West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-02-16
Mr.. Gmkery Pulls in the Latch String.


his wite's relations as himself 1t might
be different, perhaps, il Mr.. GinkCry was
rolling in wealth and had a cellar full of
picked pork and potatoes, but being
obliged 60 follow the treadmill of daily
toll Tor tile support of his family, hos
Pitality becomes luxury that cannot
be nrdulgcd TO any great extent, without
shadowsof the poor house at short range
clouding his domestic horizon.
Mr.. Ginkery is not deep thinker,
but most industrious one, and most of
his leisure time is passed in speculating
upon why IL is his wife's relatives are
always in chronic state of hunger.
They come with vOracious appetites, and
depart with the same unimpaired. Their
storage capacity, especially for viands of
an expensive nature, is one of the
marvels that Mr. Ginkery will probably
never comprehend. And they are al
ways 80 provokingly bland and pa.ron-
izing about it. A second cousin. ar a
nephew, or maybe brothcr-in-law by
marriage, of Mrs c., will come along
and eat the family well-nigh out of house
and home, with a dcmeanor that actually
makes poor G. fancy for the time that
the man Is doing him an honor and
/ kindness 10y devastating his flour barrel.
But Mr.. Ginkery is not a complain
/ ing man, and accepted his crosses with
/ out murmur, rs long rs they were con-
/ fined TO his wifc's own family, hut there
came a time when sclf-preservation de
mandcd that he should draw the line or
/ 90 under.
About two months ago Il niece of his
/ wife came 10 town, bag and baggage,
/ selt-lnvited TO spend the winter with
them. This was Il CrushCr TO poor Gink-
cry, who was at that time but slowly con
valescing from a protracted siege of
maiden aunt and widowed step-sister.
with intermittent attacks of uncle and
/ half brother. With a sigh of fortitudc
| he resigned the hope of new over
| coat that had begun 10 take slight form
\ 10y rcas n of the last conner unaccount-
/ ably taking his coffee clear" and cut
/ ting short his stay through rumor of
smallpox in the neighbour ood-and set
/ about sizing the appetite of the
/ latest invader. But another phantom
was edging along that way. ON the
/ hrst Saturday night the beau Of the
niece marched in with his grip-sack, and
| aPologized for not having arrived before
/ supper. II was about eight o'clock, and
Mr.. Ginkery was sitting before the CRATE
telling the niece that the city had never
| been so full of sickness in the last fifty
/ years a II was ust then. With n
! startled, apprehensiyc look he surveyed
/ the newcomer who was cordially cx-
| tending his hand TO be welcomed He
was gaunt, cadaverOus, awkward, un-
/ galnly spcclmen-a poor advertisement
/ Tor any boarding. Mr. Gink-
/ cry saw at a glance that he would be an
expensive man TO know.
The niece gave Mr. G.. to understand.
! IN hurried whisper, that he was a very
wealthy young man, but he wouldn't
have suspected 1T from the youths per
sonal appearance. Everything was too
small for him, except his hat and boots
| and he had n pinched starved look, very
unsuggestive of wealth and plenty, cs-
pecially when coupled with the fact that
| his eyes were constantly darting uneasily
| about, as though sarching for indications
| of a cupboard imbedded somewhere in
the walls of the room.
He remained until Monday evening
and went away without leaving 80 much
as cold potato behind him. in a ctoked
state. During the week Mr. Ginkery
did all IN his power TO prejudice the
mind of his wile's niece against ,he
voracious youth, but with most un-
satisfactory result. She stood up for
. =
| like woman always does-and said
that though he might be somewhat pc
culiar and eccentric in his ways, still he
had heart bigger than his appetite, and
IL was all hers, and she would marry
him II the whole world came out and
sat on the fence and said she shouldn't.
lie had wealth and pOsitiOn--or at any
rate his father had four thousand dol
lars, and there were only eight children
IN the family, and he himself was a
singing school teacher and could warble
his way into the best society in any
neigh bOrhOOd. lie wasn't Obliged 10
/ labor and drudge for his living. thank
| you, like Mr.. Ginkery did, and when
I they were married she rather thought
they wouldn't have 20 borrow the neigh
/ bOrhOOd sick If q little company hap
pened 70 drop in unexpectedly.
On the next Saturday night back
came the singing master again, and the
next, and again also on the next. and
always with the same merciess appetite
| that made the children cry whenever
/ they saw him coming
GinkeTy was beginning 10 doubt the
wealth Of the suitOr, and lower his respect
/ corrcspondingly as appearance seemed
\ 70 strengthen the opinion Z he devas-
\ tator always came in with boots in CON
! ditiOn very strongly suggestive that he
/ had made the journey on foot, and about
! the only indication OF wealth that came
I 10 the surface during bis visits appeared
. one Saturday night. when he borrowed
some streetcar tickets OF Mr.. c.. and
/ took bis intended 10 the theater. occupy
/ ing--as the host incidentally learned the
| next morning-thc cheapest seats To- be
I had outside the gods gallery.
/ Finally Ginkery made up his mind
that man who wouldn't stand up for
his family provision box under the cir
\ cumstauccs was worse than Bob InpersoU
I and he resolved 10 get rid of the vam
/ pire or raise a row With this end i'm
| view ne went 10 the Bethel and BOUGHT
fifteen meal tickets for fifty cents. and
I at the next visit of the young Crosus
/ he handed over the package 10 him.
and said with much feeling.
See here. Mr. ~tarvus. 7 can't stand
this thing any longer I'm not running
a hotel boarding house, nor a free lunch
/ concern. / don't object to your wait
/ ing on Mandy. niece. though, provided
/ you do it at your own expense: but it
/ ain. pleasant for man 20 sit still and
I see his bones picked clean. and ! don't
/ intend IN Uuf mn rr IffI ottt r,,...,. ~ ti..4