Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-02-29


Ted was seen to change from his nor
NAL state. The half startled, meditative
look would come suddenly into his eyes,
the long hand begin stroking the chin
with quick, agitated fingers, the figure
draw itself up, and make its retreat
from the kitchen with dignity that
accorded but ludicrously with the set of
the ragged and patched Indian dressing
gown, which had something of the
character of the garments worn by
monkeys on barrel-organs.
These attempts at flight were very
rare. and of brief duration. Before his
friends in the kitchen had enjoyed his
absence quarter of an hour, Uncle
Ted would probably be again amongst
them, assisting the offending housemaid
to shell peas, helping John to spell out
a love-letter from the country, or bow
ing at cooks elbow with his newly filled
snuff-box, and the request
Madame, obleege me. l have de-
sired Mrs. Woods to put in little more
rappee than Scotch on purpose to suit
Your taste. You ,0iU obleege me?"
The gravy or sauce of such a day
usually seemed to suggest that cook had
not spurned the prayer, though it might
have happened she had not sufficiently
recovered her temper to utter her &C
customed magnanimous reply Of
" Certainly, Mr.. Edward, SIR" while her
huge thumb and finger filled his tiny
box which he held toward her, per
fectly concoaling his dismay, not only
at so much of its contents being COW
cred by the finger and thumb, but at so
much more being scattered around in
their efforts to sqeeze themselves out of
the box again without losing grain of
what they had secured.
One day it was exceedingly desirable
that Uncle Ted should be so disposed
of as to leave no danger of his intrusion
at little dance to take place in honor
of his eldest niece's engagement.
The task had been undertaken by
DR.. Letter at the fearful entreaties of
his daughter, who, in consideration of
the high biri h and poetic temperament
of her betrothed, implored thai he
might be spared the sight of Uncle Ted
until a closer intimacy would allow of
some explanation as to his condition.
The queen of the evening was Uncle
Ted's special favorite and the object of
his most intense admiration. Ever since
he had heard of the engagement he had
beer in a state of wild anxiety to see the
person for whom all those affairs of
Sophy's, in which he had shown her
such lively though announcement sympa-
thy, had been brought to so sudden ter
mination. But though Uncle Ted
rushed out into the area, and started up
every time he heard a carriage stop at
the house, he had always as yet managed
to miss has carriage; though he had
paced the hall for half ar hour when he
knew him to be in the house and on the
point of his departure, he had been al
ways been beguiled away before the mo.
ment came, and listened at distance to
the buoyant step and voice in indignant
disappointment. He did at last obtain
sight of him through the keyhole,
and spent some time there-rushing
down every minute to confde to the
servants his impressions of the bride
groom elect from this narrow point of
view, then rushing back to it again.
These impressions, unfortunately, were
such as to make him more eager than
ever for an introduction. Countless
pieces of paper We're found about the
house, the beginning of letters present
ing Mr.. Edward Letters condiments
to Captain Aldyce," and begging for an
interview at Mrs. Woods, or at some
other of Uncle Ted's choice resorts. at
the captains earliest convenience.
These notes sadly alarmed Sophy, who
felt sure the writer was waiting his OBJ
portunity to throw one into the captain
carriage, or have it delivered to him in
the house, or perhaps it would be in
her own presence.
All his efforts falling, Uncle Ted had
of late begun to give way little to des-
pondency. This had been brought on
by severe cold he had caught through
waiting half an hour in the area on a
foggy evening just to see the captains
carriage-lamps flash by. He had not
been out for the last day or two, to the
wonder of several small pensioners OF
his to whom he made daily allowance
of hard-bake out of the little money
with which the doctor ventured to trust
him for his snuff. He had passed most
of his time in the kitchen, had been
rather more silent-"mopish," as cook
expressed it-and altogether less socia
BILE than usual, muttering, when asked
what he would take to eat, some gloomy
allusion to dry crust, and snappishly
offering, when asked where he would
sit, to go to the coal-hole, if his doing SC
would afford anybody satisfaction.
DR.. Leffier found him seated by the
fire, and his first glance at him led him
to expect even more opposition to So
phys wishes than he had anticipated.
I'm sorry to hear your colds worse
Edward" he said in professional tone
&" You must go to bed very early"
To his surprise Uncle Ted answered
Immediately
eyes, Theodore, / think will 60 tt
bed early tonight"
"I would, indeed, Edward" urged
the doctor.
" l think I'll go now, Theodore" de
clared Uncle Ted, rising from his chair
swell, really would" agreed tn,
doctor, trying hard not to appear tot
much relieved.
he began to think, as he gave Uncl.
Ted his arm up the stairs, that he mus
have forgotten about the party alto
gether, but as he gave him over to john
care in the hall he was undeceived il
this matter by Uncle Ted's observing
quietly as he looked round at the came
| lias and Eohto