Daily Republican., 1881-10-28
"We are only mortal" pleaded Uncle

we are only morsai, piossuou o1cl'
Black.
81 expect every one around me to live
to their conditions" said Joscelind.
Uncle Black ate the rest of his break.
fast with but little appetite. Sylvia,
the house maid, WAN finishing dustipg
his library ~ he entered 1t.
"Not through YETI" growled Uncle
Black, the fretwork of wrinkles once
more coming into his brow
"Sylvia," said Miss Darkridge,
severely, "Ifthis happens again, shall
dispense with your services' Look at
that clock! Is this the time of day to be
dawdling about the rooms with broom
and duster? Remember that Mr.. Black
does rot pay you exorbitant wages to be
in bod until noon"
"My dear, said Uncle Black, "Syl
via is generally u very good girl, if
Dear Uncle" Interrupted Joscelind,
"pray permit me to be the judge Of
these matters. You have ruled your
! household with slack aud indulgent
hand altogether too long. shall now
institute d reform"
And poor Sylvia had never moved
about 20 hriskly as she did that day.
Old John the gardener was not exempt
from his share in the general turmoil.
Miss Darkri ridge chancei to overhear
her uncle reproaohing the old man for
some fancied neglect Of the flower beds,
whose diamonds, ovals and crescents of
b.iliant colors were the pride OF his
horticultural heart, ard she came
promptly to his aid.
Gardening, indeed. Doyou call this
gardening?' she said. "Uncle Black,
| IN astonished that you should keep
such man about the place.
And tho torrent Of taunts and re-
proaches which she showered upon the
lucklcss head of poor old John was
enough, as that individual observed, "to
make ones flesh creep"
"My niece IL a young lady ofspirit and
energy" apologized Mr. Black, when
at last Joscelind had gone back to the
house.
"verra like you, ,sir-verra like you,"
said old John, scratching his head.
Like me' said Mr.. Black, slowly.
And he stood for full five minutes,
quite speechless and motlonless, star
ing down at the mossy rin of an
ancient sun dial, half sunk in the vel.
v"ty grass. And at the end of five
minutes he spoke two other words,
aud only two:
"Like--me!"
'There's no KNOWN the matter, he's
80 changed ~ said Betty, in the
kitchen, 4 week or - after. "He's as
mild as a lamb and a. peaceable as q
kitten
Sure. isn't that just what the young
lady told W" said Sylvia, "when she
came down into the kitchen that first
morning before tks fire was lighted,
and told US she was goin' to try an ex-
pertinent, and we wasn't to mind a
word, cause it WAS all by contraries.
'He don't know what his temper AS
got to be, said she, and I'm going to
show him. And, bless her sweet
heart, her plan has worked like a
clIarm.'
1t had, in good truth. Uncle Black
was changed man. And Joscelind
had relapsed into the original sunshine
OF her t-mper-and all the domestic !,
wheels of Black Grange seemed to re-
volve on velvet.
But Uncle Black took all the credit
to himself. He never knew that Jo4ce-
lind had taught him IL lesson.
ave get along very picely," said he,
"now hat my niece has subdued those
little tenpers of hers.
Aud Joscelinu was his heiress and |
darling after all, and he will always
Eeliayt, IT, MAS he " hO .fOrme,l her char. |
acter."