The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-06-25
The Troublesome Niece
opening n Hardened Heart.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.


"And SO Kate Owen is coming here"
said Absalom Burr to himself as he paced to
and fro in his small, dingy apartment. "Why
don't she get married and 60 about her bust.
nessl A plague on her, say. Just be-
cause my sister chose to marry Jim Owen,
and then die, and leave this girl behind. |
must take the thing and provide for it. What
a fool was ever to tell my sister Id see to
her child. Why, here'll be my house turn
ed topsy. .turvy, and everything like peace fly
out of the windows. And then / suppose
the flirt thinks I'll find her in spending mon
ey. But she'll soon find out her mistake
there. Not pennY-no-not one. She says
she can sew, and she shall. BY the host,
she don't touch a penny of mine. And if
she stays here she shall do my sewing to pay
for house room, and do my cooking and
was sbing to pay for her victuals. A plague
on the poor niece!" -...., ...
Thus spoke Absalom, and then he sat down
and stuck his feet close up to the fire. Alb
salon Burr was perfect miser. He had
seen his sxtieth birthday, and his hair was
sparse and white. His form was short and
spare, and somewhat bent. His face was
deeply furrowed by the hand Of passing time,
and its lines were hard and cold. His clothes
were old and patched, and his shoes, even,
were sadly in want of mending. The cold
breath of winter was close at hand, and yet
the only fuel he had was such as he had been
able to pick up by the roadside, and at the
edge of the pond. The house in which he
lived was but poor hovel, with only two
rooms, and with furniture more fit for fire.
wood than anything else. There were four
windows in the house, and every spare rag
ofclothing he owned was in use for the re,
placing of broken panes.
And yet Absalom Burr was worth fifty
thousand dollars, though he contrived to be
taxed for only about ten thousand, which was
invested in houses that he rented in the town.
He was never known to bestow a penny in
charity, though many poor and suffering
fellow creature had begged for assistance at
his hands. Alone had he lived for many a
long year, and his heart was all hardened
and closed up against every kindly feeling.
He spent his time in attending to his rents,
picking up wood and rags by the wayside,
and in counting his money at home.
One Monday evening, near the last OF No
vember, the stage stopped in front OF Absa
lom's hut, and young female was helped
out BY the driver, and trunk and bandbox
put down after her. It was Kate Owen
The old man had not seen her for ten years,
but he remembered we'll how his sister had
looked when she was gil, and here was
her exact image. Kate's mother was the
only sister he ever had, and he was the
only brother she ever had, and thus Kate
was the only near relative he had living
The girl helped carry her own trunk in, and
as seon as she had removed her bonnet, she
threw her arms about her uncle's neck AMI
kissed him. He started back, at this, and Q
severe look passed over his face.
Kate Owen was. pretty girl, and she hat
left behind her not one acquaintance who
did not love her. She was a short, plump
laughter loving being, with brown hair ant
hazel eyes, and when she laughed, the dim
Piles deepened in her cheeks and chin, anc
the dark curls shook about her fair temples
In fact, one look at her happy face was as
good as medicine for the blues, and the ring
oeher rich and merry laugh was contagious
Il, NMy dear uncle," she said after she hat
seated herself at the fire, care you not glat
I've comet" '-
"Well-yes; shouldn't want you to b.
without home. But mind-you are TO he'll
me. You won't be an expense to me-"
"Of course won't. Why, I'll return yo
ten fold. How snug and happy we will b
this winter! You won't be here all alone t
d hear the wind blow, and the hail thump AM
rattle against the windows. And shall fee
better, too, than / should if L was ava
) among strangers.
"But you've got to go among stranger
sometime. You can't expect that you ar
going to find "a home here always"
80, no, uncle, of, course not. But the
I while do stay here We'll enjoy ourselves
won't wei"
) "renjoy myself very we'll at,any time.'
Kate understood all this. She knew ju
what her uncle was, and she had come pr
pared to meet all his peculiaritiess, Sh
u kept the same happy smile upon her FAC
9 and in the same sweet tones did she addre
q the old miser under all circumstances. &
{ long she asked her uncle where she cou
y find the materials for supper, for she co
:, fessed that she was hungry.
. 81 eat some bread and cheese when a
!. hungry" he told her. 1a aa
:, "But huven'tyo any tea! or any aou
~ or any buttera" .-
RI "There may be little butter" said t
e old man, ruluctantly; "but don't thi
there's any -four, and teas something Idol
W use." ~ @f.e
'p "But you love It, uncleT''
"a aWhy, yes--but It costs too much"
.And sugar-haye you any Of tbat!"
o, aNo. / get along very well without Il