Thomas Nelson Page

“ However it was, his reputation did not interfere with his ability to procure a new wife as often as occasion arose. With Jabez the supply was ever equal to the demand.
Mrs. Meriwether, his old mistress, was just telling me of him one day in reply to a question of mine as to what had become of him; for I had known him before the war.
“Oh! he is living still, and he bids fair to outlast the whole colored female sex. He is a perfect Bluebeard. He has had I do not know how many wives and I heard that his last wife was sick. They sent for my son, Douglas, the doctor, not long ago to see her. ”

“ She meant to impress Jabez; but Jabez remained serene.
“Yes, 'm; dat 's so,” said he, cheerfully. “I kin hardly remember 'em myself.”
“No, I suppose not.” His mistress grew severe. “Well, how 's Sarah?”
“Well, m'm, I could n' exactly say—Sairey she 's done lef me—yes, 'm.” He looked so cheerful that his mistress said with asperity:
“Left you! She has run off, too! You must have treated her badly?”
“No, 'm. I did n'. I never had a wife I treated better. I let her had all she could eat; an' when she was sick——”
“I heard she was sick. I heard you sent for the doctor.” ”

“ Jabez assigned a different reason:
“It don' do to have your wife live too nigh to you; she 'll want t' know too much about you, an' you can't never git away from her”—a bit of philosophy the soundness of which must be left to married men. ”