The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-10-22
AN UNTTMELY VISIT.

Half q century ago two brothers,
barefoot and sometimes ragged, were
growing up to big boyhood among
clans, cells and boats, in poor little
iisherman's hamlet on the shores of
Cape Cod.
The eldest, whom his sentimental
mother had named Clarence Ethelbert,
was full of enterprise and ambition.
His brother, whom the solemn father
had named Gideon, was an amlable,
kind fellow, content to do anybody's
bidding rs long as he had enough to
eat and nobody to scold him.
The first went into ship-chandler's
store, in Boston, having walked ninety
miles to reach that city, and found a
place. The other remained at home,
perfectly satisfied, digging quohaugs,
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, keeping span
of horses, and retinue of servants !;
and Gideon, married to well-meaning,
but coarse and illiterate woman, was in
the poor cottage home of his father, so
shy that he was almost afraid Of his
kind brother who came yearly to visit
and aid him.
E. G. Bakerly, the rich ship-chandler,
was no snob. He acknowledged his
poor relatives, and helped them, and
had often invited his brother and sister
in-law to visit him. Gideon wanted to
go to New York, but couldn't get up
courage. He had heard of assassins
| al
and stabbing them in the street, and
| about hackmen driving strangers to
dungeons and then robbiug them so
| he thought, in his innocent heart, that
his brother was almost the only good
man in the great city.
But the time came when the ambi-
tious Betsy resolved to go to New York
and see for herself. SO she told her
brother-in-law, while on his annual visit,
that she "bad 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 Novem-
ber." "The folks there may stare at
me, or laugh at me, but they won't eat
me, that's sartin," she added.
When the gentleman announced this
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
the court dress of Yankee women !"
The last week in October, when the
house was in the hands of a caterer and
a decorator, the following astounding
letter was received by the LADY,
"CLAM HARBoR, Oct. "a.
"DEAR SISTER CARLINE.- Gideon and
me has about changed our mines about
the time of goin' to New York. We
have got ready sooner than we expected,
OWN to Miss Cap'in Dilkins turnin
and helping of Desire Holmes with
my gouns. She bound all the ruffies
and fumididles, and SO forth. So We
can come tomorrow just as well as not
Gideon is impashient to get home agir
on account of killing the hogs, SO, less
providence forbids, you'll see us to
morrow to tea.
excuse me writing with pencil, al
Miss Capin Dilkins has borrowed oul
pen and ink to write to the Cap'in
He's to Smyrny now.
$50 no more at present,
"From your afectionate sister,
BETSY.
"P. S.-Desire had to bind tn,
hounces on my new silk with magent.
braid as there was no ribbon here"
The girls scolded, and the SENSIBLE
mother appeased them by saying tina
their father would meet their uncl