The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-05-07
MISCELLANY.
The Eccentric Nabob.

some two or three miles from the small
towh "t Aylc,bury, England there once
lived three cousins, OF the name of Bar
rctt Ihey were all married and resided
ON farms, within "A mile OF each other
ami each OF them had grown up children
around them. They were not rich. but
IN lar circumstances each had rxpecta.
items. An eccentric uncle had rome out
to India when quite young man, and
rumpr told them that he had become very
wealthy, and wCuld probably die II bach
elor, Who, then, but themselves would
be heirs to his property ?-they being at
one lime his nearest kin.
One day the three families were thrown
INTO great commuIion by each Of them
receiving letter, which contained besides
date and signature, only these words
81 am rich. Fools call me a nnbob
| wouldn'i give such tale to u cat. no
m it'cr-l shan't live al~nys-and when
die my property must 90 to somebody.
| am coming to England to find an herr
shall come and see you, AMI hone Won
will please me. hope you ara not
troubled with b'sgus. l do not like to
see them about"
One dark, rainy night, about three
weeks aiicr the reception OF these letters
by the cousins, the family of Moses Bar.
rcit was thrown into Il great state of cx
citement by the appearance at the door Of
two men in livery, who announced them.
selves AS the n,ant cunriers of his excel
lency, Joshua Barrett, of India, who wnuld
claim their hospitality for the nioht. S,v.
lag which, the messengers put spurs TO
their horses and dashed away. without
giving the asiuniShed listeners time to
ask II single Question
Now, Moses Barrett was hunks his
wife shrcwd, an lis three cl.,l,lrrn rlius
OF the two blocks. but all undertook to
change their natures for the rimc-or
rather to he ready to change them on the
appearance OF the rich unce-for what
was the use Of acting with the curtain
down
Now, Nose, yon stingy old brute
SAID his wife, il YOU know on which siJ,.
your breads buttercd. Is TO be hnned |
you II have some chickens killed for his
exccIlency's supper. which is morc'n Won
dId Tor Christmas, and some wine fetched
up that you've had in the cellar since the
year one, and II fire mad. in the hest
room, ihit hasn't been there this ten
years; and all our nice clothes put ON.
thht amt much, for you'd never allow us
nothing d, cent 10 wear
And 1t is TO be hoped, od woman
replied The angry husband, that vou'n
soften down that scrccching voice of yours,
and twist your wrinkles into smiles-and
thatll be something I've never seen done
since tie first week of our marriape'
Great anxiety was displayed by all the
parties concerned, in prcplring to give
The rlrh uncle the best reception poSs BIZ,
ana all r'Jolced, ms much as such hone
lui iamly could rcjnice, that they would
b. the first 10 receive visit from him
hoping, OF course, that they might thus
lorc'ia!l the other relatives in his rood
sraces 1t would have been strange
way ior any other person TO have male )
his visit but then, they knew the uncle
was very eccentric, and his being 50 very
wealthy made it all right in tn, ir eyes.
lie might come and stand on his head,
provided he paid for his antics.
In the midst Of their hurried prepa~a- c
ions, there appeared at the door an old. q
eeble looking, white haired man, thinly q
lad, and with his soaked garments cling
ng to his shriveed firm r
'Fill you he kind enough, good pcoplc.' t
lie said, to give me something to eat and
place to sleep to night = f
We've got nothing Il spale, and if
We had, We don't narbor beggars = replied I,
he master of the house, in a coarse, r
'rutal tone. !,
But I'm old, and feeble, and hungry. Il
md wet, and tired, said the aged suppl. /
ant, in pleading tone, 'and if YOU i
lrive me away may perish II
We'll, that's Just what you ought TO h
ave done long ago. put in the cross Il
lame When people get too lazy to d
work for an honest living, and start out c
'egsing, it's my opinion that they are
'elter dead nor alive. Besides, we exp,ct n
company soon--a rich man, from India v
and haint got no room ior the likes of c
ou.' 6