The Princeton union., 1880-10-07

The yesterday will be to-day.
- ~. GOOD Works
TIE TROUBLESOME NIECE; :
Or the Opening Of Hardened Heart i
.-. BY s. C., Jr
"And so Kate Owen is coming herer'
said Absalom Burr to himself, as he
paced to and fro in his small, dingy
apartment. "Why don't she get married
and 60 about her business? 4 A plague
on her, say. Just because my sister
chose to marry jim Owen, and then die,
and leave this girl behind, must take
the thing and provide 1or it. What q
fool was ever to tell my sister I'd see to
her child. Why, hereu be my house
turned sy-turvy, and everything like
peace fly out of the windows. And then
I suppose the firt thinks that I'll find
her IN spending money. But she'll soon
find out her mistake there. Not penny
-no-not one. She says she can sew,
and she shall. BY the host, she don't
touch a penny OF mine. And if she stays
here, she shall do my sewing to pay for
house room, and do my cooking and
washing to pay for her victuals. A plague
on poor nieces!'' . t@.- "
Thus spoke Absalonn, and then he sat
down and stuck his feet close up to the
fire. Absalom Burr was perfect miser.
he had seen his sixtieth birthday and
his hair was sparse and white. His form
was short and spare, and somewhat bent.
His face was deeply furrowed by the
passing tune, and its lines were hard
and cold. His clothes were old and
patched, and his shoes, even, were sadly
in want of mending. The cold breath Of
winter was close at hand, and yet the
only fuel he had was such as he had been
able to pick up by the roadside, and at
the edge of the pond. The house in
which he lived was but poor hevel,
with only two rooms, and with furniture
more fit for fre-wood than anything else.
There were four windows in the house,
and every spare rag of clothing he owned
was in use for the replacing of broken
panes. ~.
And vet Absalom BUR- was worth fifty
thousand dollars, though he cont11ved to
be taxed for only about ten thousand
which was invested in houses that he
rented in town. .....a. .,l
Ee was never KNOWN to bestoW o pen
ny in charity, though many poor anc
suffering fellow-creature had begged fo1
assistance at his hands. .....
Alone had he lived for many @ long
year, and his heart was all hardened and
closed up against every kindly feeling
He spent his time in attending to his
rents, picking up wood and rags by the
wayside, and counting his money al
home. ..,
One Monday evening near the last o.
November, the stage stopped in front o.
Absalom's hut, and a young female was
helped out by the driver, and trunk
and bandbox put down after her. It was
Kate Owen.
The old man had not seen her for ten
years, but he remembered well how his
sister had looked when she was girl,
and here was her exact image. Kate'e
mother was the only sister he ever had,
and he was the only brother she ever
had, and thus Kate was the only near
relative he had living. .. ...- .. .-
The girl helped carry her own trunk
in, and as soon as she had removed he1
bonnet, she threw her arms around he1
uncle's neck and kissed him. He started
back at this, and severe look passed
over his face. .2n.s.- ss.@
Kate Owen was pretty gul, and she
who did not love her. She was short
plump, laughter loving being, with brown
hair and hazel eyes, and when she laughed
the dimples deepened in her cheeks and
chin, and the dark curls shook abou
her fair temples. In fact, ene look a
her happy face was as good as medicin,
for the blues, and the ring of her rict
and merry laugh was contagious. .s
my dear uncle,'' she said, after sin
had seated herself at the fire, ''are 20,
not glad I've come9'' 49,.
"Wel-yes; shouldn't want you t,
be without a home-but mind you ar,
to help me. You won't be an expens
to me.n .. -..
"Of course I won't. Why, III retur1
you tenfold. How snug and happy "
will be next winter! You won't be her
all alone to hear the wind blow, and th
hail thump and rattle against the win
doRs. And shall feel better, too, thai
I should If I was away among strangers.
"But you've got to go among stranger
sometimes. You can't expect to find
home here always" ->.
20, no, uncle, OF course not. But the
while do stay here we'u enjoy it, won
we2"
II enjoy myself very well at any time.
Kate understood all this. She kne,
just what her uncle was, and she ha.
come prepared to meet all his peculiar
ties. She kept the same happy smile up
on her face, and in the same sweet tone
did she address the old miser under a
circumstances. Ere long she asked he
uncle where she would find the material
for supper, for she confessed that she We
hungry. * E-4
II eat some bread and cheese when
am hungry" he told her.
'sBut haven't you any tea? or fou,9 c
butter2'' Hon
"There may be a little butter, J" said Il
cid man, reluctan uy; "but I don't thin
there's any -four, and tea is something
dent use." ..yt, 9e