The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-10-20
"A Middle7Aged Romance.

IA Middle7Aged Romance.
Dobbins is not q romantic name,
nor, indeed, was Mr.. Debiins at all a
romantic person; indeed he was the
very Fast man / should have thought
of as blighted being. He was
rather rotound elderly person, with
wide waistceat and q choleric tenn
per laaeed, This cholerfe temper was
his most prominent Characteristic; lie
was always tquas-viing with the
postman, 6hd accusing him of tam
pefing with his mail, and he was con-
stantly changing his butcher by rea-
son of an unpleasant habit he had OF
returning cooked reasts which were
not tender, and demanded that his
money be refunded. He was also
constantly engaged in a fiery eontro-
versy with somebody or other and
threatening to have them overhauled
by the board of public works, or the
Legislature-and he wrote many in
1ignant letters to the newspapers
signed "Citizen," Taxpayer" or
"Veritas." I confess that / used to
be ewfally afraid Of Mr.. Dobbihs,
and when Charlie and
were first engaged / would
walk squares out of my way to avoid
him, but fortunately he was very
busy Just then proving to council that
Somebody or other was an Infamous
scoundrel, so he only called lie d pair
of young foelsI Which was very mild
svhdemnation indeed for him. Some
how l always thought Mr.. Dobbins
was an old bachelor. even when be
was a little boy, until one day about
q year ago, my cousin Kate came
svef III d great state of excitement.
"Well, Grace Royson, I have some
thing to tell you," she began as she
bounced into rocking chair,
HAS Charlie been smoking those
horrid cigarettes7" l asked.
"Charlie, indeed" said Kate, un-
kindly; "1'm not always thinking
about Charlie. No-old Miss Susan
Thayer has been spending the day
with us"
"Oh!" l groaned in sympathy.
"And she told us that Mr.. Dobbins
and Aunt Grigson used to be en-
gagged" went on Kate
"Well, / never, said 1, without re-
gard to grammar.
"Of course not, nor anybody else
but he must have been just as quar-
relsome then as he is now, for it was
broken off three times-once because
she wanted to be married in blue,
and once because she assisted at a
church fair"
''The idea," l said. "Charlie and I
once didn't speak for ten days be-
cause l would take the bag booth at
our church fair"
eyes, and the third time Miss Susan
wasn't sure, but she thought it was
because Aunt Grigson expressed a
preference for baking powder, instead
of soda, in biscuits. However, she
finally threw him over and married
Uncle Grigson. And, 0 Grace l do
believe that is why he is always SO
cross-he has a broken heart"
ooh! poor Mr.. Dobbins," cried,
81 am sure now that he is more sor-
rowful than cross"
Yes, indeed, and Miss Susan says
that he went on awfully and threat
ened to cut MIR. Grigson's throat.
By the way, Grace, have you heard
from aunt and uncle lately?'
eyes, had a letter from aunt to-
| day. They are in Florida for his
health, and he will go sailing all the
time, and insists on collecting pet
chameleons and alligators until aunt
is afraid that he will be drowned and
she devoured alive"
That night when Charlie came to
see me / told him all about his poor
Uncle Dobbins, but he wasn't a bit
sympathetic, and it was good thing
for him that they hadn't been mar
ried.
"Oh, you selfish boy" 1 said.
"When it broke poor Mr.. Dobbins'
heart, and how do we know what
poor Aunt Grigson suffered, too"
Bother his broken heart" said
Charlie, unfeelingly.
ooh, Charlie
"Well, you don't suppose that
Uncle Dobbins ever loved your Aunt
Grigson as ] do you," and then l
don't believe we talked about them
any more.
But l kept on thinking about it, it
was SO romantic, and when l got a
telegram about ten days later, an
nouncing Uncle Grigson's death in
Florida, it did seem like the hand of
Providence. Kate and l consulted
about the best way of telling Mr..
Dobbins that his old love was free.
Kate thought it would be best for
Charlie to break the news.
ooh, do hope he won't go right
off to Florida" l said, ''for that
would not really be proper"
But Charlie laughed.
"Best not tell uncle too soon after
| dinner" he said, che might get apo
plexy."
ave won't discuss the matter any
further" said with dignity. 81 De-
test hard heart"
Then he tried to explain that he
couldn't be sentimental over his
uncle's affairs when he had had two
fingers knocked out of place by hot
ball.