Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-01-27
UNCLE JAKE's STORY,
AY y. +. DARLING.

AY y. +. DARLING,
Uncls jake was sitting in the chimney
corner smoking his pipe, perfectly conten-
ted, to all appearance, with the world and
everybody in it. lie had crown rich and
portly together; and now, in his old age,
be felt rather pFaud to think how, from q
poor boy, be had worked himself IN VIII.
out any aid, except from, his own rough
hands, until he Was RneEn as the most
wealthy farmer in the little town OF Mar
tin.
1t was a cold night in December, and we
were gathered rOand the fire in the old
fashioned kItchHR-Aun Lucy, Leila. aad
Tn cle jake had ado pted Lib, when she
was bat little girl and in my FREQUENT
Vlsits to che old farmhouse it was NOT
strange taut bad come to regard her ss
the dearest little woman ia tke EozM
She was only seventeen, then; fond.
confding creature. with q face as fair as e
lilly
"a bros like a nidsumnrer lake
Transparent with the sun thereIn
When waFcs niuTmur dare to make
And Heaven beholds her face Within
! And doubtless she had come to regard me
as very dear fellow, as presume was
then, before the streaks of silver appeared
in my hair.
CnclA Jake smoked fo1 some time in si-
lenee: but At length he took the aipe frouI
! his mouth, blew Il cloud of smoke toward
| the ratters, aud. turning to me, while his
grey eyes twink}ed, no said:
Dick. did ever tell you how came to
leave cd Vermout7"
No, believe not"
Aunt Lucy Iuukp I'd ,,p anS could
"a story from: Uncle Jakc!" cried Laiia.
c!aTring her little hands. DO tell itp'
well, it isn't much eff a story, bat
! much as it is ynu shall have"
''ls it funny ?" asked Leila.
"Wel, rather" replied Ureie Jake
knocking the ashes from his pipe aud then
| he continued, when " as about ten wears
| old, father hound me out to Mr.. Eaton
Peabody, farmer in the town where |
! then lived
/ worked on the farm most Of the year.
but in the winter I went to school Bows
at echool have their loves as we'll as older
Fe'Ile, though it is not apt to be very las
J ting.
Mary Butler, q little girl in short-
81 tues, and who, as Byron says. 'smelt oil
bread and butter was the little lady to
when | paid devoted attention.
! 81 used 70 draw her to school upon my
! sled, l'elp her IN her lessons, AID whir
every hoy that fired any harm o. insuI,
to her. In fact. | was her companion.
! "Bus.our scho0l-days passed, uud Mary
1 became quite pretty young miss u
great, awkward, country clown. But ]
used to go home with her from singing
schools and parties, then, and had made
my calculations upon making her my wife
same day.
! 81 haGn't any rivals in tIe field, and bu.
fer Mary's father should have had "a
fears Of my future happiness But Mr.
| Butler didn't like the idea Of his daughter
marrying 80 poor stick as | was then
Perhaps he thought be should have 10 sun.
port US both, and that would have neu, "
| killed him, for he was one of those kind OF
men ~hO always look the eagle on quar-
ter cut of countenance while considering
! whether to spend it or not. - .a.
But didn't doubt Mary. She, knew,
! would always be true to me. | sometimes
thought she was almost too good for such q
rough clown as myself; but then my sanl
was net noble enough to give ha- ur. even
! If shat were the case.
One night, as was driving the COWS
I W1 tue ~rSlsture, met Mary in the lane
W walked along together towards home,
She seemed quite sad, and said very lit
+ Gle. n :.
g." 'What lie the matter with you, Mary?
/ asked.
"She stopped and Leland upon tho bars
at the end Of the lane, her bonnet of and
swinging in her hand.
't'YOu know. Jake, that father don't like
you very wcll.' z .o-"'E #
7"tYea.' al e-3 'H a ,-7'
"'Well, last night he told me that
mustn,t see you any more
"v'He did?' w.. @.' .I~'pe.
"'Yes.' --s ar-" CTS
"'And You came to tell me this p 3
'''"'Yes. thought he might be angry &
you came to the house,
land will you not see me any more {?
al dare not disobey father she replied
and thought ate ar glistenei in her eve
But will be true to you always, Jake
andwhen | am of age will be yours
"Iben she turned away, and | stood al
the bars watching her as she slowly walk
ed up the hill, never once looking back till
she went into.the house.
81 went and sat down upon the stone
wall, and waited till the sun went down
J behind the mountains and the shadows
grew long, thinking Of my hard fate. The
cows did not get home till late that night.
andeM Peabody gave me a scolding be-
cause didn't milk sooner. But l did not
care for that; l had something deeper to
trouble me.
81 had one consolation. Mary had said
she would be mine sometime, and felt
that could wait. | was in no hurry to
marry; but it was SO hard that could not
see her when she was go near me,
but I,.gatalong very we'll after while.
She had given me lock of her hair in our
seaool-days, and now i searched and found
1t laid away in my trunk. With tow
string hung it round my neck, and noger
a night passed that did not press it 10 nv
lips before going to bed.
The next winter, Sarah Grimby had q
rnrtv. nma was in led I nspar 80. =,