The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-12-28

NhhuCn OnuHky ana Jnhl you nave Dcen use
, to having a sip Of wine. Now for some veal
} have put up some grape, eldefberry an
current Wines" she unlocked spacious cur
board, displaying shelves loaded with row
Of bottles. The back rows are the oldes
and best, and the bottles are all labelled.
shall leave it unlocked, and you can com
and help yourselves. But don't say word
for zekel is strong temperance man, Johr
is captain of the temperance cadets, and il
fact, we all go for temperatice up here"
Lou explained that although we had win,
at home, we scarcely ever tasted it, and cal
easily do without IT,
al don't want you TO do without IT," she
added, and ih the meantime had filled five
wine glasses, and insisted, that as we looked
tired from our journey, we must take glass
with her, as it was great help in sucl
cases-a good medicine.
We then followed aunt Becky to the kitch-
en- where we volunteered to assist her in her
multtudinous preparations, but just at thi:
time uncle zeke came bustling in, his health
glowing face and happy eyes beaming under
the visof of his fox-skn cap.
Now, girls" said he, "cofne out and see
my new barn, my pigs, cows, sheep, goats,
and horses"
We accepted his invitation, he explain
ed to us the different breeds of his stock and
finally we followed him into small cozy
room in one corner Of which sat an old-fash-
ioned side-board the front Of which he un-
locked.
"When you're home girls, your fathers
having wine-cellars, know you are used to
having 'snifter' of some when you want it."
said he, handing me key, "and always
keep little here in cases of sickness, and
you can come here when you like and help
yourselves. Those bottles contain some fine
old sherry, which was presented to me by an
importer in Philadelphia" He filled five
glasses, handing each fus one and retaining
one himself at is Christmas, and ycu
don't visit uncle Zeke everyday and while
you are here / want you to enjoy yourselves.
But, for the world, don't Speak of it, for
Becky is very strong temperance woman,
John is captain of the cadets, and we all go
for temperance up here.
"This temperance principle, uncle zeke,
is grand thing" said.
"Aye; tell you it is grand thing" he
repeated, smacking his lips over the glass of
old Sherry. "As Becky has often said, it is
the only thing that can save the nation
from pauper's grave. tell you, girls, l
don't know where should have been my
self, to-day, but for your Aunt Becky and
temperance"
1t would be irksome TO describe the pleas
ant country party, with its romances and
incidents, which we enjoyed that evening,
but suffice it TO say that at about IL o'clock,
after brief but good-natured lecture by
Aunt Becky, on the importance to health
and happiness of keeping good hours, the
neighbors dispersed to their homes, and
we retired to our room.
"Now," said Lou, 1--WE have not had oc-
cason to visit Aunt Becky's nor Uncle
Zeke's temperance closets this evening, so,
suppose we have a bottle of Cousin Sans
champaign, all to ourselves2"
We all assented, and Lou stepped forward
and opened the door to the closet in which
our trunk had been stored. But horrors of
horrors With suddeness that curdled
the very blood in our veins and made us all
screech for mercy, goat bounded form the
closet, stopped in the middle of the room to
nose and stamped the floor with his fore
! foot.
Mamie was nearest the door, and throw
ing it open the goat ran out, we following.
We reached the hall just in time to see
uncle zeke picking himself up. He had
started up the stairs, in answer to our
screams, met the goat and they both tum-
bled down stairs together.
Aunt Becky, who was banking her fires,
believing that robbers were in the house,
came rushing out of the kitchen, through
the dining hall, lamp in hand, and leaving
the doors open, through which the frighten-
ed goat bolted, hotly pursued by Aunt
Becky.
She cornered him in the kitchen by clos
ing the door.
But while she was making frantic efforts
to open the door leading into the yard, the
goat leaped over the cook stove uDsetting
kettle of hot water, some Of which splashed
upon the sleeping cat under the stove, which
added to the confusion by scampering around
the room, yawling for dear life. The goat
had got dose of the hot water also, and be-
coming more desperate, crashed through
the window, carrying all the glass of one
sash with him, and through which the poor
cat also made its exit.
In few minutes, the whole household in
various stages OF dishabille, reached the scene
of the disaster. John was as pale as a ghost,
and his eyes shone like silver half dollars.
"John," said aunt Becky, after we ex-
planned where the goat was, do you know
how that goat got in the closet ?"
"How should II" asked John. "He was
not there when put the trunk in"
"Do you know, 'Zekiel?" she asked, while
uncle zeke was limping around trying to
find bottle of Mustang Liniment 10 bathe
a wound received in the fall.
"Im like the boy the calf ran over" said
uncle zeke. ats no use TO cry over split
milk. They say there's skeleton in every
closet. There seems TO be live ones in
ours"
Order having been restored, we retired,
and laughed ourselves TO sleep, with some
vague suspicious against uncle in connection
with the goat joke.
The next morning uncle zeke called the
household around the family altar, and
these are the words with which he closed
his Prayer-his face being picture of earn
est and devout supplcation;
pray Thee, o Father, that thou wilt
look after my son John, aud make him an
honored and useful member Of society. And
ogoc;aII,y haaoa.l The fk.F tlr,, ,,,iIs .,,or