The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-06-01

|
Its only very gentle knocking, I'M
cle."
''Then Tn nervous Go and see."
| Presently Theodore returned.
tits Major Crowfoot, uncle; he sends
his compliments, and wishes to learn how
you are
''Tell him to go to the deuce.
Eyes, uncle
SWELL" said uncle Joseph, as his
niece returned to his bedside after mo-
mentary absence, s'what did he say ?''
HE seemed very much offended I'M.
Gle.
| Offended, atwhat. pray?" demanded
uncle Joseph.
II suppose at being told to so to the
deuce!" answered Theodore, quietly.
"Girl," calculated the invalid, raising
himself half way upon his elbows, "you
didn't tell him that?''
eyes, did, uncle. You said yourself,
'Tell him to go to the Deuce
| Mr.. Joseph White fell back, fiat and
motionless, among the pillows
! Theodore, you re fool -
| s'I'm very sorry, uncle, said Theodo-
ra, beginning to whimper.
/ Uncle Joseph stared at her with sur
prise. Could it be possible that the
dreary days and weeks of her steadfast
attendance had weakened her intellect
and turned her brain.
"Give me my water Cruel" he said,
briefly, otter moments bordering over
the unwclcome possibility.
Theodore brought in a neat little
China bowl, with silver spoon lying ON
the snowy, folded napkin that flanked it
on the tray.
Uncle Joseph took one taste, and threw
down the spoon with a petulant sound
not unlike bark
Trash. trash Insipid as dish-water
Throw it to the pigs!''
Theodore took up the bowl and start
ed obediently for the door.
"Here, here!' roared uncle Joseph.
"Where are you going tor
TO the pig-pen, uncle"
"Are you crazy, girl ? The gruel's well
enough, only Mrs. Perkins forgot the
nutmeg"
but, UNCLE" said Theodore, tasting
daintily of the contents of the bowl, "its
insipid as dish-water.'
"Will you allow me to have an opin-
ion of my own?'' snarled uncle Joseph,
Its very good, if that old crone down
stairs will add the nutmeg and give it
! another boil. Quick now-I'm getting
hungry. A man must eat, even if he's
al death s door. -
A minute afterwards Mrs Perkins was
surprised by Theodore entrance.
SWELL" said the housekeeper whats
wantin' now ?''
ga little grated nutmeg in this cruel,
and uncle would like it warmed up once
more. ="
'What are you smiling about, Dora ?''
WAS I smiling?''
"Your eyes were if your mouth
wasen't, said Mrs Perkins keenly.
"Will you be as quick as you can, Mrs.
Perkins?' said Theodore. HE says he
is hungry
But when Theodore entered her
uncle's room, the invalid had taken an
other tack.
"Why didn't you stay all day?', he
growled.
Indeed, uncle, I hurried all I could"
pleaded Dora Here's the cruel all
smoking
But uncle Joseph shook his head.
''It's too late, I've lost all my appe-
tite, he moaned.
Wont you have the cruel, uncle ?"
''No, I won't p
And uncle Joseph closed his eyes, as
if to signify he was too weak to debate
the question farther. He waited anxious
ly for Theodore to press the question, but
she did not, and presently he opened his
eyes the east little bit in the world.
~ ,dora %
s'Sir p
''I'll try just one spoonful of that cruel
before it gets cold.''
''Why, uncle, I threw it away"
''Threw-my-gruel-away!" gasped
the sick man, breathlessly.
'You told me you did not want it,
uncle
81 told you so? Furies and fiddle
sticks |! You might know by this time I
don't mean what say. Get me some
more quick If hadn't been bed rid
den for year, | could go twice as fast
as you do y he added grumbingly. "I
never saw such snail In my life. Oh,
dear to think l shall never walk
again.
Uncle Joseph lay counting the seconds
until his neice brought in second bowl
of Cruel, this time so deliciously made
that even he could not find fault with it.
Uncle, said Theodore, as she set it
on the table at his bedside, 1.-THE doctor
said yesterday. that he really thought if
you were to try, you could walk as we'll
as anybody"
1.-The doctors fool" said uncle Jo-
seph, land you may tell him SO with my
compliments.
II will, uncle, the next time he