Little Falls transcript., 1886-07-02


~ And kissed her, sweet, tearluleyed;
The rose -blossom letters broke;
II love you, too, they replied. II
Frank Dempster Sherman in the Century.
THE RICH 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 alter all these years.
and such q letter. Just listen, my
dear"
DEAR COUSIN suppose that you have
all made up your minds that am dead;
but L IN alive, asyou see, and coming home.
I'm tired OF mere money-grubbing and
those who have made fortunes know that
they need something else in the world. I
moan to end my days among my relatives,
and, between your and me, shall put
them to the test. Iwant to find out who
are really my friends and who court
mo Tor other reasons; and what /
ask OF yon is to make them all think
me very poor man, quite out OF
pocket Bless Inc, j IN laughing out loud as
lwrite! You should hear me. To make
them think that Pm poor, and that it
would be a charity to ask me to pay them
visits, and to invite me now and then to
dinner, and all that! There l 20 again,
laughing until the room rings And in this
way can discover my true friends. shall
come to your house first. dressed in
character. I know it is an old Joke quite
thing out OF the plays and novels, but !
trust it will succeed.
"'Yours, very afiectionately,
"'OBADIAH CORNER
"P. S.-Expect me Thursday.
40. c.
IF that isn't the most amusing
thing" said Mrs. Noakes-"comine
home so rich that he is suspicious OF
shis relatives, and afraid OF being
courted for his money. And a. bach
elor, too! Dear, dear! Poor Obadiah
Corner, who used to be the black sheep
OF the family, and whom we never BE-
iieved would como to any good! How
everything does change about in this
world! Life is 81 checker board, to be
sure! William, what splendid thing
it would be for Arabella Muffit."
"What would be splendid thing for
Arabella-a checkerboard?" asked
Mr.. Noakes.
20, Mr.. Noakes," cried his wife,
don't pretend to be stupid, because
you arc not, my dear, and you dom t
do yourself justice. l mean Cousin
Obadiah"
Cousin Obadiah would be q good
thing for Arabella. Oh-ves-yes-
y-e-e-s!' said Mr. Noakes. Oh, see
you mean q good match for her. But
Arabella Mutii1, though a most excel
lent person, is no longer young, a,,,t
she's never been handsome, my dear"
'That's so ridiculous" said Mrs.
Noakes. Arabella is much younger
than Obadiah, and by no means so
plain as he is. Eut 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 sometimes fall in love with
women OF thirty, but men OF sixty
never think OF any age beyond sixteen
when they choose wives.'
i Every true, indeed" said Mr.. Noakes.
"And very ridiculous" said Mrs.
SGoakes. "At all events, I've an affec-
ton for AEa,bella, and I'll do all l can
to further her interest, and dom t for.
get that we must keep Obadiah's Sc.
cret from the rest Of the relatives. I
shall give Arabella hint Of the real
state OF the case, but no; another
soul shall know q word beyond what
Obadiah has told me to tell them"
"Well, women must be match-mak-
ers, suppose said Mr.. Noakes, as
be swallowed his last cup ofcoffee and
glanced ut 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 colloqnially
known as "town," where men OF busi-
ness hide themselves the best part Of
theday, and shortly alter Mrs. Noakes,
having arrayed herself for the prone.
made, went out also, her purpose be-
InC confidential interview with the
Arabella of whom she had spoken to
her husband.
ArabeIla Muffit, known among her
friends as little Miss MuGit, was very
small, black-eyed lady Of forty five
years old, who lived in tiny house,
HA'AiSAeeohy A!AA HlSliCA Will 6fJCClIuCllG
OF the fancy work that had been fash
ionable for the last twenty-five years.
She had no near relative and could
remember none but the grandfather
who left her the small property on
which she now lived, but she had con-
nections who took tea with her occa-
sionally and with whom she dined at
times; for the rest, church-goin needle
work and books occupied her time.
She opened the door for Mrs. Noakes
herself, and having kissed her on both
cheeks escorted her to the bedroom
above, where she was busy with a
chair-cover.
"Now we can have nice chat, "said
she. "And you'll stay to lunch, won't
you, Martha?"
Martha promised to stay, and hav-
ing taken of her cloak and hat dropped
into a chair and, produced Obadiah
Corner letter.
'There, she said, "read that, Ara
bella"
Arabella read it, changing color as
she did so. :
Dear me- she said, chow ro-