Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-08-15
Uncle GEOFFREY'S TALL COPY OF
TERENCE.

My | NCLE GEOFFREG WAS us ctCeHtl IL
an old gentleman as you could desire tC
see. But, as he used to say, he was
wealthy and he could afford to be eccen
Sric And lie was right; for people put
up with his eccentrCities who would
aave denounced him as bear if it had
not been for his money. At any rate,
with all his eccentricities, he was gener
GUS and liberal though at times he did
kindnesseg in a very odd way. once
on a time, for instance, he was applied to
for contribution to a certain charity. lie
always preferred being his own almoner;
for he said, if you wanted to give five
pounds for any specific purpose, the only
way to insure its reaching its object
through any charitable organization, was
TO add two moreii toit, "to oil the ma.
chinery, as he called it, meaning to pay
che costs Of distribution. | don't
think, by the way, that he
was very far wrong. Well, in this
2Ase local magnate was Fostering him
70 subscribe, as they were walking up the
High Street My uncle knew that his
Friend was more famous for getting others
30 subscribe than for his own donations
and accordingly, just as the philanthro-
pist was urging that, lit is every man s
duty to assist the struggling my uncle s
eye CHANGED to light upon a small boy,
striving to push a heavy track up the
hill. Look here" said he; ''if you'll
practice what you preach, and help that
boy yondtr along with his load, I'll give
sou twenty pounds f0ryOur charity The
.Dhilanthropist went off in a huff, and my
uncle quietly stepped into the road, and
helped the boy to push his truck to the
cop of the ascent.
This is but one instance of his eccentric
ity; but il will serve to throw light on
his character especially when | add that
the subscription list of the charity when
published contained the following
lLtem:-
'From one who earned it by pushing truck
NV Uncle Geoffrev was bachelor
People did say something obout love
disappointment in early life, but with
what truth, know not. He had two sis
GERS, both Of whom married professional
men; in other words, did not make very
good matches. My father was an officer
N the navy who died of fever while of
The African coast, cruising after slavers
My mother did not long survive him, and
eft me, her only child, to the care of hel
.jIOilts. 4ttI SlSltl ldNl uldlIltNl n IItI ~
man, a curate in manufacturing town
One night a terrible fire broke out in 4
factory close to their lodgings, and spread
so rapidly that, when assistance arrived
all in the house had persisted, except my
cousin, a lad of about ten, who at the first
alarm had rushed out into the street, leav
lng his little brothers and sisters, who
slept in the next room to him, to theil
Fate.
Ny Uncle Geoflley adopted both his
ncphews. We were brought up undcl
MS own eve by a tutor, who had been q
schoolielow Of his, an eXceedinglycleyel
scholar, VINO would have taken very higl
hono:s at the university, but for a serious
illness which had Frustrated him at the
Zine when he should have gone in for his
examination.
Ny cousin George was my senior by
some three years, and was, therefore, al
ways held by my uncle to be his heir
though he always added, when he men
stoned the fact, that Dick-meaning me
should not want.
After time we were sent to college
our cX.tut0r, who had taken orders anC
acted as curate in the village few years
before we matriculated, being appointed
TO a living in my uncle's gift. AS we were
now young men, and our tutor was gone
our uncle became our mentor; and, a
might be expected, laid down very extra
ordinary rules for our conduct One o
The chief Of these was, that we were MOI
30 fall in love or 90 accounting; but that
GuPposing such misfortune as falling il
.0ye did oyertake us, he was to be imme
diatcly informed,
He made each of us handsome allow
anCe and did not insist greatly in our dis
tiuguishinr ourselves at college. As nigh
}be expected, we both took things easily
and lived well. though we were careful t.
pass our examinations for Uncle Geoffrey
had always set his face against 'fcllowl
being pluCked, as it used to be called il
his time
In the long vacation he allowed us, af
Ger a months stay at the Manor House
20 wanleE wherever we chose; and bt
placed his Yacht mt our disposal entirely
lie used it himself in the spring and sum
mer, and declared that we youngter
didn't want to be bothered by an old maj
like him, and so should have the craft Il
ourselves,
In our Yachting excursions George use(
always 10 take the command. He was
headstronE, selfish fellow by nature, ant
she Indulgence shown to both Of us b,
our uncle was in his case at least unfor
tuh2te, Tor it encouraged the growth o
ms ia.angs, In my case | fear my unc'e':
NihHne's humored a tendency to careless
Sless I'D money matters, for | knew thu
.hlf purse was always open.
Alter a time ! found George Away
cook the yacht TO small but pretty sea
port ON the south coast. called Gulstone
Nor was | ong in discovering the reasot
of this choice of an anchorage though a
first it seemed hardly probableone Tn
fact was, George was paying attentions I
a Miss Powshy, whose father. a retire,
soap.holer. had purchased villa nea
Gulstgne. Now, Miss POwsbY was no
very pretty; on the contrary, She wa. ~
normally plain She was not ugly fo
urliness has a sort Of pquancy which al
solute painness entirely lacks
But She had her attractions. She wa
an only child, and POwshy pere had NJ
boiled soap for half his life 10 no purpose
Mrs Powsbv had been distant connet
lion Of a real live lord, and she had Il
.HNe1 into her husband the necessity fl
giving Peneloues hand 20 a genteel an
ell,hEed sutton Consequently old |
turned lp bis nose at all the young me
10 his own sphere Of life, and locke
about for husband for his child in
class n which he had no friends and fe
agHuajutances. When George, the he
Irrsomptlye Of Uncle Godfrey, aHd, Their
fore, probable future lord of the Manor
GllaHdafe. having been introduced
Penelope st the Bachelors Ball at Gu
IA bp h1r nd a. a