The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-08-05
#iseaellany.
THE ECCENTRIC NABOB.

/ once lived three cousins OF the family
name of Barretts. They were all mar
ried and settled on farms within few
miles of each other, and each of them
had grown-up children around them.
They were not rich, but in fair circum-
stances-each had expectations. An
eccentric uncle had gone out to India
when quite a young man and rumors
told them that he had become very
wealthy, and would probably die an
old bachelor. Who, then, bnt them
selves would be heirs to his property
they being at the time his nearest rela-
| tives?
One day the three families were
thrown into great commOtion by
each of them receiving letter, which
contained, beside the date and sigma
trre, only these words
GO am rich. Fools here call me q
nabob. Iwould't give title to a cat.
No matter; / shan't live always, and
when die my property must 60 to
somebody. 1 am coming to find an
heir. shall come and see you, and
hope you will please me. hope you
are not troubled with beggars, do
like to see them about.p u r a.ir
One dark, rainy night, about three
weeks after the reception of these let
tiers by the cousins, the family of Mos
es Barrett was thrown into a state of
great excitement by the appearance at
the door of two men in livery, who an
nounced themselves as the duant cour-
iers of Joshua Barrett of India, who
would claim their hospitality through
| the night. =.
Saying which, the messengers put
spurs to their horses and dashed away,
without giving the astonished listeners
time to ask even single question.
Now, Moses Barrett was a hunks,
his wife shrew, and his three children
chips of the two blocks, but all under
took to change their natures fora time
or rather, to be ready to change them
on the appearance of the rich uncle
for what was the use of acting with the
curtain down? 49, 80 ,Hs
"Now, Moses, you stingy old brute"
said his wife, :" If you Know on which
side your bread is buttered, it's to be
hoped you'll have some chickens killed
for his excellency's supper which is
MORN you did for Christmas, and some
of that wine fetched up which you've
had in the cellar since the year one,
and fire made in the best room that
hasn't been there these ten years, and
all our nice clothes put on-that isn't
much, for you'll never allow us any,
thing decent to wear" ...5
"And it's to be hoped, old woman"
retorted the angry husband, "that
you'll soften down that screacl,ing
voice of yours, and twist your wrinkles
into smiles, and thatll be something
I've never seen since the first week of
our marriage" '' ..t
Great activity was displayed by all
i'm getting ready to give the rich uncle
the best reception possible, and all re-
joiced, as much as hopeful family
could rejoice, that they would be the
first to receive visit from him, hop
ing, of course, that they might fole-
stall the other relations in his good
graces. .duI r.-i
1t would have been a strange way
for any person to have made his first
visit, but they knew the uncle was
eccentric, and his being so very veal
thy made it all right in their eyes. He
might have come and stood on his
head, provided he paid for his antics.
In the midst of their hurried prepa-
rations, there appeared at the door an
old, feeble-lOOking, Nhite-haired man,
thinly clad, and his soiled garments
clinging to his shrivelled form.
"Will you be kind enough, good peo-
ple," he said, "to give me something to
eat, and place to sleep tonight"
"We've got nothing to eat and if
we had, We don't harbor beggars," re-
piled the master of the house, in
coarse, brutal tone. "p.
but Pm old and feeble, and very
hungry and tired" said the aged appli-
cant, in a pleading tone, "and If you
drive me away / may perish"
Well, that's what you ought to
have done long ago." put in the cross
old dame. "When people get too lazy
to work for an honest living, and start
out begging, it's my opinion they're
pect company soon-a rich gentleman
from India-and aint got room for the
like of you"
"Well, them" said the old man,
with sorrowful look, "since you can't
keep me over night, will you please
to give me something to eat? and Ill
go further.
The dame brought up a piece of
brown bread, with an angry look, and
was about to hand it to the medicant,
more for the purpose, as it seemed, of
getting rid of him, than from any feel
ing of compassion; but her miserly
husband interposed, and said, sharply
81 told you we hadn't anything for
you to travel on" '+
al, Ill set the dog on you if you don't,
you old beggar" cried lad of ten.
"My rich uncle's coming here tonight,
and ,he can't bear beggars, so you had
better be going while your bones are
whole"
"May Heaven be more merciful than
you," sighed the old man, as he turned
and disappeared in the darkness.
Some half an hour later, he knocked
at the door of Stephen Barrett, anoth-
er of the nephews, and asked for food
and lodging.
at isn't convenient, for me to keep
you tonight" said the master of the
house, in mild, dignified tone. Be
sides, we don't like to encourage beg
gars. If you are poor and not able to
work, the parish where you belong is
bound to support you. No one need
starve in this country which the Lord,
praised be His name, has SO bountifully
| blest. l trust l am not wanting in
charity-as an humble follower of the
Lord Jesus Christ-I hope l am not
but what with taxes to support the
government and the poor, donations to
the benevolent societies and heathen
missions, it is.as much as 1 can do to
live and give my family respectable
maintenance. Now, my friend, if you
are poor and unable to work, Though
1 don't see why you may not as well
" ork as travel, you had better throw
yourself on the parish where you be-
long"
"But am tired, wet and hungry, ~
said the old man, "and all the parish
es in the world can't do me any good
tonight"
But you should have thought of
that before you left home," now CHM
ed i'm the good housewife, with sane
titled air. ats sinful to tempt Provi-
dence, as it is called, and whoever sins
must expect judgment. l never leave
home without providing for the jour.
ney, and of course don't expect any
body to feed and shelter me for moth
ing. 1t is a sin, too, to be idle when
one is able to work, and it is against
my principle, as a true Christian, to
| ox,n IN, esnrinrv