The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-11-05

man who has most faith in his friends
listen at keyholes, peep into letters, and
cross question servants and other spies
for year, he'll be of my mind. It's a
false world, Aminidab, very false
world"
"You're soured, my dear sir" said
Aminidab. "I'll wager you anything
that if / were to listen at the key holes,
peep into the letters, and watch the ac-
tions of all my friends, I'd feel exactly
rs L do now at the end of the year.
Il never bet on certainty" replied
Suspicion "but I'll make you an offer.
Come under my mantle it is large
enough to take in all the world, and once
covered by it, you will be invisible. No
body notices me. Well go to your
friends-to Aunt Greenbough's, to Tod
kinsons, to Cousin Fish's, to Miss Fly
blister's, and to Amanda's, and see what
we shall see. If you are right, I'll go
away if you are not, I'll stay. You'll
want me for friend-eh?"
"I'm right" said Jones $50 put
your mantle over me, and let us start.
You see / know what / am. / know
that there's nothing about me for any
one to dislike SO. Don't you see2'
eyes" said Suspicion, &c see. Your
vanity is what has kept me from you
so far. Come on.
Then he whisked him away. They
were in Mrs. Greenbough's parlor.
Aunt Greenbough sat knitting. Five
of the nine daughters were present.
Suspicion lurked in dark corner, and
Mr.. Jones peeped through his cobweby
mantel.
"Dear, DEAR" said Amt Greenbough.
"Dear dear, what set me thinking about
your cousin Aminidab Jones just now9"
Miss Lily. "Why any one ever thinks
of him, 1 can't tell. The airs he takes
because grandpa left him all his money
I'm sick of him."
"And the idea of his getting married,
as they say he is going to be, to that fir
ty thing! p said Miss Sally. "Why, L
thought he was going to be bachelor,
and leave us something if he died first. "
"Oh, pshaw" cried Lily. "He
pampers himself too much. He'll out
live us. But though can't bear him
never could-it was nice to have some
one you could always make beau of. "
eyes, said Fanny Greenbough, "and
one who could afford carriages and all
that And why couldn't he marry
woman of his own age, instead of chit
of eighteen.
"Cousin Aminidab never had any
strength of character" drawled Miss
Greenbough, an elderly young lady with
nut cracker chin. L never had any re-
spect for him."
"And yet she set her cap so hard for
me !" muttered Aminidab, behind Sus-
picion's vest. "Why, wouldn't have
believed it Come ; I've had enough of
the Greenboughs. paid the mortgage
off their house, and gave the only one
There, come away" !"
"To Todkinson's," said Suspicion.
And there they were. Todkinson was
smoking and talking to friend.
"And that puts me in mind of Jones,
said he. "Now Jones is very good
fellow"
"Told you SC" whispered Jones.
GA very good fellow, but he's COM
monplace. No music in his soul, and
obtuse-yes, obtuse and very vain. He
thinks every woman is in love with him.
We played him trick down at Long
Branch. We told him all the ladies
were in love with him. We did, indeed!
And he believed it-ha ha swallowed
it. Now you know, whatever else
he can claim for himself, he's not an
Adonis ; but if you want to be friends
with him you must pretend to think he
is, and that he can play whist too. Now
he can't play at all, and he's no Judge of
wine either. He fancies he knows port,
but"
"What does the fellow mean 2" began
the enraged Jones, but Suspicion at once
whisked him away again. "There are
the Fishes" said he. "Your true
friends. Come, call on them ~
And in a moment Fish and his wife
were at tea, and Jones, peering through
Suspicious mantel, heard Mrs. +. say
Take another cup of tea, dear"
"I will, said Fish. 81 need it. I've
toiled since dawn over my weary work. "
Fish was literary, and disposed to be
dramatic in his language. eyes, 1 have
earned my bread by the sweat of my
brow, while bloated scions of wealth,
such as Jones, have revelled in luxury
and idleness. Yet, as passed Jones to-
day, said to myself-Bah
The coat is but the guineas stamp,
The mans the man for a. that"
I" / should think so, DEAR" said Mrs.
f. GAS if Jones could compare himself
with man of your mind.
"Well, WE'LL" said the literary man,
smiling on his admiring spouse, 81 ad-
nit it and / think 1 am taller by the
head than Jones'"
"And ever such handsomer figure, :"
said his wife.
"And he could not have produced
Maple Juice, or Sweets from the
Woods, think p asked Fish.
"Such verses as those. Oh, the idea 7"
said Mrs. Fish.
"Then let him keep his gold," said
Fish "let him keep it. by the by 1
have an invitation to dine with him. +"
"Shall we gos" asked the wife.
"Yes, yes," said Fish, "I'll go.
shall see him, 80 to speak, dissolve
pearls in his wine-spend on one pearl
what would feed forty poor children for
a year-and / shall smile bitterly but
will CO."
Zone comfort, dear, said Mrs. Fish