The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-04-27

| oAoiaiihou NILS. VluHioleI, uuTrleuly Crying
her tears. He has the kindest heart in
the world, and l know lie loves me-"
81 dare say he does" said young Mr..
Carlton, "but why is he fretting and fault.
finding hour after hour9 | think it is an
oversight in our laws that there is not one
to punish married men who scold !"
What was Grumbler's surprise, on COM
ing home that evening, fully primed for a
TRADE on the subject of button which
had drifted from his shirt front during the
day, to find his especially easy chair, and
corner Of the fire, occupied by an asthmatic
old man, whose head and face were envel-
oped in silk handkerchief, and whose
feet were in tub of hot water. He stop
ped short in amazement and horror.
"This is Uncle Tompkins, Harry said
Mrs. Grumbler, who was busy warming d
basin of cruel over the fire, and the old
gentleman extended one finger without
turning his head, and said in a cracked
voice, Il wish, nephew, you would shut
that door. Nobody ever thinks of ever
shutting a door in this house What's
that noise up stairs l beg, niece, that
your baby won't cry the whole time am
here. Is tea ready2 Ifso. will take u
cup right here by the fire."
what does this mean, my dear 2" ejac-
| ulated Mr.. Grumbler, in hurried whis-
| per; and his wife whose arm he had caught
| on the way to the kitchen for more hot
water for Uncle Tomkins, replied in the
| same tone, "Oh, you mustn't mind my
uncle, dear; he didn't mean anything, only
lie is old and whimsical"
"But man has no reason to make every
| body else uncomfortable in this sort of u
| way" muttered Mr.. Grumbler.
Tea was brought in at this moment-a
little smoky it must be confessed, and the
toast considerably charred, but, just as Mr..
| Grumbler was opening his mouth to COM
ment on these facts, Uncle Tompkins fore
stalled him by exclaiming: "What stuff
this tea is. One would suppose it was
made of cabbage leaves. The toast, too,
of stale bread in this house? Pm dys-
peptic, and have to be very careful as
to what eat"
MI. Grumbler silently devoured his meal
secretly wondering how long Mr.. Tomkins
meant to stay. No sooner was the table
cleared than the irascibc old gentleman
began again. "Mr. Grumbler," said he
II wish you'd stop that creaking of your
chair, my nerves are weak; and if you
could keep your children up stairs, that
racket wouldn't disturb me quite so much.
l really don't know how l am going to
stand that baby's noise"
81 don't think it is very noisy baby"
said Mr.. Grumbler, meekly. "It's teeth
are very painful just at present"
Mrs. Grumbler, who was stirring the fire,
in accordance with her uncle's petulant re-
quest, said nothing, but smiled quietly to
hear her husband trying to extenuate the
baby's sins.
"Well," remarked Uncle Tomkins, all
babies are noisy. And, by the way, Grum-
bier, wish you would oil the hinges of
that squeaking door, and don't like the
smell OF that geranium in the window.
Halo you haven't any top button on
your shirt front hope my niece isn't a
careless wife"
mot at all, sir" said Mr.. Grumbler, ner.
vously al but the care of her child and
housekeeping duties absorb a great deal
of her time. The instant she finds leisure,
she will look to my Clothes"
81 don't see how woman can spend all
her time keeping house and looking after
pack of children" observed Uncle Tomkins
incredulously.
About ten O'Clock the old gentlemen
was ushered to the spare room accom-
panied by procession of medicine walls !;
tubs of hot water, wooden dressing gowns
and heated blankets for his feet and his
absence created quite general relief.
"What an insufferable old egotist that
is /" exclaimed Mr.. Grumbler, throwing
himself with sigh Of satisfaction, into
50 10 10 ~ 4
Bessie, how could you bear this eternal
fault-fnding 2"
az am accustomed to that, Harry it is
the lesson that most women are obliged to
learn" replied Mrs. Grumbler with little
sigh.
Her husband pricked up his ears little
uneasy. Accustomed to it'll" What
did she mean? 1t was not possible-it
could not be possible-that he was like
that odious old Uncle Tomkins. And yet
he wished Bessie had not spoken that
way. Somehow it made him feel uneasy.
Day after day passed away. Uncle
Tompkins growing more and more intol-
cradle the whole time, while Mr.. Grumbler
improved the occasion by making sort of
mental looking-glass of that worthy old
gentleman.
Upon-my-word," said he to himself,
81 must have been perfect nuisance all
these years. Why didn't somebody tell
me of 1T 2"
At length Uncle Tompkins went away,
| flannel gowns, medicine bottles, and all,
| and on the evening of the same day Tom
Carlton arrived from temporary absence,
| no one knew where.
$50 Uncle has been visiting you ?" he
said gaily, to Mr.. Grumbler.
EYES," said the latter, with slight gri-
mace.
"What sort of looking man is he p"
Mr. Grumbler was silent for moment.
"Do you KNOW" he exclaimed, breaking
into perplexed laugh, 81 couldn't describe
single feature in his face. He was always
enveloped like an Egyptian mummy, in
silk handkerchief something like that one
you have in your hand. However I'm
heartily glad he's gone With my permits
sion he shall never set foot in this house
again ~
"No !" said Tom, archly.
"The most intolerable fault.fnder
ever met with, said Mr.. Grumbler; "abso-
lutely the most disagreeable man who ever
encountered the earth. don't see how it
is possible to take the exception to every
thing as he did"
"That's not an uncommon failing, be.
lieve," observed Tom, demurely smiling.
Every likely" said his brother in law
emphatically; "but his visit has been at
least productive of one good effect-it has
completely cured me of any tendency
might have had that way. | for one mean
to leave off grumbliDg."
"a 81 .
The victimized man started up in dsmay,
scarcely believing the evidence of his
| oeroao 10 Tom tw ictad tho aillx hondLa nv