The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-02-12
THE UNCLE'S LEGACY.

Ing room, as IL Is called, OF Heter Du-
rants cottages poorly furnished
apartment, clean, but with the signs of
meagre poverty everywhere plainly
visible. Occupying one of the window
recesses is the, work table or bench be-
longing to our friend gPeter. who fol-
lows the trade of tailor.
There are his shears, his measures, his
work, his skeins of thread and sewing
elk, his paper patterns, his wadding,
and scattered all about are shreds of
colored cloths-red, blue, green, brown,
grey and black.
In one corner of the room we saw a
rudely made cradle, and,pear it, with a
child'sifr0ck in her hands. stands the
plump figure of Dame Martha, the
tailer's comely helpmate, and mother of
sixteen children.
Oh!p she cries, tossing aside the gar.
ment 81 has been examining, / shall
patch and darn v-u no more. MY six
teen darlings shall wear rags no longer;
they shall be newly clad from head to
foot ill good serviceable black; and
Alice shall be made to look as smart as
q new pin. Poor girl, she hasn't had a
decent thing to wear since she was short
dressed don't know where we should
all of US have been by this time had it
not been for the kind help of some of our
neighbors charitable soulsi-better off
than ourselves. just fancy sixteen
childcen, big and little, to feed and to
clothel Oh, dear, how we all have
been pinched thpse many years. But
our poverty is past and gone now,
! andA"s
At this moment the latch of the cot
tage door is lifted, and an old woman
looks in.
Good mornin', Matty. Is Peter at
home?'
mo, Betty Marsh, he is not. What
do you want with him f'
!" want him to patch my good mans
coat as soon as he can.
Pooh, don't you know Uncle Durant
is dead ~
"Of course / d.. That's news week
old. And what thenf'
"Well, the old man was rich. He was
a great miser, although he owned more
gold than heScould count. He has left
all his money TO my Peter who was his
nephew"
"Then you are a very lucky woman,
Matty. although yoH have got sixteen
children. Well, suppose must carry
my mans coat back againp
Before Matty can make the other a
reply, the cottage door is dashed open,
and Peter Dursnt, assisted by two men,
entersn earFyipgan old fashioned eight
aHeyda5i what on earth is this,
Peer? asks his wife in surprise.
I" A heavy load, and be hanged to III, y
he replies, Grossly. think I could
find it in my heart to chop it up into
Eirewood. "EsF - = ...,s - ss. z
Where did you get it, husbanda'' IL
"Where did / get it2 Why, this awk-
wark, uilwieldy piece of furniture is
Uncle Durant's fegacy-all, in fact, he
has left me.
"Peteri gasps Martha, y with white
lips; Peter, don't say sol Recall your
words. Oh, do, do, do
Matty, speak. the truth. This
clock is all the wealth Unc' 9 Durant has
bequeathed u.s. ssas 49,
1t can't be possible, husband. Who
then, gets his piles of money
ThereLfetch me a hatchet, wife, tc
chop up this brute of clock" %
Destroy itsPeter , Oh,,not Aftel
all, it's apiece Of furniture. GLetit be
Set it up against the wall, put it il
working order, and so end the mater
Ireekonl may: now leave my man.
coat to be mended ehs Matty y
Work is it for me to do?"s inquire
the tailor ssYfs, of course, neigh
Dor: and Pll be as quick as can Will
it." s.,
"That's all right, Peter;" and will
that Betty Marsh lays down her bundl
and makes her exit. -
Matty Durant drops into. a chair, GOV
ers her facegith her hsnds, and moan
wearily, whilst the men and Peter plac
the clock against the wall in a posi-
tion i'm which it, showsto the best ad
vantage s,ft 'fs s1e1 q. e.
.sThat'll do, / think, says the littl
tailor to his assistants. I" Thank yol
kindly, my men; me day, may. be,
shall have 1t in my power to do you
good turn. Good.day to you"
The men shake hands with Peter an
leave the cottage. As they disappea
the tailor uttersa loud wall, and sinl
ing into q chair, begins to sob hyster
cally. ~
"Sixteen of them, and nothing bu
that clock left TO ME! What on cart
has he ne with his hoardsl Whi
am to do?' he cries brokenly and di
contentedly. He was worth thou
ands upon thousands. am sure. Whel
are those thousands gone, wonder
Hang that cIocki How / hate to loo
at it'll : The very sight of it seems
stihe me-. What could Uncle DuraI
have done with his money! Here a.
the children home from school. Where
Alice p
81 dare say she is with her brothe
and sisters; there scarcely never W