Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-01-01
A NEW YEARS CALL.

A great, cheerful kitchen, with the
snow piled up in ermine drifts against
the outside Of the windows, and view
of gray woods wrestling against a
leaden sky-a kitchen where the shoots
of the carmine flame woVe themselves
in and out of the moss-fringed logs,
like so many fiery serpents at play, and
the great Oleander tree in the corner
was putting out its clusters of pink
buds in reckless defiance of the season
that was where Aunt Pandora was at
work frying crullers when Uncle David
Doty came in from the postofice,
bringing breath of the Arctic regions
with him.
" Any lettersP" said Aunt Pandora,
fishing a particularly brown and savory
twist out of a sea of boiling lard.
eyes," said Uncle David, ga letter
from Evelyn. And they're in trouble
again. Want more money"
Aunt Pandora shook her head.
"After that thousand dollars you
sent 'em last JulyP" said she. "pm
afraid Evelyn's husband isn't a good
manager"
Business difficulties you see," said
Uncle David. Evelyn tells me they
are living with the utmost economy,
and denying themselves every luxury"
"PoOr DEAR" said Aunt Pandora,
benignantly.
Il really think we must spare EN-
another thousand" said Uncle David,
who had a soft spot in his heart for his
niece and adopted child, Evelyn Elgin.
ga thousand dollars is a good deal
of money" said Aunt Pandora, SOL
emnly.
eyes, l know it," admitted her hus-
band. "But the Lord has blessed us
with plenty of worldly goods, and how
can we better use it than by helping
our little Evelyn alongP Wewere poor
folks ourselves once, Pandora, begin
ming the world."
$50 we were," acquiesced the old
lady, as she set off the pot of lard, car
ried her pan of fragrant crullers into
the pantry and took off her striped
calico cooking apron.
"And I'll tell you what I've made
up my mind to do,'' said Mr.. Doty,
putting both hands on his knees, and
staring hard at the blazing logs.
"WhatP'
"I'll 60 to New York myself and see
the child" said Uncle David. g 1t may
be they're actually suffering. Anyhow,
I'll take my handbook along, and do
what / can for 'em."
"Weu," said Aunt Pandora, Ell
think it would be a good plan. And
you can take along some of these fresh
crullers and pair of dressed fowls,
and some Of the red Baldwin apples in
your carpet-bag. If it wasn't for my
rheumatism, I'd be glad of the chance
te go along myself. Only to think that
we haven't either of us seen Evelyn
since she married that store-clerk and
went to the city to live"
And so Uncle David Doty started off
in the orange glow of the first day of
all the New Year, and walked to the
railway station while the sunrise was
yet turning the snowy landscape to a
sheet of diamonds.
y 1t was long and tedious ride, but
what cared the old gentleman as he sat
there, with the well filed carpet-bag
beside him and basket of apples be-
yond-such apples as little Evelyn had
been won't to love as a child, when she
had climbed the orchard wall and,
nestled in the high grass under the
trees. And when he finally reached
the great depot, it seemed as if he were
actually stepping into pandemonium.
"Never was in such noisy place be-
fore in my life" thought Uncle David,
as he made his way through the crowd.
sAnd how the New Yorkers do stare"
For, in truth and in fact, Uncle
David Doty presented a sufficiently
strong contrast to those around him to
induce people to turn and look the
second time. Six feet high, with
complexion rosy as fall pear, long
white beard reaching nearly to the
waist, and shaggy fur overcoat, he
strobe along with the basket in one
hand and the bag in the other, inquir-
ing his way with a persistency which
would have done credit to a second
Christopher Columbus in search of
new Western continent. And it was
lust noon when Uncle David at last
found himself in East Barron street.
MY man," said he to a policeman
who was trying to keep himself warm
by vigorously slapping his arms across
his chest " which is No. 99?"
Ninety-nine?n said the policeman
% halfway down the block-that big
house with the blinds all closed"