The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-08-13


4 wanting to prove his friends.
artna do you think you ought to
lay him?"
NO, l do not" said Martha, "and
''all tell no one but you. 1 had
'''*slYe IN telling you and as he says
vii be here on Thursday, 1 want
|sy4p to dine with us and meet him.
foar Arabella looked in the glass
silly.
len find me dreadfulIy changed,
oNf III come, Martha"
bess you. we all change! We
ca'' help that never worry about
lIi;'t IS and then they fell to talking
au a)badiah, and found the subject
80 interesting that they kept it up
ever the cold chicken and cake that
ffp1posed their lunch.
H Il ~ isea hmfsxiay arrived. ifsgunmela
Mss Muffit in Mrs. Robes parlor,
sitting opposite burly looking man,
whose nose was rather red, and whose
ey IS were not honest eyes by any
means. He was quite shabbily
dressed, and had whispered to Mrs.
Robe in the hall:
Take noticeof this coat it carries
out the character dosen't it@ look
like a seedy old fellow, don't II"
And he nudged Mr.. Robe with one
elbow, and Mrs. Robe with the other,
while they agreed that he certainly
did look the character most thorough
ly.
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 he saw her home at ten O'Clock.
The other relations, not having
read Obadiah's letters, were not glad
to see him. He was shabbier than
eyer, and they kept him at distance.
Mrs. Robe smiled to herself as she
thought of the letter; but she wisely
held her tongue ard left a fair field
to Arabella. In short time Oba-
diah proposed to Miss Muffit, and
was accepted by her.
"Such a splendid thing for Arabel-
la; and it must come all out now,"
And thereupon she went calling up
on the relatives, showing the letter
and creating great excitement.
"And what can he see in Arabel-
lag? said one who was the neither
OF many daughters. "And though
1 say 1t who should not, there's my
Eva such beautyW
"But Eva was very rude to Cousin
Obadiah" said Mrs. Robe.
"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 Them" said
Mrs. Robe.
ITS splendid for Arabella, and she
was the only one who was civil to
him, you know"
Then she went away, leaving them
enyious of Miss Muffit, and angry
with her also. as one who had been
wiser than they.
And Miss Mufit was so happy,
that she began to grow plump, was
making up a pearl-coloretl silk dress.
and had sent some pearls left by her
grandfather, to be reset, and sat one
day building middle-aged castles in
the air, when the bell rang aid her
elderly loyer was shown in.
There was no light in the room but
that Of the fire, and as she would
have lit the drop lamp, but he stop
ped her.
II want to talk a little," he said,
'and like talking in a half light.
have question to ask, and 1 want
you to tell me the truth"
II WILL" said Miss Muffit. "What-
ever the question is, III tell you the
truth"
"Well, then, did you see the letter
wrote to Martha p"
The blood rushed to Miss Muffit's
face.
"I-I-yes, saw it," she said.
u know no one else did. But she
showed it to you. Well, | intended
she should. / never thought that
Cousin Robe could keep secret. Ar
abella, l am poor man, and a rascal.
You have a home and twelve hun
dred year. My letter was trap.
wanted everyone to see 1t, and
hoped to settle down among my
fIfends with the reputation of being
a rich bachelor. You only saw the