Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-01-29
voice attracted aim, perhaps, and

/ girl thrust the bonnet into Uncle
Able's hands, and would have
been out of sight il her dress had
not caught on one of the branch
ing stands, and held her fast.
Amy" and John Dare, with q
hot flush on his face, caught her
hand aud so detained her,
Amy Egoert have j found you at
last ?"
The girls face grew white and
red by turns. and the words she
spoke came so low and broken that
| only JOAN could catch their mean
ing.
Uncle Abel pushed his specta-
Giles up on his forehead, still hold
ing the hat in his hand, looked
open mouthed from one to the
other.
81 guess you must have kDowed
| this young woman, afore, didn't
your" he said ; but John was too
busy with eager questions, and
Amy was trembling and flushing
as she tried to speak calmly, and
so his question was unanswered.
Pretty Josie was dividing her at
tention between a new customer
| and the strange scene beside her,
and between angar and mortifica-
ton she looked in no need of help
from rouge, as she tossed her head
and muttered various uncourteous
remarks in regard to that Amy
Egbert and her beau.
Uncle Abel held the hat awhile
longer quite patiently, but o: last
despaired of the interview being
ended, so he coughed and then
said:
"I'll take this bonnet. Twenty
dollars is good deal. Betsey's
worth 1t, amt she john"
John need not have started so,
or said "very,' which wasn't
sensible answer at all but Uncle
Abel laughed little to himself,
and said, softly, "Oh, boys will
DO boys!' and he was obliged to
tell Miss Egbert the direction over
twice, too, and felt quite uneasy
lest it should not arrive at his ho-
tel in time.
Outside the door John turned to
leave his uncle, and looked as shy
as girl,as he said: TITS all right,
Uncle Abel. You've found new
bonnet, and I've found an old
friend"
Uncle Able held his hand fast,
and looking moment, without
| speaking, in the young mans
eyes, said "She's motherless
girl, john"
| "Uncle Abel !" and John turned
apgrily away, or would have done
so if the OBTAINING hand had not
held with a grasp which sixty
years had not weakened. "Look
here, my boy; / meant no offense.
None of my blood turn villains"
he added, proudly; "but you see
she's young and purity and forlorn,
and may be, if you see too much
of her, she might get to thinking
more of you than would be good
for her, and if you amt In earnest
/ guess it would break her heart.
Shake hands with your Uncle, my
boy, / mean no harm; but prom
ised Liza whom she was on her
dying bed that / would always try
to give you good advice, and the
last words almost that she spoke,
says she, Abel, watch over my
boy"
my dear, kind uncle, 1 thank
you-indeed l do-for all your
kindness, but | could not bear to
think that you should misjudge
me. / knew Amy long ago, when
her parents were both living, and
she had all that wealth could give.
| loved her then in quiet way,
but | was too poor to tell her SO.
Then came reverses and death,
and in her poverty and pride the
the girl hid herself from me reso-
lutely until now. She tried to
earn her bread by her accomplish
ments, but failed, and gladly took
this means to do so. Now, ii / can
win her for my wife, | shall bring
Mrs, John Dare to zee you some
fine day this summer-may !,
Uncle Able ?"
So they parted, and the passer-
by little dreamed of all that had
been said.
"Wa'al. wa'al, If things don't
turn out queer soliloquized Uncle
Abel, homeward bound, with
bandbox placed on the seat before
him. ITO think how near / come
to gettin' one of them gypsies for
Betsey. Why she would have
laughed q week about it. And
then to think that painted pictur
of girl was making game Of me
all that while.
Sand then the other one, with
her gentle way, taking the trouble
to tell stupid fellow like me what