The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-07-22
THE NEpHEW'S TRICK.

IN his fine Christian appellation, was "a
crusty old bachelor" and hammer my
brains for more fitting description. A
crusty old bachelor he undoubtedly was,
more than fifty years Of age, with griz-
zled hair, heavy grey eyebrows,a q thick
gray beard, and rough voice and man.
ner. IL Is true that he was always very
careful to keep the crustlest side of his
nature on the surface, and had been dis
covered In the act of committing secret
ly deeds of charity and kindness that
belied utterly his habitually surly tone
and abrupt manner.
Twenty years before, when the gray
hair was nut brown, and clustered In
rich curls over the broad white forehead;
when the brown eyes shone with the
fire of ambition, the clear voice was
true and tender, Rupert Smithson had
given his heart to Katie Carroll, neigh
Dor and friend, and little sweetheart
from childhood. Urged by love as well
us ambition, he had left his home in a
small western town and gone to New
York, to win name and fortune to lay
at Katie's feet. The fortune and fame
as successful merchant came to him,
but when he returned to Katie he found
she had left her home to become the
bride of wealthy pork dealer in Gin
cinnati.
Nobody told Rupert of treachery to
the pretty Katie, of letters suppressed,
of slander circulated, and parental au-
thority stretched to its utmost in favor
of the wealthy suitor. He had no record
of the slow despair that crept over the
loving heart when the pleading letters
were unanswered, of the dull apathy
that yielded at last, and gave away the
hand of the young girl when heart
seemed broken. All that the young,
ardent lover knew was the one bitter
fact that the girl he loved faithfully and
fondly was false to her promise-the
wife of another. He spoke no word of
bitterness, but returned to the home he
had fitted up for his bride, and the busi-
ness he had hoped was his stepping
stone to happiness and to life of loneli-
ness.
Ten years later, when his sister, with
her son and daughter, came to live in
New York for educational advantages,
Rupert the First was certainly what his
saucy nephew called him-a crusty old
bachelor. Yet, into that sore, disap-
pointed heart Katie's desertion had so
wounded, the bachelor uncle took with
warm love and great indulgence his
nephew and niece bright, handsome
children of 10 and 12, who, childlike,
imposed upon his good nature, rioted
over his quiet orderly home till his staid
housekeeper declared they were worse
than pair of monkeys, caressed him
stormily one moment and pouted over
some refusal for monstrous indulgence
the next, and treated him generally as
bachelor uncles must expect to be treated
by their sisters's children.
There was some talk when Mrs. Kim
berly came to New York, of making one
household of the family, but the idea
was abandoned, and the wealthy widow
selected residence three doors off, in
the same block.
Rupert was so set in his fidgety old
bachelor ways" she said, "that it
would be positive cruelty to disturb
him ~
Probably young Rupert and Flora did
not consider their uncle's tranquility;
but it is quite certain that out of school,
No. 46-their uncles house-saw them
quite as frequently as No. 42-where the
mother resided.
With the intuitive perception of
children, they understood that the alb
rupt, often harsh voice, the surly words
and the undemonstrative manner, COW
cred heart that would have made any
sacrifice for their sakes that loved them
with as true love as their own dead
father could have given them.
AS they outgrew childhood, evidences
of affection ceased to take the forms of
doll and drums, and cropped up in
Christmas checks in ball dresses and
bouquets, saddle horse, and various
other delightful and acceptable shapes,
till Rupert came of age, when he was
taken from college into his uncle's
counting house, and closer intimacy
than ever was cemented between the
younger life and the one treading the
downward path of old age.
There had been family gathering at
Mrs. Kimberly's one evening late in the
month of March, and conversation
l,nd nicer, ,,,,l,,, tbn trnditinnnl