The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-03-10
UNCLE PETERS DREAM.
BTErN Rosie.


BTkUEF Rosie. 49,
1t was Monday afternoon. and Mrs,
Brown had finished her washing. She
had mopped up her kitchen, and made
fresh fire in the stove; had filed her
tea-kettle, and put pan of apples In
the oven for tea; while on the table
stood pan of nice, light biscuit,
ready to bake when they came out.
Now, said she to herself, I" must
look up the boys, and then run up-
stairs and change my dress.n She
went to the kitchen-door, and called in
clear, melodious voice, g Eddie
Charlie ~ Then she listened but
she heard nothing save the humming
and droniDg of the flies inthe sunshine,
the deep clucking of the old hen to her
brood, the sharp, wiry 'tpeep- p-peepn of
the little chicks. in answer, and the
plaintiye. incessant bleating of the
sheep and lambs on the hillside. These
sounds oflower life, unmingled with hu-
man voices, made her feel lcnely-they
seemed so dreamy and unreal So she
stepped out into the little garden. and,
deity putting aside the white clothes
which hung on the lines, she passed
through, and called again. She heard
voices coming from the barn; but they
were angry VOices She soon reached
the door and opened it; and there
stood Charlie, with folded arms and
flashing eyes, looking defnance at
Eddie, while the remains of windmill
lay scattered at his feet. think YOU
are just as mean as you can be, !" said
Eddie, as his mother entered What
Is the matter, boysin she said. ssIs
this the way for brothers to act Z. No,
Mother said Charlie; esbut Eddie
does torment and tantalize me so when
I am busy that I can't stand it. y
Mother said Eddie, aCharley is
oDfia selfish. / asked him to fix nv
windmill for me; and while he was
working on 1t he wouldn't let me lay
finger on it or touch any of my things
Then he got mad at me, and threw It I
down there and broke it all to pieces.
do think he is real mean. 90 Oh,
Charley" said his mother, turning to |
him, "you certainly can't think It is
right to act so?"
"No, Mother I suppose it isn't he
replied; +" but Eddie Is real torment /
to me, besides ne does not tell all the
truth about it. 7 was making box for
my nails and screws, and was very
busy. He was fussing over his wind-
mill. and he begged and teased me to !
TO fix the wheel; so 1 put away my /
things, and tried to do It for him as :
nice as could. But he wouldn't get 4
out of my way, and he got me out of /
patience so I threw it at him, nd /
told him 1 wouldn't do any more at it,
and then It broke Mrs. Brown looked I
sorrowfully at the boys for a moment,
and said. Suppose God should take I
one of you away, how would all this
quarreling seem to you then? Ny
dear boys, don't wait tolove each other
till it Is too late. Come into the house
now and think this matter over, and Z
you win find that you both have been
to blame.
Mrs. Brown went back into the house
with q heavy heart; and, as soon as she
got into her own room, she knelt and /
implored Gods blessing on her sons,
and prayed for wisdom to guide them
In q few minutes Eddie came rushing
into her room g Mother, Z said he, /
sold Peter Blake is coming up the
road. Can't / ask him IN to teaf'
" Yes, if you like, she replied. He
must be very weary; for this is the an
niversary of his brothers death, and he
has been over to the cemetery TO dress
his grave with flowers
Eddie didn't wait to hear all this; but
away he flew, kicking over chair and
leaving the doors all wide open after
him. : Rushing down through the gar
den and ont at the gate, the mpulsive
boy did not stop til he reached the
old man, who was slowly toiling up the
street g Mother says you are TO come
In and take tea with us, Uncle Peter;
and you viii, won't yousn he said, all
out of breath Well, my son." said
the old man., stopping still and resting
with both hands on his stout walking.
stick, g can't say that j object. Your ,
mother is always SO good to me; and SO
are her boys. - 49, s 80 :.
So Eddie brought him in, in great i
triumph and Charlie drew the large ,
arm chair ont into the porch, so that !
Uncle Peter could enjoy the beautiful j
sunset. After welcoming the old man, ,
Mrs. Brown went back into the house :
to complete her preparations for tea, !
leaving the children to entertain him.
The boys sat on the steps at his feet, j
and told him bits of village news and
gossip, which they thought might IN /
terest him. At last he said: GAS |
sit here and look at you two j
boys, it takes me back. OIL so !
many years, when / was young, and
my brother was nv constant tcompani0n / :
and playmate. You loved each other l
ever so much, didn'tyou2 said Eddie, {
getting up and leaning on the arm of ]
the old mans chair. "Oh,e yes, my
son, we did, indeed; but there was one
time when our love came near being c
by our quarrels and disa- {
greements. But e dream. opened our Z
eyes, and we saw the rock and steered a
clear of it. T" "Oh; sad Eddie, 'please t
tell rs the dream y /" Oh, yes, do" t
joined in Charlie So Uncle Peter G
leaned his head back IN his chair, and a
shut up his eyes, and began: , - q =
"Wil was much younger than /, and e
much more impulsiYe. Because was
older, I thought might be tyrannical
and sdictatorial to him. OF course this
kind of treatment on my part drove 4
him away from me, and he sought the o
society-of other boys, who led him into. .
and vice. As years went. on. i
we drifted further and sfurther apart, "a
until really quite grew todislike him. c
[ forgot that had helped to make -lirnii y
so careless and thoughtless. Al first v
be used to think everything I did was q
right, and 1 could have done so much 9
for him then BY good examples and 9
kindness; but | was cold and cross,
and he soon became teasing and trying
10 me. One afternoon, in my temper, to
aroused by something he had done 9
to annoy me, said: William, I 2
almost hate you; if you should l
die tonight should not be sorry.f / II
was shocked after 1 had said-it. I did 4
not mean anything of the kind /; but I
there it was. The words burned into i
my heart; I was too proud to take t
them back. Viii gazed at me mo-
ment ont Of his great. blue eyes, and
then went out of the room, and his i