Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-04-08
uncle we have lost !! How good of him

Dick; but L can't see that that ought
to make one sad. Rather cause for re-
joicing, / should say. Poor fellow, he
was 50 old he couldn't enjoy it, and I
dare say he's better off where he is; that
is, if he was as good as his will makes
me think he was"
Janet is really grieved Her nature is
so intensely sensitive that a great kind
ness invariably has this effect upon her.
She refuses any more breakfast, and goes
hastily up to her room, where she spends
the morning in trying to picture her
uncle as he was when, SO many years
ago, she sat on his lap,and child-like
ran her tiny fingers through his long
gray beard
All through the morning, as, thinking
thus, she sits diligently sewing, tears
ever and anon well up in her eyes and go
trickling down her cheeks before she is
aware Of their presence. AS natural
consequence, twelve o'clock finds her
with very red eyes and nose, and gem
eral appearance of having gone through
most heart-rendering affiiction. This
is her condition when Sarah knocks at
the door, and on entering announces that
Miss Taylor is in the drawing-room.
"Oh, what shall | do?" exelaims
Janet, in perplexity, as soon as the maid
have been crying, and will want to know
all about it; and | really can't talk of it
now. I wonder where Dick is; he might
go and see her, and explain that I'm not
well but dear me getting up and
smoothing back her hair with both
hands-''I suppose he's out somewhere.
He never is about when he's wanted, but
is sure to be here when he's not. So,
wiping her eyes for the hundredth time
since breakfast, and giving her nose the
fiftieth gentle blow, she goes softly down
to the drawing-room in search of her
visitor. Nellie Taylor rather short,
plump girl, with a charmingly pretty
pink and white face-rises quickly as
Janet comes in.
"Oh, Jean" she says, going to meet
her, and presenting a countenance that
for signs of weeping is not whit better
off than Miss Roys, :" do so sympathize
with your
Janet is much surprised at these words.
On what account does she sympathize
with her? Surely she cannot know why
she has been spending the morning in
tears. ~
Come and sit down by me, Nell
goes on, taking her hand and drawing
her to a sofa. { Trouble comes to all of
US sOiHe tliue, you KNOW
But, begins Janet, thoroughly puz-
zled, as they sit down together, my
dear Nell y
"There, now,n interrupted she, g don't
speak to me of it: don't tell me how
much worse you feel than l. | know
you think so; but, indeed r-and the
tears began to trickle down her cheeks
again" you don't know how l loved
him.
"Nell, what are you talking about?"
Janet asks, excitedly, her grief having
given way to astonished curiosity. :" 1t
is evident there is a misunderstanding
somewhere y
Nell looks at her curiously.
g Are you angry?'' she asks, in a hurt
tone; would you not have approved of
his making me his wife?''
.sYou marry Uncle Arthur
Uncle Arthur repeats Nell. 1t is
she who is surprised now. "Who is
Uncle Arthur" 81
THE dear, kind old gentleman who
has Just died.
"But / have been talking Of Dick.
You must have known / was. Poor
dear Dick!" and again she is weeping as
though her heart would break. a
But Dick is not dead?"
N6Il lOOkS UP
prise. There is q movement of the
p0rtiere which covers the entrance to the
library.
Nor likely to be soon, shouted Rich
ard, running forward from his hiding
place, where he has heard all the con-
versation, his pleasant face wreathed in
smiles.
The next momen5 he has caught Nell
in his arms and is kissing away the re
manning tears.
"Yo1 darling good giri!" he says, pas
sionately, ''now believe you do care
little bit for me-
''But | cannot understand it, SAYS
Janet, in wonder hat ever could
have caused you to think Dick was
dead?'
1.-THE idea of asking me, after the letter
you &rote!n replies Nell. Didn't you
tell me so? | didn't think, Jean, that
you could perpetrate such an awful
joke"
A '4But Iwrote no letter. adds Janet.
Nell puts her hand in her pocket and
draws forth an epistle.
Read it, she says 4 If you didn't
write it, who did?" And Janet read:
g Friday morning.
My DEAR NELL have very sad
more. At twelve o'clock Wednesday
night he breathed his last Oh, how can
] write it? can scarcely realize thath
| is gone. Please do come out and see me-
l know you thought great deal of him,
and can sympathize with me.
Ever yours, JANET Roy"
Suddenly it comes to Janet that per-
haps her great uncle was related to the
| Taylors also.
Twas he she begins: but before she
can finish the question Nell answers her:
Yes , (sobbing). Didn't you know
| it? Oh, why didn't some one let me
know that he was SO i'll? l would have
so liked to be with himn
Janet looked pityingly at her young
friend. Surely her uncle must have
been a very loyable old gentleman to in
spire this affection.
But how strange it is" she thinks,
"that / never knew we were even dis
family connected with the Taylors. Per-
haps Dick. knew it, but I'm sure he
never told men Then she begins sob
bing again for mere sympathy, and for a
moment not a word is spoken.
"Was he so very dear to you?" asks
Janet, bringing the cambria into play
again.
tOh, Jean, Nell answers, also wiping
| aWay the tears ssyOu cannot imagine