Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-03-25

dry, and the fires were lit; the covers were
stripped from tho best chairs, the sofa Wheel
cd the best place, the fro was blazing in all
tho beauty Of concavity, convcxty, and con-
tiguity, and every faco arranged so as
to look delighted at the arrival of tire
some, troublesome, cross, snappish old un-
Gle JEFF. There came sound of very bril-
liant blowing of horns; every body strained
their eyes; tho Royal Blue flew past in
grand style, the horses prancing and caper-
ing, and the guard making melody witt,
bugle horn on the coach whirlcd and whir-
led, never stopping for any body. and Of
course no uncle jeff could be there, and SO
two tedious hours were spent in iidgctings
aud euessngs; and then the slow coach was
heard coming numbering and trailing along,
and it stopped at the steps of the respectable
house where had been all the busting and
mopping and brushing and grooming; and a
great masculine head, with thick heavy
features and busl,y eyebrows, and large lips,
poked itself out of the window, and looked
up to the house in question, surveying its
el-hearth-ston step, and its clean win
dows, and the scarlet moreen curtains through
them, and the bright blaze of the cheerful
fire glowing and fikrring over the window
frames, with most morOsc, unpleasant look;
whercupon Mrs. Pokenliam, and all the
tribe of Pokenhams, little and big, rushed
out of the parlor into the hall, and Ok of the
hall on to the door-steps, and Mrs. Pokcn-
ham began to delight her own benevolent
heart by assuring herself and her uncle, and
congratulating herself upon the information,
| ,i,,t hor J,,r L. ind uoDI nnclo IpiTruy vus
really looking full twenty years oungcr than
when she first saw him.
Dear uncle Jeffrey how kind of you to
come and sec us F.! how delighted | am to re-
ceivc you into the bosom Of my aflectionate
family My dear Mr.. Pokenham will be as
much rcolced to find you among us; and all
my darling children have been so anxious to
welcome you that they could neither eat
nor drink for talking about you. But pray
take care of the stcps-,hcy are SO san'lng
and slippery, and danseroms-not that you
are in The least infrn,. but myself had an
awkward slip from them ono day. Why,
how we'll you arc looking! you must be
growing younger every day. ! declare you
look more Juvenile than any of US. Danc
-Ilnmpl,ey-ca the servant to take yYui
unclc's lngragr.-Mv dear uncle, canno,
think of your carrying your own luggage
Daniel Humphrey call somebody. There
can't you take it yourselves! My dear uncle
Jeffrey, pray wait till servant can come
Daniel Humphrey why don't you move
Daniel and Humphrey stood with THEN
hands in their pockets, staring very con-
tcnptuously as the cross-grained old gentle
man took up small hair trunk and leather
hat-box in his hands, and under the running
proceeded to ascend the flight of steps, TAX
ing as little notice of the lady propretress o
the mansion as though he had heard her not
which snrposi,itious case appeared to be
pretty nearly the true one, as on their en-.
trance into the parlor, the morosc old gentle.
man, laying his luggage very dcliberalel
on the floor, proceeded to draw from thu
depths of cnpacious pocket very serious
looking ear-horn, which having adjusted tt
his ear, he turned "A sour look upon Mrs
rvf-..i,u.", cad 10, I'll. A., Time opened hi
lips.
well, ma'am, told you Id come SOM
time or other, and Pm here
. Had all Mrs. Pokcnlam's energy an
eloquence gone for nothing Had it all bee
+; wasted on deaf old man, who had no
been able to hear syllable of her mclli
Il tluons accents? was it all to DO over again
and that too to the deirimcnt Of her lungs
at the top of her breath! Yes, seemingly Sc
and accordingly the poor hard-worked lad
$ began again shouting as loud AS possible.
!. My dear uncle Jeffrey, we are all de
. lighted to see you, and looking SO we'll
younger than ever
: Hey! WHAT
I'VE are all so glad to sec you You ar
: looking so well = shouted Mrs. Pokeuhan
: growing very red in the face.
e DO You think look well then + said tn
cross old gentleman.
S 20 charmingy. Twenty years younge
. than when last saw YOU
1 'lley! what 2
S 'Yon are looking so much better than 70
did some time back. Nobody would hcliev
: that you are the same person. am sorr,
II however, to see that you are rather dull
\ hearing
= Dull of wha,?' asked uncle JEFF.
d a little deaf, shouted Mrs. Pokenhan
= Deaf! who says that I'm deaf; set
g stupid people should like to know wi,
told you | was deaf; a parcel of Ignorar
g people"
= 80, see that it was all mistake; onl
n | tho't tina, perhaps you had got little col
nothing more, nothing more slouie
Mrs. Pokenllam.
d 'l'm no more deaf than you are!' said III
sour visaged gentleman.
'No, no, uncle, ! see that You are not.
"a don't know wha, could be thinking Of sal
I! poor Mrs. Pokenham, whose lungs began
complain at being put into such severe r,
! QUESTION. But now, uncle, take the cas-
chair--it is such an easy ono wo got it @
purpose for YOU
D. Il don't want your easy chairs! any cha
is easy to healthy man like me. VIVA
=, | suppose you think am getting odr
AZ ~ no, dear uncle Jeffrey: you look fl
twenty years younger than when saw y,
last. Here, Fanny Carr, do take the
slippers and this dressng-gown away.
n don't know who could have thought Of trca