Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1881-07-15
UNCLE MALkCHrS MONEY


zA agh their green calyxes, and th,'
IS on the upland pastures as soft and
fhelicately-tinted as velvet; and even
poor Mrs. Crofton, wearied and over
worked though she was, felt something
lgt the sweet spring influences pass into
her soul, as she stood on the door-sill.
puttering bake-pan for the Saturday
loaf Of raisin cake.
ITS lovely day !" said Mrs. Crofton.
"And somehow the smell O. them daily
downdillies reminds me of when | was
giri. Dear, dear how time flies, to-
be-sure But there's touch of chill
IN the air, all the same; and doubt if
lts safe for Uncle Malachi to sit out
much longer"
And she went, bake-pan and all.
around the corner of the house. to the
paved space in front of the south wing,
where, in a wooden armchair. sat a
little old man, yellowfaced and wrin
kled, with one-sided wig pulled over
his left eye. patchwork covered pillow
at his back, and a wooden blanket
wrapped around him.
you'd better let me wheel You in.
Uncle Malachi" said she, listlessly.
"It's getting sort O chilly, as the sun
shifts round to the other side of the
house and you've been out here good
hour"
~ won't go inl' said Uncle Malachi,
Best tilInB 4 s5tfe1- ID $50 slt.-b9r ,2lld~ In
be satisfied to let me alone. Miles
Larkens' son was by here not ten min
ates ago, chattering and cackling about
the weather What business of his is
the weather? And why the old cat
can't he let me alone? Does he s'pose
don't know he's arter the little bit OF
money I may leave? Bah !" with a
movement of disgust. 81 can tell 'em
all they won't get cent of it -
Mrs. Crofton's dim eyes lighted up
with CLEAN of excitement.
"Uncle Malachi, said she, chow much
money have you got, anyhow"
The old man screwed up his withered
features, like an attenuated monkey.
"Ah-h-h!" said he; "don't you wish
you knew? But you don't know. No,
nor you WON'T P'raps it's fifty cents
-p'raps it's fifty dollars. Anyhow it's
nobody's business but mine. Nettie will
have it. | shall tell Nettie where it is
some day. But not yet-no, 20, not
yetW
"Won't you let me wheel your chail
in, Uncle Malachi % persisted Mrs
/ Crofton
! ''No, snarled the old man, ''I won't =
Mrs. Crofton was quite used to thi;
4 - It OF rebuff, and took no notice of it
she only went back to her kitchen, will
5eii yessrH ago. she and her HUSBAND
had given up their homestead to com
and take care of Uncle Malachi Miller
who was supposed, then, to be dying G
old age.
"Whatever have will be yours whe
I'm gone, said the old man "and
won't be long-it won't be long!"
But Uncle Malachi's words proved il
correct. The years passed by. Mr.
Crofton wore herself out in taking cal
of him Mr.. Crofton grew bent and ol
trying to grind living out of the ston
fields and melancholy swamps of I'll
Miller farm and Nettie, the tall, bloom
ing daughter, attempted to exc out IL
family funds by her slender salary as
school teacher; and Uncle Malachi s.
on the old stone pavement in the SUI
shine, muttering to himself, and seer
, ing to take no heed of the outer worl
When Mr.. Crofton came in to get b
dinner he went for Uncle Malachi.
"He's been settin' out there lo1
enough, said he "he's dreadful tria
but we mustn't let him get the rheul
atiz."
But when they went together to t
sunny, stone-paved yard, the old nj
sat there, quite dead, with his glaz
eyes staring straight before him and /
jaw dropped on his breast.
"Dead, eh?" the neighbors col
mented IN eshlorus. ssWell, / s'pose you
J s'''s * < suppose We .I..sl.s.@ 49,, - :.
/ Crofton, feebly; 'only nobody Ahsl
: whore it is
II It was true. The wrinkled, little, {
human magpie had kept his secret
the last, and his niece and her daugh
were as poor as ever.
! 'Never mind, mother" said Nett
i, bravely. "We'ye done our duty, q
r that's all that can be expected of any
P u.s."
ry In Uncle Malachl's old leather-strapl
W memorandum book there was only \
< low bit of paper, on which was mari
n n the figure IS"
. "Couldn't we make some sort {
clue out of thatY said young Doc
Drew, the village Esculapius, who
= to marry pretty Nettie, when they
scraped together money enough to k
them out of the poorhouse.
! "No," said Mrs. Crofton, shaking
D head. "Three was always Uncle NJ
' chi's fayorite number. He put off
business until the third day of
lse lse month if he wanted especial good lu
,si ad he was born on the Sd of Janus