San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-04-27

the young couple, breathless ana eager
"Trunks packed, ehP"
GAN but the last one, uncle "-and
Rachel lifted her pretty head out OF the
tray, us you may have seen red clover
blossom rise up from beneath q child's
foo,step.
Elm going to take you down to
Bloomdale myself, my DEAR" said Un'
Gle Ben. "Hugh, want you to go to
Canterbury with these letters. They're
of Importance. I'd 60 myself If l were
ten years younger; but sudden journeys
don't agree with old bones like mine"
Hugh locked aghast at the proposal
Rachel turned pale.
"Can not the business be postponed,
sirP" said Hugh, hesitatingly.
"No, it cant!" replied Uncle Ben,
CURLY. "If you don't want to go, say so.
dare sayI can find some one else to
oblige me-"
"Of course I shall co." said Hugh.
"But Rachel"
81 suppose I'm old enough to take
care of little girl like that, :" said Uncle
Ben, in an aggrieved tone. "You'n
find us both in the new residence, with
the table laid for dinner, when You come
back to- morrow.
So there was nothing for it but for
Hugh to kiss his little bride a half score
of times and commission Uncle Ben to
take the best possible care of her until
he should return.
"Foolish children!" said Mr.. Bene-
dict, as he saw Rachel sobbing on Hugh's
shoulder. But there was CHEEKY twin
kle in his own keen gray eyes, neverthe-
less.
Poor little girl! the atmosphere has
lost somewhat of its sparkle, and the
world looked less bright as she journey
ed in Uncle Ben's barouche toward her
new home, with Uncle Ben's newspaper
rattling by her side. AS the autumn
twilight began to fall, her thoughts be-
came busy, as woman's will, at times.
"Uncle," she said, turning suddenly
toward the old gentleman, "what sort
of house is it? Ours, I meant"
"Well," said Uncle Ben, rehectively,
"it's a cottage, l should say"
GA modern cottage?"
"Well, no; rather of the antique or
der than otherwise"
"Oh!" cried Rachel, /" 1 am glad. !
despise those new, stiff, formal places,
that look as if they were merely to be
admired, not lived in and enjoyed. I'm,
Gle, what are you laughing atP"
cat your curiosity, my dear, "replied
the old gentleman.
"Then won't ask another question: y
said Rachel, resolutely. .
But she fully atoned for that depriva-
ton by sketching on the tables of her
own fancy an endless variety of little
Gothic structures, with bay-windows,
and trellises covered with climbing roses
and honey-suckles; while Uncle Bene-
dict watched her from behind the screen
of his newspaper, with the queerest ex-
preston on his brown old face.
"'m almost sorry 1 commenced the
thing" he said to himself. eff l should
be disappointed in her! But, pooh! it's
the only way to find out il she is worth
my boys love-"
Presently the numbering old chariot
came to stand-still; but to Rachel's
surprise, in front of no fairy cot or low
eaved edifce surrounded by verandas
and flower parterres. A tumble-down,
implanted farmhouse stood back lit
tie from the road, with its shutters hang
ing loosely by one hinge, and one or two
scrubby lilac bushes forlornly tossing
their foliage to the wind.
"How dreary it looks!" thought
Rachel, with little shudder, as she
wondered whether the coachman had
really meant to stop there. But Uncle
Ben at once seized his carpet-bag and
umbrella.
"Come, my DEAR" he said to Rachel.
sis this the placer" she asked.
"This is the place." Uncle Ben an
swered with sudden paroxysm OF
coughing. "Gate's a little out of or
DER" as that useful mode of ingress be-
came suddenly detached from its sole
remaining hinge and fell with a crash to
the ground, shut that's soon set right
with screwdriver and half dozen
screws"
Alas, poor Rachel! What were her
Sensations rs she looked blanklv around