St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1879-03-15
THE RICH HUSBAND.

THE klUH HUSBAND
Wonders will never cease said
Mrs. Noakes, as 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 CoUs1S-I suppose you have all
made up your minds that am dead but
I'm alive, as you see, and coming home.
Pm tired OF 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 I 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 I write! You should hear
me. To make them think that Pm poor,
and that it would be charity to ask me to
nay them visits, and to invite me now and
Then to dinner, and all that! There l 60
again, laughing until the room rings! And
in this way l can discover my true friends.
shall come to your house first, dressed in
character know it is an old joke, quite
q thing ont Of the PLAYS and novels: but
trust it will succeed. Yours, very affections
ately, OBADIAH CORNER.
P.S.-Expect me Thursday. o. e.
"If that is not the most amusing
thing" said Mrs. Noakes; coming
home 50 rich that he is suspicious of his
relatives, and raid of being courted for
money. Aud bachelor, too. Dear,
dear !! Poor Obadiah Corner, who used
to be the back sheep Of the family, and
whom we never believed would come to
any good! How every thing does
change about in this world! Life is a
checker board, to be sure! William,
what splendid thing it would be fo1
Arabella Mutht."
"What would be splendid thing for
Arab, lla-a checker board 2" asked Mr.
Noakes.
"Oh, MIR. 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 ier Arabela. Oh--yes--yes-
y-ee.s! p said Mr.. Noakes. ooh! I see
you mean good match for her. But
Arabella Mufit, though most excellent
person, is no longer young, and she's
never been handsome, my dear"
That's SO ridiculous" said Mrs
Noakes. Arabella is much younger
than Obadiah, and by no means 80 plain
as he is. But that is the way with you
men. The older and uglier they get, the
younger and prettier they think theil
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 u
avery true, indeed" said Mr.. Noakes
~"And very fidiculous," said Mrs
Noakes. "As all events, Eve an afec-
ton for Arabella, 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. shall give
sArabel!a hint of the real state of the
case, but not another soul shall know 9
word beyond what Obadiah has told me
3. to tell them" ....m.: eS%-A
-. d" Well, women must be masch.mak.
ers, l suppose" said Mr.. Noakes, a. 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" -
ii Cd he took his hat and coat snd
departed fox those regions colloquially
3, known a. town. where men of bust
ness hide themselves the best part of ths
day, and shortly after Mrs. Noakes
b. wing arrayed herself for the prone
de, went out also, her purpose being
confidential interview with the Arabell.
of whom she had spoken of to her hus
band. ...r. ..ss .-
Ara5ella Mufit, known among he
friends as little Miss Mufit, was a very
small black-eyed lady OF forty. FIVE year
old, who lived in tiny house principally
furnished with specimens of all the fancy
werk that had been fashionable for tht
last twenty-five years.
Sne had no near relatives, and could
remember none but the grandfather who
lett her the small property on which she
now lived, but she had connections who
took tea with Ter occasionally, and with
whom she diGed at times; for the rest
churcl-going. needle-work and books
occupied her time.
She opened the door for Mrs. Noakes
herself, and, having kissed her on both