Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-04-04
.f SpZemd5A Story.
JOHN VOLFE'S RICH Wife.

keeper, when we noticed YER
neat carriage stop at the store
}, and one of the prettiest women il
New York get out of it.
:'There," !" said my companion
: "is John Wolfe's rich wife. Wha
. luck some fellows have in this
world. Born rich themselves
they continually gather riches
,, while we poor fellows never cal
seem to get rid of the blamed
wooden spoon that Dame Fortune
, stuck into our unfortunate mouths
when we came into the blessed
; world. But, rich or poor, hang
me if | would hunt up rich wife
anyhow. 1t is rather mean bu.
siness to be marrying a woman
for her money"
"Well, my good fellow" said I,
'Eyou happen to be wide of the
mark this time. know how John
Wolfe got his rich wife, and can
assure you that he did not mar
ry her for her money; and, more
over, did not dream of ever get
ting one cent with her"
"Ay," said he sneeringly, Gall
those rich fellows pretend that
they don't care anything about it;
but don't think | am quite so
green as to believe any such stuff
as that. Facts speak louder than
words, and we all know that John
Wolfe has a rich wife"
eyes" | replied, 'sand as pretty
as rich, and as good as pretty, and
loving as good.
go, hop he exclaimed, ri guess
you must have fallen in love with
her; rather pity you were mar
ried so long ago; you might have
cut out John, and got a rich wife
yourself"
"Not a bit of it," said I; "but
you shall hear the whole story if
you will come to my house to-
night; and while we have our
smoke on the piazza, I'll see if /
cannot wipe some of the cynic out
Of your composition"
agreed" said he, "I'll be with
you after supper"
About five years ago, John
Wclfe's book-keeper married y
nice, pretty little girl, up in his
native village in Vermont,
brought her down to New York,
and started housekeeping in very
snug cottage in Brooklyn. / was
invited to the house warming and
a more delightful evening does
not often checker the dull busi-
ness of life than we passed
There were not over a dozen Of us,
male and female, but we were all
old cronies, and intimate enough |
to be as free and pleasant together
as we would be at home.
The party broke up at twelve,
and Mrs. Dick and myself trot-
ted home, as satisfied with our
evenings enjoyment as need be.
Just one week after that, my
wife told me, that John Wolfe's
book-keeper had been quite unwell
for two days past, and not an honr
before had suddenly expired while
sitting by the fireside, with scarce
y a spasm or pang. A disease
If the heart had carried him off
:hus Unexpectedly, and his wife
vas in terrible affliction. |
/ did not lose a moment in run
hing around to his house and Of
ering what little sympathy and
assistance it was in my power to
,estow; and of course, took upon
myself to do whatever was neces-
ary upon so sad an OCCASION
The young widow was terribly
;ut down, and at such distance
rom her own friends and relatives,
eemed more than usually forlorn.
We did all we could to relieve
Ter Affections, and, after the fu-
leral had taken place, succeeded !
n calming her grief to some small
.xtent.
I then took the liberty of in-1
curing a little into her affairs,
md discovered thatmy poor friend,
With carelessness which was too
,haracteristicof of him, had involved
,imseH considerably in debt toll