Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-02-15
CLIPT WINGS.

The most trying thing about Uncle TIE.
was bis resemblance To his brother.
was sufficiently disasreeable to have a
old man with tastes so low and habits =
unpleasant fastened upon the family a
all; but to see, and TO know all saw, il
this person the LETTER figure, and tn
Letter features, and ali the Letter pecu-
liarities TO the very fnger-nails, Was
misfortune which demanded the whole o
that fortitude of which the family moit'
boosted
All attempts al reforming Uncle Tex
had long since been abandoned. tn
brother, the doctor, had now grown &C
customed 20 silence the complaints of IN
wife and children By half-reproachful re
minders OF that complete and final releas
which the whitening hair and batierec
frame seemed 10 prophesy was near a
hand. No other comfort concern
ing the old man presented itself and ever
this, suggested By his appearance and
sometimes rambling mind, was made fam
and doubtful by his good appetite, Iona
walks and early hours.
Uncle Ted had for years submitted him
self to abject dependence on his brother.
He could not work. he could not cope
with strangers. Innumerab!e were the
situations his brother had obtained for
him, and the wardrobes Mrs. LETTER with
willing fingers had prepared, and the de-
partures that Uncle Ted had made; but
swift had been the return on each occa-
sion. pathetic the tale, irresistible the
prayer TO he allowed TO stay
The doctor continued his efforts from
time to time but, finding them always
followed by the same results, and finding
also that az the tall old form and noble
looking, half vacant face grew more and
more like his fathers, it became more and
more difficult for him TO force him from
under his roof The doctor, therefore,
had settled in his own mind and made
the family aware he should not again
seek a situation for Uncle Ted until he
was compelled to place him in that from
which return is impossible.
He was certainly formidable encum-
brance-one whom il was as impossible To
conceal from society as it was TO expect
society TO receive. Though his peculiar
habits rendered it necessary for him to
be banished from the room on the arrival
of visitors, no one could be sure he would
not come back for his snufy pocket-hand
kerchicf left lying on his niece's work
basket, or one of his enormous slippers
dropped in his precipitate retreat, and in
to rise, and turn about, and look under
their chairs, while the doctor and Mrs.
LETTER stood in sick, smiling patience
and uncle bowed, and apologized, and ut
tered most absurd compliments, and
made--as his nieces afterwards would de-
clare--a fearful exhibition" Of himself
Uncle Ted was full of admiration for
these nieccs, but they were scarcely able
20 appreciate his high opinion OF them,
their beauty, elegance and accomplish
ments, since he was in the habit OF con
fding his opinion TO the footman and the
cook, who were kept well informed by
him as TO the conQuests and matrimonial
chances of the young ladies and, indeed,
as to most OF the family affairs, private or
otherwise, with which he might happen
to become acquainted.
1t was no longer Of any use trying to
keep him from talking to the servants.
Who else could or would talk to him
His brother had done his utmost to fright
en- and persuade him out Of the habit, had
insisted on each member of the family
devoting an hour day TO him, that he
might not be driven to this extremity.
But all was Of no use. Uncle Ted was
tiresomc, and failed to keep his appoint
ments The young people were full OF
their own cares and pleasures, or rather
of the pleasures which were their cares.
The strong young wings wearied OF try
ing to fly so low as this manned and de-
graded old eagle so they left it, and
pursued their own bright flight,
Uncle Ted now, almost unchidden, car
ried his paper down to the kitchen every
morning, and read leading articles to the
cook, who without ceremony ordered him
from place TO place, to suit her convcn-
fence while the houscmaid would peep
over his shoulder at the advertisements,
and the footman sit on the table, dis
cussing politicIwith him, undisguisedly
patroniZing.
The doctor could do nothing but sigh
hclplessly as he, passing tho kitchen
stairs for stroll in the garden, heard
that fine old voice losing every day some
thing Of its nobility OF tone, and that
pure accent becoming so uncertain and
vulgarized Yet it would have been well
for the family had Uncled Ted confined
his friendship to his brothers servants
solely. This, however, was not the case;
for the doctor had more than once sur
prised him, before breakfast, standing on
the step, leaning against the area ratings
Ibis. scull-cap on the back OF his head,
his hands in the pockets Of his old dressing
gown-asking the milkmans advice on
some delicate family matter, hitherto sup
posed to have been secret from Uncle
Ted himself
Led gently away by his brothers
trembling arm, and sternly, yet en-
treatingly demonstrated with in the Sc
clusion of the doctors study, Uncle Ted
defended his conduct on the score of the
milkman's being very remarkable man,
a gentleman under "A cloud, person OF
considerable mental endowments; and
the interview would be brought to an
abrupt close by an earnest recommended
ton from Uncle Ted that his friend
should be asked to dinner.
Among the nursemaids in the park, no
less than amongst his brothers domestics
and tradespcople, Mr.. Edward Letter
was necessarily discovering some high
ly-gifted mind" or some fine nature"
that demanded not only the devotion of
his morning hours, during which ne
would sit in speeches. or eloquent admi-
ration of the "mind" or mature" in
question, usually to the embarrassment OF
its owner, and of some policeman or life
guardsman near at hand but, unfortu.
nately, too often demanded also homage,