New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-09-04

the respectaOle-lO0klng OlQy gentleman
missed the hearty welcome he had prom
ised himself. Theywere polite, but not
cordial, attentive, but cold and distant,
meeting his familiar advances with that
indifferent reserve so chilling and dis
couraging. The children had been sent
off to bed as soon as tea was over, and the
three sat stiff1y about the cold stove, Mrs.
Grower glancing now and then to the
clock on the mantlepiec.#
perhaps your uncle would like to re-
tire" she observed to MI. Seth.
Conversation had tagged for some min
utes; it was hard doing all the. talking,
and Uncle Abel approved the suggestion!
though it was scarcely eight o'clock.
II must confess to fatigue" he said
!" I'm not young as was once, and exer-
ton tires me- I've been accustomed to
sleeping in warm room. If it won't be
too much trouble, I'd like fire kindled
for me; old blood feels the chilly nights, =
he added, apologetically.
Mr.. Seth said, !; Oh, no and MIR. SUI
san said, Certainly not!' but any body
could see that their thoughts widely d.
verged from their words. "
The fire was made, and the nephew
took small hand-lamp to light Uncle
Able to his chamber. 'i.,s ~
81 should prefer this said the latter,
taking larger one from the shelf near
him, ''if you have no objections. Itholds
more oil, | see, and sometimes, when I
am restless and can't sleep, read to in
duce drowsiness. It won't incommode
Won very much 7 hone2n
Seth said, "No, indeed!'' and Susan,
SHOT in the leastn' but mentally their
replies were different. Uncle Abel and
the largest lamp went up stairs; husband
and wife closed the doors for connu-
bal conference.
"Wellp' said the niece. ss.l Fss
"What do you think2" said the
nephew. F'9sa'
can assuming old fox!' she exclaimed
A COMPOUNDED bore!" he CALCULATED.
can extra fire, Seth!''
"a lamp to read by susanp'
Meat for dinner!'' z.s.e rs@ra
"And coffee for breaktast!'
"Will he stay long, do you think?"
"Two or three months, judging from
the size and weight of his trunk
"a pretty bill of expense, truly! And
not a dollar to pay his board!' s2s
"Fuel and light, and what he'll eat and
drink will put us back a whole year in
our calculations. This comes of having
relations I wish [ hadn't. one in the
world And to think he's nothing but a
great uncle! p S"''3'35i
This interesting conversation was pro-
longed some time; but enough has been
given a show the feelings of Mr.. and
Mrs, Grower in regard to Uncle Abel.
Morning did not mend the measures Of
the couple, yet the worthy old gentleman
was urbane and smiling, seeming not to
notice the frigid atmosphere that pre-
vailed. He tried in vain to make the ac-
quaintance of the children, but parental
oversight prevented the object in view,
twas recolected that they, with a Ger
tain class DESIGNATED as ''fools.' were
said to tell the TRUTH and that, in this
| instance, was not to be spoken.
Uncle Abel's sight was impaired, but
he was not so blind that he could not de-
tect dissatisfaction, though in a measure
| cloaked. His tarrys was short at the
Grower mansion; in week he took
leave of his nephew and niece, to their
unbounded satisfaction
''We have done well,' they said, ''to
get rid of him 80 easily. He might have
staid month"
And Uncle Abel was forgotten in the
great struggle to make a fortune.
One year afterward, they heard Of his
! decease by means of the following sig
nifcant letter, which was found among
his private papers, and forwarded to them
after his death;
"Nephe,o and Niece When childless
old man crosses your threshold, yearning
for love and sympathy, and that care
which youth should voluntarily, accord
to old age, treat him not coldly, begrudge
him not the food he eats, the ire that
warns him, nor the light that enables
him to beguile q lonely midnight hour.
And moreover do not forget the hole in
the floor. That this advice may benefit
you, is the wish OF your
'UNcLE ABEL
| "The hole in the floor" What did it
mean2 Light slowly began to creep into
the bewildered brains of Mr.. and Mrs.
GROWER, revealing a startling truth in
every line of the singular epistle before
them. They looked at each other in
blank dismay in the consciousness that
their hypocrisy and littleness had been
exposed. A place had been cut in the
floor for the admission of a pipe from the
stove In the room below. Being early in
the season, this pipe had not been adjust
ed for the winter, and the space was con-
sequently open. a I'D
Uncle Abel occupied that chamber and