The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-07-23
TO LET.


| should Ike 10 describe nv her,
as young and gallant cavalier 0
this nineteenth century, with th,
beauty of an Apollo and the wisdom
of sage, but truth compels me :,
acknowledge that Rupert Smithson
in spite of his GDe Christian appella
ton, was neither one or the other
His nephew and namesake, who wa
called in the bosom Of his famil,
Rupert the Second, said that hi
Uncle Rupert was a "crusty oll
bachelor" and hammer INV brain.
in vain for a more fitting description
\ crusty old bachelor be undoubtedl,
was, more than fifty years Of age
with grizzled hair, heavy grey eye
br0ws, a thick gray beard, and {
rough voice and manner. 1t i very
true that he Was always careful Il
keep the erustiest side of his natur,
on the surface, ana had been discov
ed in the act of committing secretly
deeds OF charity and kindness. that
belied utterly his habitual surlv tone
and abrupt manner.
Twenty years before. when the gray
hair was nut-brOwn and clustered IN
rich curls over the broad. white fore.
head, when the brown ewes shown
with the FIRE Of ambition, the clear
voice was true and tender. Rupert
Smithson had given his whole loval
heart to Katie Carroll, neighbor and
friend, little sweetheart from child.
hood Urged by love as well as am
bition, be had left his home. in a small
Western town and gone to New York
10 win 4 name and a fortune 10 lay a;
katie's feet The fortune and fame
as successful merchant came to him,
but when be returned 10 Katie, he
found she had left home also to be-
come the bride of a wealthy pork
dealer in Cincinnati. Nobody told
Rupert Of treachery TO the pretty
Katie, Of letters suppressed, OF slam
ders circulated, and parental authority
stretched TO its utmost In the favor Of
the wealthy suitor He had no
record Of the slow despair that crept
over the loving heart, when the plead
ing letters were unanswered, of the
dull apathy that yielded at last, and
gave away the hand Of the young
girl, when her heart seemed broken
Al! that the young, ardent lover knew
was the one bitter fact that the girl
be loved faithfully and fondly was
false to ber promise, the wife Of
another
He spoke no word Of bitterness,
but returned TO the home be had
fitted up ior his bride, the business be
had hoped was his stepping-stone TO
and a life of loneliness.
Ten years later, when his sister
with her son and daughter. came to
live in New York for educational ad-
vantages, Rupert the First was GER
tainly what his saucy nephew called
him, a crusty old bachelor. Yet, into
hat sore, disappointed heart Katie'S
iesertion had so wounded, the bache-
or uncle took with warm love and
great indulgence his nephew and
liece, bright, handsome children Of
.en and twelve, who. child-like. im-
posed upon his good nature, rioted
Jyer his quiet orderly home, till his
,taid house-keeper declared they were
worse than 4 pair of monkeys.
,aressed him, stOrmily one moment.
md pouted over some refusal for
indulgence the next, and
reated him generally as bachelor
lncles must expect 10 he treated by
heir sisters children.
There was some talk when Mrs.
Kimberley first came to New York.
# making one household OF the
amils, but the idea was abandoned.
md the wealthy widow selected
esidence three doors of, in the same
lock.
Rupert was 80 set in his iidgeiy
Id bachelor WAYS" she said. that il
would be positive cruelty to disturb
i'm"
Probably young Rupert and Fannie
I'D not consider their bright yOnng
aces disturbbers of their uncle's
tranquility, but ii is quite certain that
ut OF school hours No. 80, their
nele's house, saw them quite as fire.
uently, as No. 43 where their mother
esided. With the intuitiye percep-
ion Of children, they understood that
be abrupt, often harsh voice, the
nrly words, and the undemonstra-
i've manner covered heart that
Tould have made any sacrifice for
heir sakes, that loved them with as
rue love as their own dead father
Ould have given them
As they out-grew childhood, 7.
yi1enccs of affection ceased to take |
be form of Coils and drums, and
ropped up in Christmas checks, in
all dresses, and boquets, a saddle
orse, and various other delightful
nd acceptable shapes, till Rupert |
anne OF age, when he was taken from
ollegc into his uncle's counting
ouse, and q closer intimacy than 1
yer was cemented between the young
fe and the one ;reading the down
ath to old age
There had been a family gathering
Mrs. kimbcrley's one evening late /
1 the month Of March, and conyer- /
alton had arisen upon the traditional
oSfOms and tricks Of the first of