The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-02-13
THE RICH HUSBAND.

Wonders will never cease" said
Mrs Noakes, aa she opened letter she
had found beside her plate at breakfast.
Here is cousin Corner coming home
after all these years, and such letter
just listen, my dear:
DEAR CoUsR-I suppose you have all
made up your minds that am dead; but
I'm alive, as you see, and coming home.
I'm tired or mere money-grubbing; and
those who have made fortunes know that
they need something else in this world
mean to end my days among my relatives,
and, between you and me, / shall put them
TO the test. l want to find out who are
really my friends, and who court me for
other reasons and what ask you to do is
TO make them all think me very poor man,
quite out of pocket. Bless me, Pm laugh
ing out loud as writel You should hear
me. To make them think that Pm poor,
and that it would be a charity to ask nae to
pay them visits, and 10 invite me now and
then TO dinner, and all that! There ] 90
again, laughing until the room rings! And
in this way can discover my true friends,
shall come to your house first, dressed in
character. know it is an old joke, quite
thing out OF the PLAYS and novels; but
trust it will succeed, Yours, very affections
ately, OBADIAH CORNER.
P.s.-Expect me Thursday. &C.
If that is not the most amusing
thing" said Mrs. Noakes; looming
home 80 rich that he is suspicious of his
relatives, and a raid of being courted for
money. And a bachelor, too. Dear,
dear Poor Obadiah Corner, who used
to be the black sheep of the family, and
whom We never believed would come to
any good How every thing does
change about in this worldI Life is a
checkerboard, TO be surel William,
what a splendid thing it would be for
Arabella Mutht."
What would be a splendid thing for
ArabelIa-a checker board ?' asked Mr..
Noakes.
"Oh, Mr.. Noakesp' cried his wife;
" don't pretend TO be stupid, because you
are not, my dear, and you don't do your
self justice. mean cousin Obadiah"
Cousin Obadiah would be a good
thing Tor Arabela. Oh-yes-yes-
y.ee-s 70 said Mr. Noakes "OhI I see
you mean a good match for her. But
Arabella MufiU, though most excellent
person, is no longer young, and she's
never been handsome, my dear"
That's 80 ridiculous!" said MIS-
Noskes. " Arabella is much younger
than Obadiah, and by no means so plain
AZ he Is. But that is the way with you
men. The older and uglier they get, the
younger and prettier they think their
wives should be. Boys of twenty some
times fall in love with women of thirty ;
but men OF sixty never think Of any age
beyond sixteen when they choose wives" ."
Every true, indeed" said Mr.. Noskes.
"And very idiculous," said Mrs.
Noakes. At all events, I've an affec-
tion for BrsbeIla, and I'll do all can to
further her interest; and don't forget
that we must keep Obadiah's secret from
the rest of the relatives. l shRIl give
Arabella a hint of the real state of the
case, but not another soul shall know a
word beyond what Obadiah has told me
to tell them"
% Well, women must be match-mak.
crs, l suppose said Mr.. Noakes, as he
swallowed his last cup of coffee and
glanced at the clock; "but don't calcu'
late too much on success in this affair
my dear"
Then he took his hat and coat and
departed for those regions colloquially
known rs town" where men of bust,
ness hide themselves the best part of the
day, and shortly after Mrs. Noakes
having arrsyed herself for the prone,
made, went out also, her purpose being s
confidential interview wiSh the Arabells
of whom she had spoken of to her hus
band.
Arabela Mufit, known among hel
friends as little Miss Mufit, was a very
small black-eyed lady of forty.ive year
old, who lived in tiny house principally
furnished with specimens of all the fancy
wsrk that had been fashionable for tn,
last twenty-five years.
Sne had no near relatives, and could
remember none but the grandfather wht
left her the small property on which sh
now lived, but she had connections VIII,
took tea with her occasionally, and will
whom she dined at times; Tor the rest
church-going, needle-work and book
occupied her time.
She opened the door for Mrs. Noake
herself, and, having kissed her on bot
cheeks, escorted her to the bed. roof
above, where she was busy with chair
cover.
Now we can hsye q nice chat, sai,
she "and you'll stay to lunch, won
you, Martha ?"
Martha promised to stay, and, havin
taken of her cloak and hat, droppe
into chair and produced Obadia
Corners letters.
There" she said, Tread that, Ar
bella "
Arabells read it, changing color as /
did 30.
"Desr me-" she said, &" bow romant
he -must b7. lie never used 70 bs r
manic. | suppose he's changed vsI
much in these five snd-twenty year