Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-01-21
MisteIlancuus,
The TROUBLESOME NEICE;
OR, orENING A HARDENED HEART.

"And SO Kate Owen is coming here!"
said Absalom Burr 10 himself, as ne paced
10 and fro in his small diBgy apartment
"Why don't she get married and 60 about
her bosinessl A plague on her, | say
Just because my siste: chose 20 marry Jim
Owen, and then die, and leave this girl be-
hiBd, | must take the thing and provide fer
it. What fool was ever TO tell my sis
ter I'd see to her child Why. here will
be nv house turned topsy-turvy, AID every
thing like peace As cut Of the ~indows.-
And then | suppose the first thing i'ti find
her spending money. Not penny--no-
not one. She says che can sew. and she
shsll. BY the host, she don't touch penny
OF mine. Ard if she stays here she will do
my sewing to pay for house room, and do
my eogkiDg and washing, TO Ply ics her
yietusls.- A RisSoe on The ps.sr-tsess',s:;2 n
Thus spoke A3sslom, and then he sat
down and stuck his feet close up to the
FIRE. Absalom Burr was perfect miser.-
His face was deeply furrowed by the hand
of passing TIM, and its lines Tere 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 10 pick up by the
3 roadside, and the edge of the pond. The
house 10 which he lived was but pour no.
vel with only two rooms, ard with furniture
more fit for fre-wood than anything else.
There were four windows in the house, and
every spare rag of clothing he owned was
in use for the replacing OF broken panes.
And yet Absoiom Burr was worth fifty
Thousand dollars, though he contrived to be
taxed for only about ten thousand, which
was invested in hSuses in the town. He
swas never known to bestow penny in
charity, though many poor and suffering
{ fellow creature had begged Tor assistance at
his hands. Alone had he lived for many
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 counting his money at home.
On Monday evening. near the last of No
vember, the stage stopped IN front of Abso-
loms hut, and a y ung female was helped
out by the driver, and trunk and bandbox
put down after her. The old man had not
seen her for ten years, but he remembered
how his sister had looked when she was a
girl, and here was her exact image. kste's
mother was the only sister he ever hao, and
thus Kate was the only near relatire he had
living. The girl helped TO carry her own
trunk in, and as soon as she removed her
bonnet, she threw her arms about his neck
and kissed him. He. started back at this,
and severe look passed over his face.
Kate Over was a pretty girl, and she
had left behind her not one acquaintance
who did not love her. She was sEort,
plump, laughter loving being, with brown
hair and hazel eyes, and when she laughed
the dimpies deepened in her cheeks and
chin, and the dark curls shook about her
fair temples. In fact, one look at her face
was as good as medicine for the blues, and
the ring of her merry laugh was contagi.
Gus.
my dear UNCLE" she said, after she haC
seated herself at the fire, care you not glat
I've comet"
aWell-yes; ! shouldn't want you to be
W ithout home. But mind-you are tt
help me. You won't be an expense to me
''OI course won't. Why, Iii return yol
ten fold How snug and happy we viii be
this winter. You won't be here all alon,
TO hear the wind blow and the hail thumE
and rattle against the windows. And
shall feel better, too, than should if | wa
away among strangers"
''But you've got to 60 among stranger
sor,etime. You can't expect that you ART
going 10 find home here always"
"Oh no, deer uncle; but while do stay
will try and make you hiPpy."
And in a like tone did she address tn,
OLD miser under all circumstances. Er,
long she asked her uncle where she coul,
find the materials for supper; she comics
sed tnat she was hungry.
81 eat some bread and cheese when
am hungry" he told her.
"But haven't you any teal or any flour
or any 5utterp'
"There may be little butter," said th'
old man, reluctantly; "but | don't thinl
there's aLy flour, and teB is something
don't use."
"BuI you love it, uDcle!"
"Why yes-but it costs too much"
"And sugar-have you any of that'"