The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-12-28

tahCs 4hCh thOiO VIII bO BAaPSb
enough for the second meal. You didn't
expect all this, did you? Say, now, did
youa You've been pleasantly surprised
for once in your life, haven't your"
cried Joe, playfully pinching Uncle
Williams arm, eliciting only a sharp
yelp.
tive done with all expectations OF
anything good, Joe."
"How delighted you must be with
these things, then. You'll taste the
pudding, and find out you're going to
have one good thing, any way, won't
you p said the undaunted Joe, slashing
into the pudding with his SHARP
knife" then depositing thick,
fruity slice before Uncle Will
lam. Here's the cake. You'd like TO
know how this looks on the inside l
would, any way Itseems almost pity
to cut it. That's what it was made for,
though. Isn't that cherubim-I mean
that cherub--a hobby little fellow?
How the sugar-works crackle! Have q
bit OF this, uncle?"
Uncle William nodded, and eyed the
cake approvingly. LA.
sob L know what I'll do, +" cried Joe,
jumping up again; "I'll carry part of
my share down to Mrs. Dowd. She's
always washing and washing, until it
seems as if she'd wash the soul out of
her; yet, with those five children to
keep in bread and meat, she never has
any treats"
Joe cut out quarter of the pudding
and the cake, and whisked out. In a
few seconds he returned, singing jubi-
lantly through the hall.
"Dont, Joe; it goes through my
head" said Uncle William.
$50 it does. L beg pardon. Have
you been waiting to be moved away? l
stopped to empty Mrs. Dowd's tubs for
her."
Uncle William intimated his readiness
to be moved, and the operation was sue
cessfully performed.
Then Joe slipped off his cuffs, and
went into the work He cleared and
washed, assorted and arranged, swept,
busted, rubbed and scrubbed. He had
applied the lead, and was polishing up
his stove, rafting the covers back and
forth vigorously, his hair shaking down
toward his nose, when unwonted voices
were heard in the hall, the steps of two
men, and the tap of cane on the bare
floor.
The occupant of this tenement"
said voice, Joe now recognized as his
landlords, " is an eccentric young man,
who boards himself and supports an in
valid uncle"
Rap, rap, rap" went the cane on
Joe's door,
Joe, unaccustomed to receiving com,
pany, was trife discomposed. He
pushed the hair out of his eyes with his
wrist, and, still grasping the backing
brush, threw open the door.
Mr.. Sampson, Mr.. Sterling" said
Joe's landlord.
Joe bowed in dazed sort of way, hold
ing his glittering hands away from con-
tact with his clothes, and swaying the
brush in the air.
:" Mr.. Sampson is about purchasing
this building and is inspecting the tene-
ments," explained the landlord.
6 think-it seems to me that I've
met you before, young man" said Mr..
Sampson.
eyes, sir; I'm the Sterling that clerks
it in your store" said Joe, humbly.
DlCoS lut, 81 .yOl dIo OtuiBCo az
tends to the store mainly, and 1 don't
have much chance to know you boys. So
you live here do you? You really
do ?"
eyes, sir. And this is my uncle, Mr..
Knowles" said Joe, nodding toward
Uncle William, who was beginning to
bristle at a fancied slight.
Mr.. Sampson bowed; giving Uncle
William a glance that pretty accurately
took the measure of that gentleman.
And you live here, Sterling, and
support your uncle, eh ?" said Sampson,
bluntly, and to Uncle Williams ofense.
81 do sir" said Joe, proffering his
only unoccupied chair, and notion
ing one of his callers to the lounge.
"Our apartments can't be called ele-
CANT, and all things hereabouts aren't
exactly to our tastes, but it does very
well, and we're quite comfortable.
But really-rc-al-ly, this is quite ex-
traordinary for the present day-for the
present day. Quite extraordinary!
MAY ask what salary we are paying
you?" continued Sampson, looking
about the room.
Give hundred year, sir. d"
"And / observation-disclosures me,
young man, but do / understand that
you support yourself and uncle with
your salary, exclusively"
Oh, dear, no, sir p said Joe, misun-
derstanding Sampson. 81 shouldn't be
willing to spend all my salary. We put
nearly two hundred in the bank last
year"
"Mr. Sterling" said Sampson, look
ing Joe sharply in the face, do you
wish me to understand that you and
your uncle lived on three hundred dol
lars last year? ?"
Certainly, sir; and lived pretty well,
too; didn't we Uncle William?"
Pretty WE'LL" said Uncle William,
family.
"You know, SIR" continued Joe, cit
isn't the necessaries of life that eat up
the boys salaries so; it's the extras they
like, and some of which they must have,
unless they live little more quietly"
"Better live more quietly, them"
muttered Sampson.
"As for myself" said Uncle William,
81 won't deny that it comes hard on me.
I don't blame Joe, but it isn't what I've