The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-12

taut, meeting his familiar advances with
that Indifferent reserve SO chilling and
discouraging. The children had been sent
off to bed as soon as tea was over, and the
three sat stif1y about the cold stove, Mrs.
Gtovner glancing now and then at the
clock on the mantelpiece.
"Perhaps your uncle would like to re-
tire" she observed to Mr.. Seth.
Conversation had tagged for some min
utes; it was hard doing all the talking,
and uncle Abel approved the sugges-
ton, though it was scarcely eight o'clock.
"Imust confess to fatigue" he said.
"I'm not young as I 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 little fire kim
died for me; old blood feels these, chilly
nights" he added, apologetically.
Mr.. Seth said, ''Oh, mol" and Mrs.
Susan, "Certainly mol" but anybody
could see that their thoughts widely di-
verged from their words. The fire was
made, and the nephew took small hand
lamp to light Uncle Abel to his cham
Der.
81 should prefer this" said the latter,
taking larger one from the shelf near
him, "if you have no objections. 1t holds
more oil, l see, and sometimes, when l
am restless and can't sleep, l read to in
duce drowsiness. 1t won't incommode
you very much, hope"
"Seth said, "No, indeed" and Susan,
''Not in the least" but mentally, their
replies were different. Uncle Abel and
the largest lamp went upstairs; husband
and wife closed the doors fora connubial
conference.
"Well!" said the niece.
"What do you think?" said the
nephew.
"An assuming old fox!" she ex'
claimed.
ga confounded bore!" he calculated.
San extra fire, Seth!'
"A lamp to read by, Susan! !"
"Meat for dinncrn'
"And coffee for breakfast ~
,"Will he stay long, think?'
'Two or three months, judging from
the size and weight Of his trunk"
ga pretty bill Of expense, truly and
not a dollar to pay his board"
"Fuel and light, and what he'll eat and
drink, will put us back whole year in
our calculations. This comes of having
relations! | wish l hadn't one in the
world and to think he's nothing but a
great uncle"
This interesting conversation was pro-
longed some time; but enough has been
given to show the feelings of Mr.. and
Mrs. Grower in regard to Uncle Abel.
Morning did not mend the manners
of the couple, yet the worthy old gentle
man 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.
1t was recollected that they, with GER
tain class designated as "fools,'' were
said to "tell the TRUTH" and that, in this
instances, was not to be spoken.
Uncle Abel's sight was impaired. but he
was not so blind that he could not detect
dissatisfaction, though in a measure
cloaked. His tarry was short at the Grov-
ner mansion; in week he took leave of
his nephew and niece, to their unbounded
satisfaction. .
"We have done WE'LL" they said, "to
get rid of him SO easily. He might have
staid a month";
And Uncle Abel was forgotten in the
great struggle to make fortune.
One year afterward, they heard of his
decease by means Of the following signif-
cant letter, which was found among his
private papers, and forwarded after his
death.
"NEPHEw AND NIECE:-When childess
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 fire that
warns him, nor the light that enables him
to beguile 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 door, What did it
mean. Light slowly began to creep into
the bewildered brains of Mr.. and Mrs.
Grovner, revealing 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 adjusted for the
winter, and the space was consequently