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

"duIlbS ~ prove HlS lileuis s4LCoIe'
Martha, do you think you ought to
betray him F"
"No, do not" said Martha, "snd
shall tell no one but you. had mo-
tive in telling you. and, as he says in
postscript he'll be here on Thursday,
want you to dine with us on Thursday
and meet him"
Poor Arabella looked in the glass
sadly.
"He'n find me dreadfully changed"
said she; f" but I'll come, Martha"
"Bless you, we all change! We can't
help that" said Mrs. Noakes. al never
worry about it" and they fell to talk
ing abou. Obadiah and what he used to
do, and what he had done, and found the
subject so interesting that they kept it
up over the cold chicken, sponge cake,
ETC., that composed their lunch
When Thursday evening arrived it
found little Miss Mufit in Mrs. Noakes'
parlor, sitting opposite a burly>looking
man, whose nose was rather red and
whose eyes were not honest, candid eyes
by any means. He was dressed very
shabbily, to Bay the least, and had whis
pered to Mrs. Noakes in the hall, g Take
notice of his coat; it carries out the
character, doesn't it I look like a
seedy old fellow who has had ill-luck,
don't II" And he nudged Mr.. Noakes
with one elbow and Mrs. Noakes with
the other, while they mentally agreed
that he certainly did look the character
most thoroughly.
On the whole, it was rather a 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 hav,
ing read Cbadiah's letter, were not de-
lighted at his return. They saw him
shsbhier 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 a fair field to Arabella.
In little while, to her joy and the great
surprise of Mr.. Noakes, Obadiah Corner
actually proposed to little Miss Muffit,
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 Ohadiah's
letter everywhere, and creating great
excitement.
And what can he see IN little Miss
MufRt7" said one mother of many
daughters. "And, though I say it
who, perhaps, should not--there's my
Marguerite -such q 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 tol"
But men don't leave ryShing tc
relatives who insult them," said Mrs
Noakes. Besides, Obadiah is not very
Old-not old at all. It's just splendid
for Arsbella; and she was the only ont
who was civil to him, you know"
Then she went away, leaving the con
neetiOns generally envious of Mis-
MuHit, and angry with her also, as ont
who had been wiser in her generation
than they.
And Miss Muffit, so happy that sh
began to gov plump, was making up
Dearl-colOred silk dress, and had sen
some pearls that had been left to her b,
her grandfather to the jewelers. to b,
reset, and sat enc evening building som
middle-aged castles in the air, with he
feet on the fender of the CRATE, whel
the bell rang and her elderly lover wa
shown in.
There was no light in the room bu
that of the FIRE; and, a. she would hav
lit the dreplamp, he stopped her.
al want to talk a little" he said
"and l like talking in a hall-light
Arabella, I've question to ask, and
want you to answer me truly. I wan
you to promise solemnly that you'll tel
me the truth"
al WILL" said little Miss Mufit, faint
ly. Whatever the question is, I'll tel
the truth, Obadiah"
! "Well, then, " said Obadiah, e. did yo
see the letter ] wrote to Cousi
Noakes ?" -
The blood rushed to Miss Mufit's fac
in the darkness.
"I-I-yes, saw it, she said.
"I know no one else did," said Obs
. diah. " But you-she showed it to you
Well, 1 intended she should. I wrote
TO be seen. 1 never thought Cousi
, Noakes could keep a secret. Arabell.
g Pm a poor man and rascal have me
, with nothing but failure. You are ric
, in comparison. You've q home an
81, 200 a year. My letter was only
3 trap. wanted every one to see it, an
hoped to settle comfortably down anon
8 my friends with the reputation of beir
h a rich bachelor, with fortune to leay
n behind him. You only saw the lette
: You only were civil, and offered m.
self to you, meaning to impose on 20
4 until we were safely married. 1 care
Z very little for you then, Arabella!
wanted home, that was all,
. "Oh I" cried little Miss Mnfft "a