Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-04-08


Amber's daughters, and the worthy matron
secretly resolved 20 lecture the young lady at
her leisure.
Uncle 0bed was by no means deficient IN
observation, and even while he related the
chances and changes which three years had
wrought in the vicinity Of the old home
stead, he perceived the rosy blood mount to
his niece's cheek every time Mr.. Harry Lat
inner passed.
"Now little girl" said he, otis my turn
to ask questions. Whose that young fellow
there by the winder?"
Fanny looked up, and then down, played
with the middle button on Uncle Obed's
coat, and then answered, very softly;
"Mr. Latimer."
"Humph I s'pose that amt all you can
tell me about him?
There was a minute of hesitation, and
then Fanny hid her cheek on the old mans
shoulder, and told Uncle Obed all.
"Then why on earth don't you marry
him 20 calculated the old gentleman, at the
close of the little life romance.
Hes only poor lawyer" sighed Fanny
"and papa will never consent. But one
thing am resolved on" she added with
sparkling eyes, :" will not marry any one
else, least of all that odious Colonel Woodall
not III ne were NVibh bnSheg "NS S"~ANI
thousand dollars" :.
The stamp Of her fairy foot gave emphasis
10 the determined words as she spoke. Fan
ny was very much in earnest, and II Colone
Woodall had happened to be present. hi
would have concluded that his chances were
to say the least of it, rather small.
"Twenty thousand dollars, ~ SLOWLY
reneated Uncle Obed. "Well, Fanny, its
hard world we live in--a hard gripping, grind
ing world. / never thought so afore, bu
somehow tonight has borne it in upon me.
When Uncle Obed went away next day, ht
was comparatively cheerful The fond words
and loving smiles of little Fanny had falleI
like drops of balm upon the sore spot in hi
heart.
There it was, nesting in the hillside, tina
grey old farm house with the giant sycamorel
tossing their silvery branches above II, anC
the lilac bushes nodding before the narrow
windows. Uncle Obed thought it neve
looked so pleasant as now, in the level golC
of sunset, with the purple woods rising agains
the bright far off horizon.
But he did not stop in the cozy room, where
the eight day clock licked away as PEACEFUL!
as if It's master had not been absent tive
whole days-a thing which hadn't happened
before in half scentury; he went straight nj
stairs, to tiny nook under the caves, where
he kept an old sort of trunk, curiously seen
ted with camphor, and bound together will
strong clasps and rivets of brass. From thi
receptacle he took bit of paper, and held j
so that the light fell on its contents.
Twenty thousand" he muttered. "Well
Pm an old man, and that gal is just the ligh
of my eyes. II shall buy her happiness, tbs
blue eyed bird, instead of lying useless in th,
garrett chamber! She deserves it all !"
Uncle 0bed pocketed the document, lockeC
his precious trunk, and went down stairs wip
ing the glasses of his spectacles.
The great financial crash had come, and tn,
house of Amber & Co. was among the first il
the list. It was true that Mrs Amber hat
been expecting the failure, but the blow fel
none the less heavy for the anticipation
Somehow, her plans had all proved futile
Young Gold had, in some unaccountable man
ner, discovered the true state of Amber's ex
chequer, and wisely concluded that it was no
best to waste his personal charms and ele
CANT stock of small talk on so ineligible fai
one as Miss Cecilia. Col. Woodall had alst
shown unequivocal signs of withdrawing hi
suit, not at all to Miss Fanny's displeasure.-
In short, everything seemed to be goins
wrong, and the only satisfied members of the
confederation were Henry Latimer and Mis-
Fanny.
1t was a gloomy morning of rain and TEN
pest, and Mrs. Amber sat in a sort of slOven
ly dishabille, in a narrow room of one of on
third rate hotels Her own stately house hat
fallen prey TO greedy creditors some tim,
since. Mr.. Amber at an opposite table wa
slowly opening and glancing over his letters.
Halo - he suddenly exclaimed, dropping
one and catching it up again.
"What's the matter, papa" asked Fanny
How you do agitate ones nerves =
groaned Mrs. Amber.
" Hang your nerves. here's something Il
set them in a futter-a letter from New
England lawyer, announcing that your Uncle
0bed Jenkins has made Miss Fanny Amber
present of twenty thousand dollars, to become
her property on the day that she marries
Harry Latimer."
"Twenty thousand dollars !" shrieked Mrs
Amber and Cecilia in chorus, and nothing fol
us
Twenty thousand dollars" murmereC
Fanny, with a crimson spot on her cheek
80, how happy we shall be Dear, kind ole
Uncle 0bed !"
"YOu're nice Manager snarled Mr.. Am
Der turning sharply to his wife. 1t was fol-
rHdely on the night of your last party?"
+" / didn't know didn't unprecedented
Mrs. Amber. "He never told me he had
any property"
"Of course not" calculated Mr.. Amber
cts enough to make man rave, to have
such ain idiot as you for a wife. Twenty
thousand dollars would have been everything
to me, just now, when there is such scarci.
ty of ready money in the market. And what's
worse, the sum is so tied up that nobody but
Fanny can touch cent of it"
Mr.. Amber strobe out of the room, giving
the door very energetic slam, and Mrs. Am
Der went gracefully into Mysteries, while Fan
ny sat looking at the letter which had been a
messenger of so much happiness to her, with
scarlet lips half apart, and the light of deep
gratitude in her eyes,
What will Harry say ?" she pondered.-
" Will he not think it blessed dream? No
more weary waiting-no more procrastina-
ton. o, how can l ever thank Uncle 0bed
sufficiently ?" q. u
But Uncle 0bed was already thanked.
When, upon Fanny's wedding day, the deed
which constituted her a small heiress was
delivered into her hands, it was enclosed in
a narrow strip of coarse blue paper, which
the old man used in his correspondence
Upon this was written one single line, and
the tears suffused the fair young brides eyes,
as she read the words, ain memory OF Uncle
0bed's VISIT III e-a
Cur AND SAUcER.-A gentleman, who was
remarkable at once for Bacchanalian devo-
ton and remarkably large and staring eyes,
was one evening the subject of conversation
The question appeared to be, whether the
gentleman in question wore upon his face any