i he hack doom of an aristocratic native city came .across the c. bit, and he 1 . rn 
' e d that the riches lie had enjoyed so thought- 
,l, “Who is sick ?" asked Hal. as. reaching a Iessly had vanished on swirt wlng^ot 
smail house, she held open the door for him to He returned at once, self-reliant and hopefu 
pass and t aking a flickering candle from the the change in his circumstance* developing .ill 
floor lighted his way up two flights of narrow the latent, energy of his character. L lie uecessi . 
lloor, ngnwa * „f gaining n livelihood from the profession 
“Mv mother,'’ she answered In a trembling which lie had formerly looked upon as the out- 
. • ’ let of a certain philanthropic ambition was just 
' °" C \nd was there no one in the house you could the stimulus he needed, though even in hb 
,all u >on io help you?” he continued. prosperity he hud never been an idler with nc 
'“No- the people who have the lower rooms earnest purpose or endeavor. But. know ing a. 
go away at night; I was obliged lo leave her he did from experience the butterfly life of clu 
go away at mgni a „ d ballroom, he realized that it would be in 
q On the"bed in the room they entered lay a compatible with the practical work that lay be 
woman apparently insensible, with sickening fore him, and he Telt that if would be easier t< 
marks of blood about her, and crimson drops sever the old social ties at once and to seek hi 
«ttil oozing from her lips. The girl hastened to fortune among strangers, 
j lje bedside, in mute terror at what might have He went to a Western city; but even there, ti 
abroad. They were gay people, who entertained "t’e 
handsomely, hut he persistently declined ail there 
their invitations, until he was over-persuaded towar 
to attend the debut hall of one of the younger quite 
dough ten. 
He did not repent hi* concession when lie quest 
found himself in the midst of the brilliant you yi 
scene. 1ml yielded frankly to its exhilaration. f*he 
The fair fichutantc showed him much favor, but “ 1 do 
in the midst of her lively chatter his eyes wan- you h 
dered to the door through whiehatalljgraeefnl you it: 
girl was Just entering. my in 
She was indeed very lovely; form, coloring, j Aral 
movement, were all exquisitely perfect. The me .* 
shining ripples of golden hair, the dewv, violet 
eyes, tho ro e-Iea r complexion, t lie arch, smiling j "Tl 
mouth, the supple, rounded figure, rivalled each that I 
other as being the chief charm of her fair pres- ness 1 
speak with you a moment before you go to my 
uncle? she asked. 
“Certainly," lie replied, following her into 
the reception room. Closing its door she came 
toward him, saying with a smile: "Have you 
quite forgotten me?" 
“Surely, Miss Gresham need never ask such a 
question," he said gallantly. “ Besides, I saw 
ymi yesterday." 
8hc made a slight movement of impatience. 
“T do not mean that. I want to know whether 
you have never guessed that I was the poor girl 
you met on tho street that dreadful night when 
my mother was so ill. and you befriended us? 
Am I so much changed that you did not know 
\ our > harity she was indebted for her last cart h- tounu a > omil 
lv comforts. A card, which was found upon tlw? duced a* Mv 
Hal's genuine admiration was very evident as 
lie asked abruptly: 
“ Who is that lady? ’ 
“ If you were not such a recluse you would not 
ask." replied liis companion. “That is Laura j 
Greshatlt, the I idle of the season. Isn't she 
lovely?” 
“Yes. very." answered Hal; “she lias that 
rare beauty that reminds one of a flower, deli¬ 
cate and perfect, yet living. 1 think I have seen 
her before.” 
“ That is hardly possible, for site lias been in a 
convent school all her life until this M inter. 
Let me Introduce you : 1 know hCrweli.” 
Hal assented eagerly, but was surprised to 
see a sudden blush suffuse Miss Gresham’s face 
when hirt name was mentioned, and he fancied 
her manner nervous and distrait. She had no 
dance left to give him, hut they chatted on a 
few moments on ordinary, topics, and a chance 
allusion elicited from her the question : 
“ Is it long since you returned from Europe?" 
“Only about six months. J shot)Id have re¬ 
mained a year longer, but all my worldly goods 
Being converted into dust and ashes one night. 
It behooved me to exchange the life or a vaga¬ 
bond for the practice of my profession, which I 
begun here in preference to my native city." 
The lightly spoken words seemed to astonish 
her. “ What a misfortune!” she exclaimed. 
" I trust it will not prove so In the end," lie 
answered thoughtfully; but the next dance 
had already begun, and the tctc-a-le'a was inter¬ 
rupted. 
Later in the evening liis hostess said to him 
playfully You should bo milch flattered; 
Miss Gresham has been asking me all about you. 
and it Is not often that she condescends to take 
so much t rouble. Of course you have fallen in 
love at lirst sight." 
“ Perhaps 1 should if I had not long since 
outgrown such it possibility,” Hal answered 
carelessly. 
Nevertheless, a* he sat next morning In his 
modest little office, Laura's beautiful face came 
between Ills eye* and the dry reports of Ihe 
medical work lie was rending with such foolish 
persistency, that it wa* n relief when the bell 
rang and he was interrupted by n message de¬ 
siring his attendance upon Mr. Rhodes as soon 
as possible. 
"Bliodes! thought Hal as he prepared to 
obey the summons, “surely I have heard that 
name. Why! it is the same as that of my 
crusty old correspondent, and this is the city 
he lived in, Btrange I never thought of it 
before 1 I should .like to see his little niece 
again." 
But when lie reached the handsome house 
to which he had been directed, he found only 
an irascible, dyspeptic old gentleman, who 
1 made no allusion to any previous intercourse, 
I and proved a most exacting and exasperating 
patient. It wo* not until his third visit that he 
found a young lady In the room who was intro- 
niece, Mis.* Gresham." 
Uospectfullv yours. 
John J. Rhodes. 
“ Rather a romantic ending to that little epi¬ 
sode." mused Hal. “ Well, I am glad I hat love¬ 
ly girl found a home, ami some one to care for 
her after her mother died. I wonder if I shall 
ever see her again. The uncle i* evidently 
Ho this was the poor needy girl ho had suc¬ 
cored tlds courted hello and heiress. Truly, 
circumstances had strongly changed with both 
of them since their flr«t meet ing. 
“I have had the pleasure if seeing Ur. Bur¬ 
gess before,” sin? said, with a slight hesitation; 
but beyond the significance which might, be 
attached to those few words, no reference was 
made to any previous Incident in thptrnc-quafnt- 
uiice. Apparently site desired It should be 
ever see her again. I lie uueie is evioun i> ignored, and Hal had far too much tad and 
well off, since lie discharges his ‘ pecuniary in- breeding to betray by word or look ids own 
debtednes*.' a« he culls it, so promptly. Judg- ronH .,„lgauce of it. Yet he often wondered at 
ing from the note, it wounded his pride, and 1 
w ish 1 had not been so careless as to drop that, 
cprd. What the deuce am l to do with this 
money, any way?” 
He would not have asked that question two 
years later, w hen the news of a great fire in his J 
native city came across tho cable, and he learn- j 
ed that t he riches lie had enjoyed so thought¬ 
lessly had vanished on swift wings of flame. 
He returned at once, self-reliant uml hopeful 
-t ho change in Ills circumstance* developing all 
the latent energy "t hi* chart' 1 ’ter. The necessity 
of gaining a livelihood from the profession 
which lie had formerly looked upon as tho out¬ 
let of a certain philanthropic ambit ion was just 
the stimulus he needed, though even in his 
prosperity he had never been an idler with no 
earnest purpose or endeavor. But, knowing as 
he did from experience the butterfly life of club 
mul ballroom, ho realized that it would be in¬ 
compatible with the practical work that lay be¬ 
fore him, and he Mt that it would be easier to 
sever the old social ties at once and to seek his 
fortune among strangers. 
He went to a Western city; but even there, to 
this silence, a* in the course of several months’ 
professional attendance he became bettor ac¬ 
quainted with herself and her uncle. The latter 
was a confirmed invalid, to whom Ids niece was 
exceedingly devoted, and she found an efficient 
aid ill the young doctor, who. although ids 
practice was rapidly enlarging, somehow always 
managed to have considerable time to devote 
to this special case. Peeing Laura thus fro- J 
quently and intimately, Hal became more and J 
more interested in her. and consequently this 
persistent reserve, which apparently arose ell her 
from false shame of the past nr shallow pride In 
the present,, vexed and puzzled him. It was the 
one blemish he found in her character, ami lie 
could not understand nor excuse it. 
It kept him, if not from falling in love, at 
least from ever avowing his affection ; one who 
attached such undue importance to wealth and 
position would hardly tolerate the addresses ol 
a poor physician, he reasoned, although Laura’s 
manner certainly gave him cause to entertain 
a contrary opinion. 
One morning he met her in the hall. “ Can I 
“ No.” he answered, “ hut 1 thouglit- 
“ Thought T had such a foolish false pride 
that I shrank from acknowledging tuy indebted¬ 
ness to yon#and recalling my former poverty 
and wretchedness,” she interrupted, her soft 
eyes Ailing with tears and her Up* qntYoring 
with suppressed emotion. " I atu sorry, but 
you have had good rea on. My uncle is always 
so annoyed by any allusion to that, miserable 
time It wounds Ids pride, and. besides that, he 
reproaches hinisoH ohittcrb for having igno- 
ranlb allowed my mother to struggle and suffer 
as she did. and I have never dared to speak of 
it before him. in fad. J resorted to a rune to 
Induce him to have you attend him. telling him 
that though the names were the same, the Dr. 
Burgess he remembered was rich, and probably 
still abroad.” 
“Then you recognized me yourself at once?" 
“ Certainly, and I am not so ungrateful as I 
have seemed. 1 have so Longed to thank you, 
although words never can for all you did for us. 
“Du not say anything more about it, Miss 
Gresham," raid Hal, much embarrassed. “It 
was a (rilling' service I was so fortunate as to 
render you, and you may be smv I should never 
have reminded you of it." 
“But I feel under such a weight of unac¬ 
knowledged obligation," she protested earnest¬ 
ly, “and besides 1 think I may venture to tell 
my uncle now. You have become such a la- 
vorile with him that I think lie will be able t*» 
forgive you even your charity towards us." 
Hal winced at the word spoken half playfully* 
yet with genuine humility. “I assure you, 
Mias Laura, there is no such debt of gratitude 
between ns as you assume ; any benefit I was to 
you at, that time lute already been more than 
repaid by tho patronage which inis been se¬ 
cured for me through your undo's influence 
since I came to your city, a poor unknown 
physician." 
Site shook her brail incredulously. 
“That is nothing. Your own talent would 
have secured it ull without any aid from us. I 
do much wish there were any way in which I 
could repay you." 
“ There la one, " lu* said, yielding to a sud¬ 
den impulse as he looked dow n Into her eager 
i>cs, “Imt. no it would suppose the original 
debt increased by such enormous usury, that I 
do not dare propose It." 
“Our estimates might, he different," she mur¬ 
mured, t he long lashes drooping sh\ ly, and the 
tell tale color flushing her cheeks. 
“All debts arc inure than cancelled by the 
gift of Jove,*' was Ids reply. 
A few morning* later, Laura leaned over the 
back of her uncle's chair, and said eoaxtngly. 
“Dr. Burge** has done you a great deal of 
good, uncle: I should think you would like to 
make him a present." 
“So I would. Laura, so I would. AYhnt shall 
it lie? You may select it." 
“ Well, uncle, it is a strange fancy, hut he 
thinks he would like me." 
“You!" cried Mr. Rhodes in utter astonish¬ 
ment, " You ! Even a* well as I like the fel¬ 
low, that is a little too much." 
“Oil! don't say that, uncle," answered Laura 
blushing. “Think of all hi? services and kind 
attentions to you, and I am sure 1 owe him 
everything- for he proves to be the very Dr. 
Burgess who befriended me when 1 was in such 
sore trouble." 
The old gentleman sat speechless for some 
moments, engrossed in conflicting emotions. 
“ You said I might choose the present for 
him," urged Laura timidly, “and it will not 
really be giving mo away, for we shall both 
belong to you." ' 
Her uncle kissed liar fondly, and Hal appear¬ 
ing at that, instant, in the doorway, he called to 
him:—"Thi* little woman lias pleaded your 
cause so well that all that is left for me to say 
is as they do on the stage and in the story books. 
Take her ami be happy !" 
SPARKS OF JOLLITY. 
An Irishman, who had just landed, said “The 
flrst bit of mate I ever ate in this country was 
a roasted petata, boiled yesterday, 
A MXNJSTKU called at the house of a friend, 
and found the wife in tears. “ What is the 
matter, my good sister?” ” O, dear John, my 
good husband, has run away with Widow'Smith, 
and I'm out of snuff.” 
A fexJjOW coming from the Alleganies was 
asked whether it was as cold there as in the 
city. “ Horribly cold,” said he; “ for they have 
no thermometer there, and of course it gets just 
as cold as it pleases.” 
An Irishman, writing from Ohio, says it is the 
most illig&nt home in the world. “The first 
three weeks,” he says, “ you are boarded gratis, 
and after that you are charged nothing at all. 
Come along and bring the childer.” 
— 
