The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-11-26
MRS. DOBBS' "WHIM."
It Did Not Turn Out So Badly,
After All.

Mr.. and Mrs. Dobbs lived at Clap
ham. They were a very worthy couple,
their friends said. That is about the
best people will say of an elderly pair,
if they are not intellectual or trouble
some. Mr.. and Mrs. Dobbs were
neither. Mr.. Dobbs was stout and
commonplace in appearance, and he
did not llirt with his neighbours wife,
or gamble in stocks, or live beyond his
income. He was hall-marked amongst
upright men, and was trustee for half
his friends children. No doubt he
was q tride heavy and prosy at times,
but these are drawbacks frequently at
tendant upon men of probity. He GER
tainly was never tempted by impulses
or inspirations of any sort either to do
wrong or to become witty and original.
Mrs. DObbs was reputed a respect
able and virtuous matrOn for other rea-
sons. Imprimis, she had no taste in
dress; neither did she paint her face, or
excite the envy and spite of her female
friends by identifying her house. She
was fond of a good dinner of a solid
English sort, and always wore black
silk or satin gowns. Her caps were
preposterous erectiOns of lace with gilt
or steel ornaments attached; and when
she went to the theater she wore a red
bernouse. Truly this couple were left
behind in the race of extravaganza, fri
volty and eccentricity. Fashionable
folks would have nothing to say to
them; those who did consider them
worth cultivating explained their status
as good worthy people, with COM
passionate shrug or smile.
Mr.. Dobbs was something in the
city," and his big office and many
clerks brought in something more
than a comfortable income. Yet he
made no parade of wealth and kept
household accounts strictly. Every
evening he returned home punctually
bv the six o'clock train from Waterloo,
carving his fiSh-basket with him. Fish
was cheaper and better i'm the city than
ut Chaplain, and Mrs. Dobbs was par
ticularlv fond of fish. The worthy
Josiah would not have Spoilt her dinner
for the world. She must have her sal
mon in season, and her red mullet and
whitebait, all in due turn, of the best.
Bv this YOU will understand that Mr..
Dobbs was devoted and domestic Yet
there were thorns amidst the roses Of
his coniugal paradise. Mrs. Dobbs
was now and again beset by spirits OF
unrest and discomfort, and her whims
at intervals caused dear, steady-going
Josiah much Inconvenience. There
were no children at Clarence Villa;
and perhaps for this reason Mrs. DObbs
had more leisure for complaint. She
practiced the art of murmuriug with
as steady persistence rs a prima donna
her scales. Josiah suffered her dis
contents with more than the ordinary
patience of an exemplary husband.
AS years went on Josiah philosophic-
ally gave up wishing for an heir, see
ing his Dorothy had grown portly and
middle-aged. He subscribed largely
20 various charities, not having a legit-
innate outlet for his human Kindness.
"A philoprogenitivc organ impclled him
towards children's hospitals. Why,
said he, should not his generation ben
eft instead of they that were to come
after?
Mrs. Dobbs did not. however. view
such matters with equanimitv. Seeing
the undue and unwelCOme number Oi
olive branches round about other peo
pies tables, she resented nature:
cruelty to herself. She therefor,
frowned persistently on Josiah's phil
Rnthropic schemes for other peoples
children. His benevolence towards
orphans, foundlings, and waits anC
strays was n never-ceasing cause O
argument and modification to her
Yet she did not suffer any loss person
ally from these charitable deeds. No
wish remained ungranted, anC
checks were forthcoming with Cheerful
readiness when required. She had hel
carriage, her servants, her milliner
and her pleasures rs she listed. Josial
erected n miniature Crystal Palace il
his garden because she wished to hav,
bananas growing. He took her t,
Egypt one winter, and nearly died o
EeA-sickness by the way, because sh
had been reading Eastern romance
and yenrned for Oriental glitter
Nothing that money could obtain wa
denied her. Only she had no children
For n long slime now Mrs. Dobb
had displayed no extraordinary caprice
Josiah was sailing along in wonder
fully smooth matrimonial waters. Blu
the lady's frequent absence Of min
and contemplating mien might hav
convinced a more sophisticated man tha
mischief was brewing In truth, Mrs
Dobbs was was slowly Matching
scheme winch she felt sure would III