Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-17
The sick woman could not forebear a

Inc Aick NOfflHn coulu not fOTebcaf II
smile "Ah, but there are no men, no
fools here In this remote corner we
see no one, and the poor child taken
up with nursing me and tied To sick
room, has made no acquaintances IL
is killing me to see her young life sacri-
feed and to think of the future"
The mothers tears began To flow
Her hearer, never very amiably inclined
toward the weaker sex, or, at least in
its company, increased his quarterback
pacings in much discontinue as these
symptoms of water works turned ON
became apparent. His hurried stops
soon subsided, however, TO steady
march up and down the little drawing
room, while with frowning brow and
occasional chucklcs, he seemed TO be
concocting some scheme. After few
minutes he came To n sudden halt be
fore the invalid's sofa Can the girl
act - he asked, abruptly.
Act How do you mean? /"
"Oh, you needn't look frightened ;
e" I'm not going to propose sending her
to the Gaiety or the Criterion
Well, except in the little make be-
licye plays and drcssings-up that chill
drcn delight in all children are, think,
actors born" ["Ay, and men and women
too" growled the cynicl T." except that
sort of thing she never has seen or had
any opportunity of acting Why do you
ask :?
And in reply her brother unfoldcd the
plan he had been concocting namely,
that his niece, laying aside her "trip
perry and her trinkcts and other girls
nonsense" WAS to put on the mourning
garb and act the part Of widow, in
which assumed character she was to
come to stay with him in his London
home.
But | don't understand
"And you're not wanted to under
stand" he snarled ITS my whim,
and it may be for the girls advantage.
II she's willing, and can hold her tongue.
I'll come back for her when she's ready.
And I'll pay for her outfit Grape and
weepers. Ho, ho, hor
When the first surprise at her uncles
strange proposition was over, the young
girl jumped eagerly at the prospect Of
change from the dull home she never
yet hal left. She was Young and
spirited; Mt an age when love Of va
ricty and longing to sec the world and
plunge into its unknown delights are
natural. The playing the widow she
thought wonld bc excellent fun. There
was a spice Of adventure in it, and il
would be like the private thcatricals
and acting charades she had read of and
imagined so pleasant. The old gentle
mans reasons for wishing her TO do 40
was a puzzle but then who could won
der at anything he did, absurd oddity
that he was Perhaps it WAS Ia avoid
having TO provide a chapcron for her
he hated ladies' 80, elderly ones cs-
pecially.
The result Of the scheme We have
seen; and the scheme itself was what its
originator proceeded TO diyulgc to the
would-bc husband when that individual
presented himself with considerable
misgiving aud agitation on the appointed
morning.
" As the lady has not turned out to bc
what you took her for, is not in fact. a
widow, perhaps the whole matter may
he of. A disappointment, no doubt"
wound up the uncle with one of his
grim chuckles; "but twas only right
to tell You in time Young man. il you
can pardon the deceit, take her"
Well" exclaimed the young man to
his fiancee, when, all things cleared up
and satisfactorily arranged, the engaged
pair were talking over the queer cir
cumstance that had brought them to-
gethcr, always knew your uncle was
eccentric, but this surpasses anything
| could have imagined even of him"