Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-10-17
MISCELLANEOUS.
AN unTIMELY VISIT.


God.
Tie eldest, whom his sentimental mother had
named Clarence Ethelbert, was full of enter
nraise and ambition. His brother, whom the
solemn father had named Gideon was an ama-
bic. lind fellow, content to do anybodyf bidding
I'D long as he had enough.to eat and nobody to
scold him.
Tho first went into ship-chandlef's store, in
Boston, having walked ninety miles to reach
That city, and found place. The other re-
NAMED at home, perfectly satisfied, digging
ouohaugs, spearing cells, and carting seaweed.
When they reached middle life the eldest was
living in an elegant mansion near Central Park,
in New York, with his fashionable family, Keep
lng a span Of horses, and a retinue Of servants
and Gideon, married to well-meaning, but
coarse and ilterate woman, was in the poor
cottage home of his father, 30 shy that he was
almost afraid of his kind brother who came
yearly to visit and aid him.
L. @. Dakerly, the rich ship-chandler, was no
snob He acknowledged his poor relatives, and
helped them, and had often invited his brother
and sster-in-law to visit them. Gideon wanted
to 10 to New York, but couldn't get mp courage.
He had heard of assassinB coming up behind
peaceable citizens and stabbmg them in the
street. and about hackmen driving strangers to
dungeons aud then robbing them; no lie
thought, in his innocent heart, that his brother
wna almost the only good man in the great city.
But the time came when the ambitious Betsy
resolved to 80 to New York and see for herself
So she told her brother-in-law while OH his an
uual visit. that "she had decided, at last, to buy
herself new black alpacy and dress cap, sos
his family wouldn't be ashamed OF her, and go
on in real New York style about the first of Nc
yember. The folks there may stare at mo; or
laugh al me- but they won't cat me, that's Har-
lin, " she added.
When the gentleman announced ths at home,
the daughters laughed and resolved to make her
visit as agreeable as possible, sending her a
black silk. to replace /" that abominable alpaca--
tho court dress of Yankee women
The last week in October when the house WAS
in the hands Of caterer and a decorator, tho
following astounding letter was received by the
lady:
"CLAM HARBon, Oct. "a.
"DEAn Sister CARIlNE.-G Gideon and me
las changed our mines about the time of goin'
to New York We have got ready sooner than
we expected, OWN to Miss Capin Dilkins turn
in aud helping of Desire Holmes with my
gouns. She bound all the rutfes and fumidd-
les and 80 forth. SO we can come tomorrow
lust az well as not Gideon is impashient to get
home agin OH account of killing the hogs, 80
less providence forbids, you'll see lis tomorrow
TO tea.
dExcuse me writing with pencil, as Miss Cap
in Dilkins has borrowed our pen and ink u
write to the Capin. Hos to Smyrny now.
$50 no more at present.
" From your affectionate Sister,
BErsEY
"P. s..-Desire had to bind the flounces on
10y new silk with magenty braid as there was no
ribbon here.
The girls scoded, and the sensible mother APP
peased them by saying that their ia her would
meet their uncle and aunt at the oars and keep
them at q hotel till the party was over.
But the cara came in ten minutes before their
time, and when Mr. Bakery reached the depot
the passengers had disappeared. He rushed
home, hoping to meet them before they entered
the house. But they had not appeared and the
conclusion was that they had missed the train,
and would not arrive in the city till the next day
in this however, the family were mistaken n Il
few momenta there came Il loud ring Of the door
ball, and then their ears were asaailed by the
sharp notes Of an angry voice aimed at hack
man.
~ never heard such a swindle Don't pay
him dollar and half, Gideon, for fetchin' us
half mile. We could a walked just az we'll
and the men-folks could Il lugged mp tho
trunk--it amt mite heavy J I'll have you took
up for robbery sir, if you do keep carriage and
two horses y
As children and butcher-boya were collecting
on tho sidewalk, the lady Of the house slipped
down stalrs, put the money in the hackman'i
hand and struggled her friends up stairs.
As there were men at work in the kitchen
their supper Was given them quietly in little
side-room, and the tired travellers were sent ear
ly to bed, without any remonstrance on then
part.
The pair were put into an attic room which
was rarely slept in. This was done not from dis
respect, but because the usual sleeping. room
for visitors must be used by the ladies' who werl
among the guests OF the evening. Gideon ant
his wife, however, were glad of any resting place
They complained to each other that sit wa
dreadful hot for the last of October beio on
tho gas-light, and were soon lost to their neN
.it I'm M mn ItntgV pXplDim
ed in dreamy drawl
New York'e the nastiest smellin town | eve
was in, and wish WAS to home"
The guests had gathered and there was II hun
Of meIIiment below, which was suddenly hush
ed by the appearance OF two strange apparition
on the stairs.
"Tabloaux, tableaux :" cried an innocent yout
and in a moment everybody was making for tn
hall and laughing and exclaiming, DARBY, an
JOAN "John Anderson, my 10, John, and lik
interpretations of the scene.
The gentleman of the house elbowed his WA
through the crowd just in time to see his hall
clad brother escape from the gaze of guests
But Aunt Betsey stood her ground bravely, looi
ing like fury just risen from hor grave, wit
dlsheveled locks, white robes and kerchit
bound around her head.
go up to your room. I'm ashamed OF you,
said her brother-in-law, in a low tone.
''You hant no need to be ashamed of us, nc
anybody else, of your own folks"-here the poo
woman was seized with a terrific fit of coughin
and,strangling but regaining her breath, she col
tinued "We're your own flesh and blood, if "
hant rich and some of the richest saloon-kee
ers aud fish-dealers in this town or Boston
either, has sprung from Cape'-Coughing agai
silenced her angry boasts. "What ails you
asked the agitated brother, as terrible sounds
strangling and groaning wore heard from u
Gle Gideon above.
"She's crazy sir, and that olrman was tryir
to catch her, said one of those oflicious me
who think they see at once the solution of eve
difficulty.
Send for policeman and have her taken {
sir.
AT this Aunt Betsy, who had now seated he
sell and gave loose reins to her tongue, Al
cried, amid her coughing and choking, "Gi
yon and me has caught some awful disease
ready in this nasty teown, else wo was pizen
with our supper don't be--b'lieve We
ever sec Clam Harbor agin But don't y
dare to bury us here, where these Yillanous mi
curry doctors digs up dead folks and hacks
TO pieces o dear, dearv
The distressed host now changed his tacti
remembering his brothers words, that "Be
was one of them women that could never
driv." and led her gently up stairs, his wife l
lowing them.
No sooner had they opened the chamber Dc
than they all joined in the chorus Of coughil
The gas had been blown out and the regis
being open, the heat, which had been shut
from all the otherrooms. had made this one
Il frey furnace But even this did not accol
for the frghtfu Inflammation which the k
aister-in-law saw on the limbs of her agoni
visitors.
IInc1a Gidaat, xyaa inp,,,ine, oInut IA ran1a