The mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1863-1943, 1865-02-11
2 PoIUIIS
Very well then tell her to come down

never saw such 8 cross, unmannerly old
thing in the whole course of her life and
so she told Ellen, the cook.
Uncle Godfrey was a short, irascible
little man, who wore brown spencer, a
low-crowned hat Of the old hourglass
shape, popular some twenty years ago,
and long drab CATERS. lie was an old
bachelor recluse, who lived IN the Adel-
phi. in rooms which he never allowed
anybody to enter, and which were stuffed
full Of pictures, etchings, Buhl cabinets,
snuff boxes and old china. Early in life,
he had been drysalter in Liverpool, and
since then had devoted himself laborious-
ly to doing nothing, and exciting the ex.
PectationS of his poorer relations. Mrs.
Latimer had only seen her uncle once
since she was married.
Godfrey Dodson was one of those old
connoiSseurS who is to be seen any morn.
ing in the showrooms of Messrs. Christie
and Manson, examining etchings suspi.
ciously through huge glasses, opening
and shutting with half delight, half dis
trust, remarkable agate snuff boxes, walk
ing backwards from spurious Raphaels,
opening and shutting the drawers Of in.
laid cabinets, and looking for the makers
name and dates oflustrous majoica plates.
They know the very year every picture
was painted, and where the original of it
is, and what it fetched. They know eve-
ry alteration that Hogarth made in his
enGravings, and fall into raptures over
what other people would think a defect.
They eye the auctioneer with a magpie
look of expectancy and cunning, and the
dealers with glances of hostility and dis.
trust. They hoard and accumulate with
the craft of ravens and the industry OF
ants, and enjoy the pleasant reflection
that when they die, the sale of their ef-
fects will be held in the same room as
that in which they have spent so much o
their time, and will give extreme delight
to a great many collectors, their old rivals
during life; for the finest collection is, az
ter all, like heap OF leaves scattered in a
field, that must sooner or later be blow n
apart, and scattered to the four winds. -
Sill, no doubt, in spite Of this unpleasant
reflection, there is great pleasure in amaSs
ing, and there will be collectors like I'm
Gle Godfrey as long as the world goes or
spinning.
Uncle Godfrey had lean wien face
cold, keen, Suspicious eyes; short, stub
bly, white hair; ovcrhauging eyebrow.
and a'prGjectlng ,owcr lip that expressed
u sour contempt for all he heard and saw
He wore the filled shirt front of a pas
age, and the little scarlet underWaistcoat
/ with just tie edge showing, such as va
the fashion forty years ago. Altogether
ones impression Of him WIS, that he wa
a shrewd, cynical old hunks; eccentric
dogmatic, rich and arbitrary.
When Mrs. Latimer, not waiting t
change her dress, but just adjusting he
cap, and making herself Ieat, glidcd int
the room, half pleased, halffrightened
Uncle Godfrey was standing with his bacl
to the door, cxamiuing q print Of 'BoltoT
Abbey in tie olden tune with a maliciou,
contempt
lie turncl round as his niece entered
and without greeting her, and just as i
he had been an inmate of the house fol
twenty years, said with sort Of grunt
Tins is the sort Of rubbish people in tn,
country hang on their walls, instead o
having one or two good pictures. Ugh
1t is only tit for poulterer's parlor.'
But. dear uncle, Frederick and | can
not afford pictures. But how are you
How long it has been since we have seer
you! Why don't you come oftener p
What happy Christmas We shall spend.
And all the time she kept saying to her
self: Only 30 think of his coming!
Uncle Godfrey watched her from unde
his terrier eyebrows for a moment or tw'
in suspicious silence then he took he
hand. and looking her searchingly in th
face, he said: Jane, you are a sensibl,
girl; you didn't keep ME waiting whil'
you put on lot Of tinery. Don't thanh
me for coming down to seeyou. for only
did it because | thought you didn't NEAR
it, and thought it would teach you les
son and as to pictures, suppose you
cant afford them. know | can't
sell mine as fast as buy them-ugh
and at good profit, too. Where are the
children! Plenty Of them, suppose
the poorer man is, the more children
Providence always sends him. Where's
Latimer!'
Gone out. dear uncle, to see the poor
and how to distribute the Christmas char
tiles; and ought to be out with him
but you see, We poor people have to wash
at home. and do many things
There; no ostentation Of poverty and
economy. Stuff about Christmas! Why
give away more than usual Christmas
Is man more hungry at Christmas, OF
colder, or poorer? Arc there not other
times to give? hate Christmas-one's s
bills come in then
oh, there's Frederick coming-Fm SC
glad!' said Mrs. Latincr, looking out oI
the window. oh, how glad he will be
to see you, uncle.
Not so sure Of that, though I am rich
Now, mind, Ill have no fuss made about
memo extras. AS for wine, I've brought
down some of my own. Don't like port
that's half catSup, and the other half log
wood.-No, don't 60; III open the door.
Away stumped the strange being to
open the door. Mr.. Latimer stared, hor.
ror struck at the wooden legged appa'
rition.
L thought it would knock you down,
said Uncle Godfrey. Never ask a man
again you don't want to see.'
But I'm delighted. My dear sir
'There no flummery. Here am, and
you must make the best Of me for week.
You're quite right to ask me. The Fitz'
simmonses asked me, too and general.
ly go there. Confound Christmas
wish it was abolished Festivity, in
deedl Why. I'd rather be eating my
crop alone at the Rainbow or Cock in
Fleet street, than share the best Christ
mas dinner in England
Mr.. Latimer did not know whether to
be offended or not, but as he had expec'
tations from Uncle Godfrey, he thought,
on the whole, he had better bear it; SC