North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-02-07
gelert Story.
UNCLE ROB EDS VISIT,

light and trse rance of some tropic isle on
that festaI night -. The stately balustrades
were wreathed with deeply tinted blossoms
the air was frelgh:cd with the perfume of
heliotrc pc and tHberose, and the chande-
Iiers that hung from the frescoed C, ling,
like coro"als quiyering fire,threw noon
day bril!iance over the crowd
At the further end of the superb draw
room stood Mrs. Amber herself-a state y
matron insaphire velvet, Illuminated by
the pale gimmer of pearls. s No one wo'd
ever have imagined from the smiling self
possession Of her manner that this night
was the crisis of her life.
Through all theahum and murmur Of the
aristocratie assemblage-through all the
crash of arrivins.carriages and the stormy
melody of the band beyond, Mrs. Amber's
quick ear caugntsone low, ,hesitating step
on the threshold. 1t was her husband s.
She beckoned to him with her jeweled fan
and Whispered ilscarcely an audible voice
"Well Pc
"Just as ] expected. We are ruined
can't keep above water we'k k. Norris
has tailed an we shall follow suit
"A week, murmured Mrs. Amber tho't
fully, "a week ~ One can accomplish IL
good dealia aweek.z "IIave you noticed
how attentive Young Gold is to Cecilia ?
she ad cdmn>iaeIy.
He win't be after"
-'iIushr' Mrs. Amber exclaimed tn
quck glance around, as if appreh"nsi,e
that the very walls would hear their whis-
per,d coHoqny If she Wins rich hus-
band bcfore tne-~6fld learns of your d>-
tress, we stall betolerably safe For yonr
own sake keep cheerful face mingle
with our guest>-throw off that perturbed
frown. afz,cII you alIrwiIl BE- right
Mr.. Amber shrugged his shoulders and
whistled half a bar of some popular strain,
when turaing away to obey his w.fe's BE-
hrsts t. the best of his ability, while Mrs
| Amber. her smooth lips all wrcathed in
dulcet smiles, resumed the task Of receiv
ing her gay friends.
Suddenly there was a sort of thrill and
litter through the apartment-the crowd
opened asif to make way for somebod, .
| AMI Mrs. Amber came forward expecting
to greet some distinguished arrival.
Good evening, Tidy. | kalkalated
you'd all be gone 10 bed. at this time ON t
but see you drn't keep New Hampshire
hs'itS Hain't forgotten M, heve vou.! -
| Whv I'm your Uncle Obed jenkins"
Mira. Amber turned pale through all her
artificial bloom at the unexpected addition
| to her company that stool before her, his
| honest features beamng with delight, II
WAS a ruddy faced old man, in a suit of bnt
ternut colored cloth. carrying in one hand
4 neatly tied handkerchief, containing his
wardrobe, and in the other a crooked
| walking ick, full of knots and gnarls-
such stick as grows only in dense swamps
where the young saplings have to twist
their little arms in every direction to get a
bit of sunshine, and grow up III the most
unhe frd of shapes.
al declare. - pursued Uncle Ohed, "you'r
fine a. fild'e, "Tildy and where's them
little gals yon sent up summer before last.
to g,.t rel cheeks at their uncle's? Gro'n
up to be young ladics-well, if amt beat
en-"
And Uncl Obed extended hony hand
TO Miss Cecilia. who drew back and pnt up
a goId-monnted eve glass with an air of
well-hred astonishment..
Il never heard that anything allied Ce
cilly's eyesight, TilIv,' said Uncle O0cd
in extreme perplexitv. "And that young
feller in the yellar waistcoat is her bean, I
suppose? Well, young folks will he young
folks, and we old ones hadn't ought to in
tefere. That's what always said when.
You and Jim Amber used to walk in the
old side-hll orchard, after you'd done the
milking"
Tbs unluckv allusion brimmed the al
ready overfowing veins of Mrs. Amber's
wrath-she drew her gloved hand from the
old mans cordial grasp. with an energy
which pnzzled him, and spoke with com
pressed lips:
IL am reilly sorry, sir, that we were no,
previously made aware that you proposed
honoring u> with visit In that case we
could have prepared ourselves for the plea
sure now, regret to say, it will be incoh-
vcnient TO receive you"
"WhatT' Ella :uated the astonished old
msn, who was uncertain whether or not he
had heard arirht the words of his only
niece the girl whom he had brought up
and cared for when others rejected the
charge ofthe prnniless orphan.
Mrs Amber repeated the frigid sentence
with that emphasis which obly a heartlcss
woman of the world can give.
"rhis is big honse, Tidy" said the old
man in slightly iremuious accents, "and ]
should ha' thought there was corner in it
| big enough for Uncle Obed,I wasn't c4lcu-
lating /" stav long-not over a week at
the futhest; but I'll 60 home tomorrow
the first train that leaves, if Pm in the
way"
Mrs. Amber made no answer, bnt tapped
lightly on her mosaic bracelet with one
slenle fing"r. snd-uncle Obed turned away
with moisture IN his ewes that made curious
rings Of mist around the glaring jets of fame