Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-11-19
HOW UNCLE DAD FOUND IT OUT,

RICHARD GossETT was making merry
with some friends under circumstances
well fitted to put the party in the best of
spirits It's jolly thing to be put down
as sole legatee in a rich mans villa
jolly thing not only for the fortunate in
dividual himself, but for his friends, al
so, if they know how to play their cards
properly.
"By George, you're a lucky dog,
Dickl" cried an enthusiastic youth
across the table. "Why haven't more
of us got uncles like Medad Whistler
nice old parties, who go off about their
business, gain fortunes, and come back
to leave them to their nephews, instead
of hanging round home to scold and find
fault, and cutting you off in the end with
their blessing and lot of trumpery good
adviceP"
"The drawback isl sighed Richard
Gossett, "that uncles with fortunes to
leave, as class, are prOverbially tough.
There's Uncle Dad Whistler, now
he's past sixty; but he looks good for
every day of ninety; and, as for tough
ness, old Joe Bagstock was nothing to
him."
"Still," replied the other, " "the pros
pect is far from discouraging. Your
uncle is a man of plethoric habit and a
sumptuous liver; so there is fair con-
tingency of apoplexy to count on"
A round of applause and bumpers
greeted this speech.
"BuU you've never told us, Gossett,
how your old nabob came to cut off his
other nephew, your cousin, Oliver Lam
ho,sf rhnF,n hpINr fhnnprht hig
prime favorite, and leave every thing to
you"
ga family secret" said Dick, with a
wise shake of the head.
"Come, out with it like a good fell
low," urged an inquisitive youth with a
gosling-dOwn mustache; ''we're all
friends here.n
"But l promised Uncle Dad never to
tell it, and if he heard had leaked, it
would be worth my place in his will
"Pshawl it's as safe with us as with
yourself; you ought to know that"
"You'n never mention it thenP"
"Never!" they all answered in
chorus.
"Pon honorP"
"Honor bright"
Had Dick had less wine and more wit
aboard, he might have hesitated to inn
part family secret to half-a-doZen boon
companions under the belief that it
would go no further. But he had taken
just champagne enough to make him
confidential and communicative.
This was the secret as Dick divulged
it:
"On divers last birthday, Uncle
Dad inclosed him a check for hand
some sum. Afterward, when Uncle
Dads account was balanced at the
bank and his checks returned, it was
discovered that this particular one had
been raised to double the original
amount, which increased sum Oliver
had drawn; though on being ques-
toned, he protested he had no knowl-
edge of the alteration.
"But Uncle Dad was not a man to
be easily deceived. 1t was plain that a
forgery had been committed and as
the check had been inclosed TO Oliver
directly and presented by himself, who
else could have committed the offense
"Uncle dad was as prompt to act as
to decide. Oliver was given his choice
between going to prison and leaving the
country, Uncle Dad engaging, if he
chose the latter course, to furnish him
with the means of living till an Oppor-
tunity offered of earning his own sup
port"
(which explains, no doubt" struck
in he of the callow mustache, "Mr.
Lambert's late mysterious departure,
and his perfdiOus desertion of Selma
Jasmyn, to whom they say he was en-
gagged"
4" Exactly" said Dick. ll
"Why don't you cut in again for the
lady yourself, now that the coasts
clearPh suggested one.
Dick gave a knowing wink, which as
good as said;
"Do you take me for a fool not to
have thought of that beforeP"
just then a messenger entered and
placed a note in Dicks hand. He
glanced at the contents and started up
wildly.
"Listen to this, boysl" he exclaimed,
In tone and manner which left his
friends in doubt whether il was good or
bad news their attention was invited to-.
"Listen TO this !"-and then he read /;
"a mans body has Just been found lying
on the sidewalk and identified as that OF your
Uncle Medad, to whose house II has been TAX