The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-02-14

ing about Obadiah and what he used TO
do, and what he had done, and found the
! tf1gben 1-z1crsssinRzzhs
up over the cold chicken, sponge cake,
ETC., that composed their lunch.
When Thursday evening arrived 1t
found little Miss Muffit in Mrs. Noakes'
parlor, sitting opposite burly-lookins
man, whose nose was rather red and
whose eyes were not honest, candid eyes
by any means. he was dressed very
shab5ily, to say the least, and had whis-
pered to Mrs- Noakes in the hall, Take
noticenof his coat; it carries out the
character, doesn't it9 I look ike
seedy old fellow who has. hsd ill-luck,
don't ~" And he nudged Mr.. Noakes
with one elbow and Mrs Noskes with
the other, while they mentally sgreed
that he certainly did look the character
most thoroughly.
On the whole, it was rather pleasant
evening, and Arabella and Obadiah got
on finely. He promised to take tea at
her house in few days and saw her
home at ten O'clock.
The rest of the connections, not hay,
ing read Cbadiah's letter, were not de-
lighted at his return. They saw him
shsbbier than ever, and they were very
careful to keep him at distance.
Mrs. Noakes often smiled to herself to
think what difference that letter would
have made in their conduct had they
known of it; but she wisely held her
tongue and left fair field to Arabella.
In little while, TO her joy and the great
surprise of MIR. Noakes, Obadiah Corner
actually proposed to little Miss Mnfit,
and was accepted by her.
"Such a sp.endid thingl" said Mrs.
Noakes. "Such a wonderful thing for
Arabella, and it shall come out now +"
Thereupon Mrs. Noakes went calling
among the relatives, showing Ohsdiah's
letter everywhere, and creating great
excitement.
And what can he see IN little Miss
Mufit7" said enc mother Of many
daughters. And, though / say it
who, perhaps, should not-there's my
Marguerite -such beauty"
"But Marguerite was very rude to
Cousin Obadiah" said Mrs. Noakes.
The idea of an old man like that
marrying-with relatives he could leave
everything to /"
But men don't leave everything to
relatives who insult ihem," said Mrs.
Soakess Besides, Obadiah is not very
old-not old at all. It's just splendid
for Arabella; and she was the only one
who was civil to him, you know"
Then she went away, leaving the con-
nections generally envisus of Miss
Mufit, and angry with her also, as one
who had been wiser in her generation
than they.
And Miss Mufit, so happy that she
began to glow plump, was making up a
pearl-cololed silk dress, and had sent
some pearls that had been left to her by
her grandfather to the jewelers. to be
reset, and sat one evening building some
middle-aged castles in the air, with her
feet on the fender of the CRATE, when
the bell rang and her elderly lover was
shown in.
There was no light in the room but
that of the fire; and, a. she would have
lit the droplamp, he stopped her.
"I want to talk a little," he said,
"and 1 like talking in a half-light
Arsbella, I've a question to ask. and
want you to answer me truly. 1 want
you TO promise solemnly that you'll tell
me the truth"
al WILL" said little Miss Mufit, faint.
ly. Whatever the question is, Pll tel
the truth, OBADIAH"
"wsll, them" said Obadiah, /. di3.znu
see the letter 1 wrote to Cousin
Noakes2 ?"
The blood rushed to Miss Mufit's face
in the darkness.
"l-l-yes, ! saw it," she said.
81 know no one else did" said Oba.
diah. But you-she showed it to you I
Well, intended she should. wrote ii
to be seen. never thought Cousin
Noakes could keep a secret. Arabella,
Pm a poor man and rascal / have met
with nothing but failure. You are rich
in comparison. You've a home and
81, 200 year. My letter was only q
trap. ! wanted every one to see it. and
hoped to settle comfortably down among
my friends with the reputation of being
rich bachelor. with a fortune to leave
behind him. You only saw the letter
You only were civil, and offered INV
self to you, meaning to impose on YOU
until we were safely married. l cared
very little for you then, ArabelIar
wanted home, that was ALL"
'rOh ~ cried little Miss Mufit a. !;
something had stung her.
sHut unes then," said Obadiah
looking miserably into the fire. sine.
then I've found how good you were-
how nice, how sweet I've come to Inv,
you, Arsbells, and to feel that mustn'
play trick on you. It was natural vo,
should like the thought Of rich hus
band-and then we were great friends a
boy and girl. ! don't blame you. and
can't cheat you. think it win bresl