The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-04-20


Could it be possible that the dreary days
and weeks of her steadfast attendance had
weakened her intellect and turned heI
brain?
"Give me my water-gruel,' he said
briefly, after a few moments ponderine
over the unwelcome possibility.
Theodore brought in a neat little china
bowl, with silver spoon lying on the
snowy, folded napkin that fanked it on
the tray.
Uncle Joseph took one taste, and threw
down the spoon with a petulant sound moi
unlike bark
Trash, trash Insipid as dish-water
Throw it to the pigs p
Theodore took up the bowl and started
obediently for the door.
'Here, here p roared Uncle Joseph
"where are you going to p
"To the pig-pen, uncle.
"Are you crazy, girl? The gruel's vel
enough, only Mrs. Perkins forgot the
nutmeg"
"But, uncle" said Theodore, tasting
daintily of the contents of the bowl, ''it's
insipid as dish-water."
"Will you allow me to have an opinion
of my own p snarled Uncle Joseph. dts
very good, if that old crone down stairs
will add the nutmeg and give it another
boil. Quick, now-Tm getting hungry
A man must eat, even if he's at deaths
door"
A minute afterwards Mrs. Perkins was
surprised by Theodoras entrance.
Well, said the housekeeper, "what's
awantin now?"
"a little grated nutmeg in this Cruel
and uncle would like it warmed up once
more"
"What are you smiling about2"
"Was ! smiling?"
"Your eyes we're, if your mouth wasn't,
said Mrs. Perkins keenly.
"Will you be as quick as you can, Mrs.
Perkins," said Theodore. "le says he
is hungry"
But when Theodore re-eutered her un-
cle's room, the invalid had taken another
tack.
"Why didn't you stay all day." he
growled.
"Indeed, uncle, l hurried all l could, -
pleaded Dora. Heres the Cruel, all
smoking"
But Uncle Joseph shook his head. ats
too latei I've lost all my appetite r. he
moaned.
won't you have the Cruel, uncle ?"
"No, | won'tm
And Uncle Joseph closed his eyes, as
if to signify he was too weak to debate the
question further. He waited anxiously
for Theodore to press the question further,
but she did not; and presently he opened
his eyes the least little bit in the world.
"Theodora"
"Sir?"
an try just one spoonful of that Cruel
before it gets cold.
"Why, uncle, l threw it away"
"Threw-my-gruel-away!' grasped
the sick man breathlessly.
"You told me you did not want it,
uncle"
~ told you sol Furies and fiddle
strings You might know by this time
that don't mean what l say. Get me
some more-quick If l hadn't been
bedridden for year, l could go twice as
fast as you do!'' he added grumblingly.
II never saw such snail in my life Oh,
dear to think shall never walk again y
Uncle Joseph lay counting the seconds
until his niece brought in a second bowl
of Cruel, this time so deliciously made
that even he could not find fault with it.
"Uncle," said Theodore, as she sat it
on the table by the bedside, "the doctor
said yesterday, that he really thought, if
you were to try, you could walk as well as
anybody =
The doctors a fool, said Uncle Jo-
seph, ''and you may tell him so with my
compliments y
IL will, uncle, the next time he comes. {"
"Theodora r.
"Sir."
"If you dc, I'll disinherit you"
every well, uncle I"
"Theodora, you'll have to feed me.
This annoyance has weakened me ter
riblyr
"Yes, uncle"
"Stop-stop-it's hot-you're choking
me ~
But Theodora kept resolutely on.
"Sto-o-p" spluttered Uncle Joseph,
nimbly scrambling to the other side of the
bed. "What do you mean, Theodore
Didn't tell you to stop? | don't believe
there's an inch of skin left on my throat
"You told me yourself uncle, that you
don't mean what you say. How was to
konw that this was an exception"
An iraIe reloinder trembied on Uncle
Joseph's tongue, when suddenly he caught
sight of blue column of smoke wreathing
up under his window.
whats that smoke?" he calculated.
Il think it's Mrs. Perkins, sir, putting
fresh kindlings on the kitchen FIRE"
mo, it isn't" !" yelled Uncle Joseph.
"the house is on fire r.
Theodore dropped the spoon and bowl
and rushed out of the room; shrieking.
"the house is on fire help! murder
thieves ~
The servants below the stairs caught up
the cry and echoed II In a shrill dismay.
Uncle Joseph listened with bristled hair
and dilated eyes
"Help help" he bawled, but no one
responded. Louder still he yelled, but
yet in vain.
"Am to stay here in my bed to be
burned to death ?" he asked himself, and
scrambled out with agility that fairly sur
prised himself
The servants we're arrayed on the lawn,
staring in all directions to find the exact
location of the fire, when the gardener
uttered shrek.
L.If tha-a i'll r.a..a- %. Las..,. l.G. L