The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-04-24
UNCLE JACOBS WIFE.


"SAO o1eeHAS %OO11u tAo DAOnh
fast-table, my father, mother, brothe
Tom, two listers, and myself, on
winters morning, when the letter
came in, nearly an hour late, for, con
trary to the custom of many countr,
places, we had an eight-o'clock deiv
cry e
"Postman says, sir, that the roadl
are frozen 80 slippery that he had tt
leave his horse alta farmhouse, anG
walk over with the bag" said james
apologetically, as he laid the letters
by my fathers plate.
'There's always something wrong,
said my father with shrug, "when ]
am expecting important letters" !"
@Gye the man q glass Of beer
said my mother, as James left the
room.
The girls, smiled to each other at
the lofty sound, important letters,
though, to be sure, the prices of oats,
wheat-straw, and potatoes were very
important matters in our fathers eyes.
We, however, cared little whether
sheep ruled at heavy rates, pigs were
lively, or turnips dull, forit didnot seem
to make much matter to us whether
the markets were up or down, my ia
ther never making money in either
case. It is not wonderful, therefore,
that we should have lost our interest
in farming details.
My mother used to take these little
misfortunes very quietly. "Yor ia
ther viii never make his fortune, my
dears," she would say with as pleas
ant face as possible sHe isn't the
man to do it, even by accident but
as long as he gets enough out of the
farm to let us live comfortably and
want for nothing, 1 think we ought
to be content; and then, you know,
there is Uncle Jacob to fall back on.
eff my father would just pitch that
scientific nonsense of bis on one side,
he would soon make the farm pay
wish chemistry had never been in
vented, was Toms irreverent opinion;
and as far as regards my fathers ap-
plication of science to the working of
our farm, Tom was practically right
My mother supported my fathers
views with all her might, but as Tom
said: 'TMy mother would be ready to
see snow in August, if my father saw
it." And this was as it should be,
and she and my father had the full
comfort Of their unanimity.
"Tom, my dear" said my mother
one day, when he was trying to per
suade her to give her voice against
one of his fathers newest notions, sG
would not oppose your fathers opin-
ion for almost any consideration. We
should save twenty pounds, you think,
on the fve-acre field, if we were to-"
"Yes, certainly; quite twenty pounds,
interrupted Tom
'.But your father would not be
pleased, and I would pay twenty.
pounds any day (if 1 had it), rather
than have him vexed."
"The day will come, mother, when
you won't be able to afford it; its
quick work going down-hill One
comfort lis, however, if the worst
comes to the worst, we have Uncle
Jacob to fall back on some day."
But we have wandered from the
breakfast-tablc, Ny father glanced
through couple of letters, which did
not seem to please him much.
"Read that from Jacob, said moth
er, pointing to one.
Glow do youknow it's from Jacob?"
asked my father, always little jeal-
Gus if he thought his letters were in
any way scrutinized, even to the read
ing Of a post-mark.
81 see his writing across the table"
said my mother meekly. Here she
touched another weak spot of my IA
Tiers: he was the slightest bit envi-
Gus of her better sight.
s1t viii wait, he said, and chipped
at his egg. But the touch of spleen
was but momentary, and he presently
broke Uncle Jacobs red seal
"He is coming here" he said, look
ing up.
HE Will be welcome, SAID my
mother, and my father read on. He
always read straight through letter
before enlightening us. Suddenly
his face changed. He turned pale,
absolutely white, he whose complex
ion was like that of one of his own
ruddy apples; his hand shook, too,
and he threw down the letter.
aWhat is it! Is he dead" asked
mother, in fright, forgetting that
she was looking at his writing.
'fWorse than deadl" said my father
"What has he done!" we three girls
exclaimed In a breath. "Is it very
bad?" for my fathers face was a pic
ture.
.@Pshaw!" said my father, and his
color came back as he spoke; She's
going to be married"
"MarTied!"
HMarried!"
married" Veal pronounced the
dreadful word, and then there was
silence, and we thought much and
said little. The matter, in fact, was
beyond speech.
"There go your fortunes, girls!"
said Tom, breaking silence, with
look that reminded me of his old mis-
chievous school-boy days.