The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-11-26
OUR UNCLE EPHRAIM.

"Oh, dear me it does look sort OF
dilapidated, said Mrs. Angelina Spark
ler, surveying the high, old, rambling
villa, which was to be her future home.
II hope it won't tumble over"
This old balcony looks picturesque,
but it's horrid damp, and there's lot of
fungus growing out OF the edges OBJ
served Miss Cassandra, kicking over
chunky toad-stool with the toe of her
delicate boot.
"Ah, well" sighed Mrs. SpNrkler, sit
ting down upon tue side of tie trunks
the porter had Just brought in, and fold
ing her hands with detected resignation,
Il suppose poor creatures in reduced cir
cumstnnces like us ought to be glad to
have any kind of roof over our heads. ;"
That's all stnfF y returned G tssandra,
finging her hat and parasol upon a sofa.
1--WE amt glad, are we ?"
"Sav, Cnss, see that house across the
hedge?' demanded Miss TheodGa Spark
Ter, flnttering in the room, and pointing
through the window to stately resi-
dence, whose grounds adjoined their own.
Il suppose I've got eyes," retorted
Cassandra, ''and suppose it's very com
forting to see an elegant mansion like
that so close to our antediluvian ark"
Hold on, lemme tell you. ran on her
sister, talking SO fast she could not take
time to pronounce her words properly.
"Our girl told me that its owned by a
fearfully rich old bachelor"
Goodness sakes why didn't you say
so?'
"Keep still for q moment, Cass. He
isn't home now, but will be home this
fall"
Here third young lady came flying
in, with her hat tumbling off backward,
and began to talk before Theodore could
finish her sentence.
"Who do you thiuk's over at that house
across the hedgef' she demanded, dane
ing about until she tripped up on her
skirt and fell over fower-pot "Guess
guess | saw him"
"The rich old bachelor" cried Cas-
sandra and Theodore, in breath, and
Cassandra added tartly: "You always do
get the start of us, Coral, you little
mink p
"'Twasn't the rich old bachelor. He
hasn't come home yet" answered Coral.
ut was Laurance Harley. was prowl-
ing around in our garden to see what /
could discover, and the garden over there
joins it, and he came out of the house
and saw me, and came right down, said
he knew me by the way my hat was tilted
up on an edge, and he says he's thought
of us SO often and wondered where We
We're"
"Good gracious !" uttered Chssandrn.
my patience T. chirped Theodore.
"Dear, dear how 1t brings up old
times /" murmured Mrs. Sparkler-
"when we were somebodies in the world
aud society was glad to know us. It's O
wonder Larrance isn't married by this
time. But then, he was always careless
creature and never cared for any one in
particular.
Don't be too certain" quoth Miss
Casstu 'ra, tossing her tawny auburn
brdids consciously. III he hadn't moved
away 20 suddenly and left all our friends
in the lurch-"
"What il he didn't" broke in Theo-
dor', arehins her pretty eyebrows satir-
icly,
"Don't let your conceit run away with
you, cass. If 1 only hadn't fiirted SO
with that dreadful Major"
But oh, dear me-" Mrs. Sparklier
was beginning her lamentations.
II dare say Laurence won't care to
come and see us now since our fortunes
are so fallen"
"oh yes, he will. cried Coral. That
don't make bit of difference. And his
fortune has fallen, too. He-he's the
rich bachelors head gardener now"
Head gardener" exploded Mrs. Cas-
sGndra.
"Head gardenerl" walled Miss Theo-
dora,
Yes, assented Coral in half fright
ened tone; "but 1 don't see as it makes
such terrible deal of difference. After
his father failed, Laurence felt as if he
ought to do something to help him, and
couldn't pick and ohoose-had to do
what he could-and it Was this or moth
ing. He's helping his father now and