The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-02-02

Uncle Obcd was wishing himself
well out of the heartless scene, when
fsuddenly a pair of plump little arms
were thrown around his neck, and
check freshcr and pinker tnan dam.
ask rose was pressed to his brown
face. 1t was Mrs. Amber's youngest
daughter---his own niece--the incor-
rigible romp, who had climbed cher
ry trees and stolen birds nests in
Vulnerable in the meadows of the old
Homestead two or three years ago
And there she was-.a young lady in
pink silk and cameo bracelets.
"Dear Uncle Obed, l have only
just heard of your arrival. ] am so
glad 20 see you if no one else Isl"
And another shower of kisses sue
cccdcd, greatly to the discontinue
and envy of the young man who es.
corted Miss Amber TO the pretty
little tableau.
"Go about your business, Harry"
she exclaimed gayly, I've got ever
so much to say TO Uncle Obed !"
And Harry Latimer obeyed but
rather ungraciously.
"Just the same little Fanny as CIV.
err exclaimed the old man, patting
the curls with delight. "You haven't
changed, though Tidy is"
"No, and ] will never change for
you, Uncle Obed," said the girl. "1
haven't forgotten how kind you were
to me up at the old homestead, how
you shielded my transgressions, con.
cealed my faults, and always had a
smile for naughty little Fanny"
And she chatted on, entirely un.
needing her mothers frown of dis
pleasure. Fanny had always been
the least manageable of Mrs. Amber 5
daughters, and the worthy matron
secretly resolved to lecture the young
lady at her leisure.
Uncle Obed was by no means def.
cient in observation, and even while
he related the changes which three
years had wrought in the vicinity oil
the old homestead, he perceived the
rosy blood mounted to his niece S
check every time Mr.. Harry Latimer
passed.
"Now little girl" said he, "who' 5
that young fellow there by the win
dow?"
Fanny looked up and then down,
played with the middle button OF
Uncle Obed's coat; and answered
softly:
"Mr. Latimer."
"IIumph! Isuppose that isn't all
you can tell me about him?'
There was minutes. hesitation,
and then Fanny hid her check on the
old mans shoulder and told Uncle
Obed all.
"Then why on earth don't you
marry him. calculated the old gen.
tleman, at the close of the little ro-
nance.
"iie's only poor lawyer sighed
Fanny, papa will never consent
But one thing l am resolved on" she
added with sparkling eyes, Il will
not marry any one else, least of all
that odious Colonel Woodall, not If
he were worth twenty times twenty
thousand dollars. I'll marry the one
| can love-not for money"
The stamp Of her foot gave CT :
phasis to the determined words she
spoke Fanny was very much in
earnest, and if Colonel Woodall had
happened TO be present, he would
have concluded that his chances
were, to say tue least OF it, rather
small
Twenty thousand dollars, ehY''
slowly rel eated Uncle Obed. "Well,
Fanny, il is n hard world to live in
a hard, gripping and grinding world.
never thought so alore, hut some
how tonight has bore it upon me-"
When Uncle Obed went away next
day he was comparatively cheerful.
The kind words and loving smiles OF
tile Fanny had fallen like drops ol
balm upon the sore spot in his heart
There it was, Nesting on the hill
side, the gray old farm house, with
giant sycamorcs tossing their slvcry
branches far above it and the lilac
bushes nodding Lcioro the narrow
windows. Uncle Obcd thought it
never looked SO pleasant rs now, in
the level gold of sunset with the pur'
pie woods rising against the bright
lar of horizon.
But lie did not stop in the coy
room where the eight. day clock tick,
cd away as peacefully us if its mas
ter had not been absent two whole
days-a thing which had not happen.
cd before for half century, he went
straight up stairs to a tiny nook un.
der the caves, where he kept an old
sort Of q trunk curiously scented
with camphor and bound together
with strong clasps and riveIs Of brass
From this receptacle he took bit oI
, paper, and held it SO the light fell on
its contents.
Twenty thousand" he muttero d
81 m an old man, and that gal yol
see is just the light Of my eyes. II
shall buy her happiness, the blue ey G,
bird, instead Of lying useless in the
garnet. She deserves it all !"
Uncle Obed pocketed the docn
ment and locked his precious trunk
, and went down stairs wiping the
glasses OF his spectacles.
The financial crash came, and the
house Of Amber d. Co. was among
the first on the list. 1t is true thai
Mrs. Amber had been expecting the