The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-10-24
TO Let.

nineteenth century, with the beauty of
an Apollo and The wisdom Of sage,
but truth compels me to acknowledge
that Rupert Smthson, in spite of his
fine Christian appellalion, was neither
one or the other. His nephew and
namesake, Who was called by the bos-
ON Of his family Rupert the Second,
SAID that his Uncle Rupert was crus-
ty old bachelor, and | hammer my
brains in vain fora more fitting des-
cription.
A crusty old bachelor he undoubt-
edly was, more than fifty years Of age,
with grizzled hair, heavy gray beard,
aud a rough voice and manner 1t is
very true that he was always careful
to keep the crustiest side OF nature on
the surface, and had been discovered
in the act OF committing several deeds
OF charity aud kindness, that beled
utterly his habitual surly. tone and alb
rupt manner,
Twenty years before, when the gray
hair was ut-brown aud clustered in
rich curls over the broad white fore
head, when the brown eye. shone with
the fire Of ambition, the clear voice was
true and tender, Rupert Smithson had
given his whole loyal heart to Katie
Carroll neighbor and friend, little
sweetheart from childhood.
Urged by love as well as by ambi-
ton, he had left home, in small Wes-
tern town, and gone to New York to
win name and fortune TO lay at Ka-
ties feet. The fortune and fame as a
successful merchant came to him, but
when he returned to Katie he found
she had left her home also, to become
the wife of a wealthy pork dealer in
Cincinnati,
Nobody told Rupert Of treachery
to the pretty Katie, ofetters suppress
ed, of ISLANDERS circulated, and paren-
tai authority stretched to the utmost
in favor of the wealthy suitor. He
had no record of the slow despair that
crept over the loving heart, when the
pleading letters were answered, OF the
dull apathy that yielded at last, and
gave away the hand Of the young girl
when her heart seemed broken.
All that the young, ardent lover
KIN was the one bitter fact that the
gi.lle loved faithfully and iondly was
false to her promise, the wife ofanoih
er. He spoke no word of bitterness
but returned to the home he hoped was
his slepping-slone, and Il life of loneli.
/ eSs.
Ten years later, when his sister, witt
her son and daughter came to live ii
, New York for educational advantages
Rnpert the frs, was certainly what hl'
= ! saucy nephew called him, a crnSiy ole
!, bachelor, Yet into that sore, diSap
4, pointed bearl Kntie's desertion had-se
wounded the bachelor uRcle took viii
warm love aud great Indulgence hi
nephew aud niece bright, handsome
: chllren OF ten and twelve who, child
like, imposed upon his good nature
rioted over his quiet, orderly house
hls slaid hoisekeeper declared the.
were worse thau Il pair OF monkeys
caressed him stormily one moment
o and poutcd over some refusal tor
monstrpus indulgence the next
aud treated hlnr generally as hacheIo
" nncle must expect to be treated b.
their sister children, .
"Rnperl was so sci in his hdget.
u old bachelor ways, She SAID, una
E il Wonld be positively cruelty to dis
u turb him"
' ProlahIyyoung Rupert and Fann'
- did not CONSIDER their bright yonn
faces dslurberS OF their uDcles lral
guilty, but it is quite certain that ou
of school hours, No. 40, lheir uncle
5 house, saw them as frequently as NJ
s. 43, where their mother resided.
With lheintuIliye perceptionofc chi
dren they understood that the abrup
ID often harsh dice, the surely words, an
the undemonslralive manner, cove
ed heart that would have made an
= sacrifice Tor their sakes, that love
J.. them with as true a love as the
own dead father could have give
r. them. INK.
I'd Asihcv out grew childhood, evidence
of affection ceased to take the form
dolls and drums, and cropped out
a. a, Christmas checks, in ball dresses an
Ic. boqnets, saddle horse, and yarioI
other delightful shapes, till Rupe
came of age when he was taken trol
college into his .uncle's counting hou'
and a closer intimacy than ever WI
cemented between the young lite al
T. the one lreadingthe downward path
= old age,
y, ng There had been a family gatheriT
III al Mrs. KimLerly's one evening in u
;e. month OF March, aud q conversatic
had arisen upon the traditional Gu
!, toms and tricks of the LIST of April.
II; II, "Senseless, absurd tricks" Rnpe
Smuhson had called them in his a
rupt,rough way, lit only to amuse ch
dren or IDIOTS"
! 20, pshaw Uncle Rupert" said Fa
= ME, saucily, i'you played April to
y tricks TOO when you were young"
"Neyer! Never could see any "
4 or sense in them. And what's MOI
, Miss Fannie. l was never on
a. a. caught BY any Of the shallow deceits
Of Never made an April ioolY"
he @Never, and never will be" was q
=. reply. "'rhere child, 20 play me tn
me last nocurn you learned. Il suits m
] hate sky-rocket music, but that is q
dreamy, lazy air, and like it"
, "The idea Of your liking anythii
a dreamy and lazy" said Mrs. K'mbt
1 ly. II thought you were all eneri
Z aud artivily.H m
{! "When | work, / work. "
the reply; but When | rest, | wa
- rest
In99 ~Uncle Rupert" broke in Rnpe
ate suddenly, what will you bel l car
. fool you next week.
"Bab! The idea OF getting to \
ace 10 be fooled by boy like YOU"