Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-31
DR.. JEX'S PREDICAMENT.

1t was the funniest thing that | ever
saw in my life. Cruikshank would have
gloricd in it. ! wish had him here TO
illustrate that scene with the spirited
vigor that only his dancing pencil gives
1t was in Kentucky that it happened
that pleasant land of bluegrass and to-
bacco, and fine stock, with fne-teethed
girls. Mabel, my sister, had married
Dick Hucklestone, and they had begun
life in great contentment and n little
three-roomed house scarcely big enough
to hold the bridal presents. But they
were happy, hearty, healthy. They had
two cows, ice-cream every day, charm
ing baby, and Uncle Brimmer Who
shall say that their cup was not full 2
Indeed, they thought it full before Uncle
ponderous rosc-leaf. He was one of our
old family servants, who fondly believed
that Miss Mabel and her young husband
would never be able to get on without
him. He walked all the way from Mis-
sissippi to Kentucky, with his things
tied mp in a meal sack, and presented
himself before Mabel, announcing af-
fably that he had come to "stay on"
"But l haven't any place for your
Uncle Brimmer," said Mabel, divided
between hospitality and embarrassment
"Lor, honey, you kin jes' tuck me
aroun anywhar, / don't take up no
room"
Mabel looked thoughtfully upon the
big, brown, gray-whiskcred old negro,
whose proportions were those of Her
cules, and shook her head. "You are
not a Tom Thumb, Uncle Bnmmer."
"No, ma'am," said he, submissiyely,
"but I've got his spirit Couldn't
sleep in de kitchen, honey he went on,
with insinuating sweetness.
d" No, indeed, cried our young house
keeper; Il put my foot down on any
body sleeping in the kitchen
Aunt Patsey, the cook, stood by, bal
ancing a pan Of flour on her hand.
suspected her Of personal interest in
the matter, and indeed she aftcrward
acknowledged that she Thought Uncle
Brimmcr's coming would prove a "bless-
in to her feet Those feet Of hers had
been saved many steps through the ser
vice of her tcu-ycar-old daughter Nancy
Palmim Kate-called Nanky Pal, for
short But Of late Nanky's services had
been called into requisition as a nurse,
and Aunt Patsey, who was fat and scan.
of breath, thought she had too much to
do; and so she viewed with evident de
light the stalwart proportions of our
good-naturcd giant from the South"
Oars de lof, Miss Mabel" she sug
gested
"It's too small, and is cluttered up
with things already"
"Oh, sho, chile, dar amt nothin' in
dat lof 'eep do 'taters, an de peppers,
an de dried apples, an some strings o
terbacker, an de broken plow, an some
odds an ends o. de chillen's an Lucy
Crittenden's pups. Lor, dAr amt moth
in ter speak Of in de lof."
He can't get in at the window" said
Mable, shifting her ground.
"Lemme try," said Uncle Brimmer.
The kitchen was small log cabin
some distance from the house-''in good
hollerin' reach" to quote Aunt Patsey.
Above il was low room, or loft, crowded
with the miscellaneous articles cnumer-
ated. The only way Of getting into il
was from the outside. A ladder against
tho side Of the cabin admitted one,
through little window, no larger, am
sure, than that Of q railway coach, into
this storehouse of treasures. Nanky
Pal, who was AZ slim ~ snake, was
zzually selected TO fetch and carry
ARgh the small aperture. But Uncle
pretty sho l lin do it," he said,