The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-04-22

10y SOu PerCcisS, lay my eS8s
-Harvard Crinses
PEGGY.
A good many years ago was invited
by my Uncle Peter to spend q month OF
30 at his place in Steepletown. I had
never seen my uncle in my life, to nv
recollection; and from what had heard
my mother, who was his own sister, say
of him on different occasions, was not
at all anxious to make his acquaintance.
He had always been represented as an
eccentric old bachelor, who had impris-
oned himself for life in large house in
q little country town, and was never
seen nor heard of by any of his relations.
The letter which conveyed the invitation
to me, however, brought back many
pleasant memories of my uncle Peter
to my mothers mind. But could not
help thinking that these were only re-
vived for my benefit, especially as my
mother now avoided any disagreeable
reference to her brother; and the mark
of my uncle's favor did not give me
such pleasure as it did my parents, who
did nothing else but talk of the grand
prospects before me from the time the
invitation arrived till the day the visit
was paid. The prospects seemed to me
anything but cheerful.
Uncle Peter was not the man ex-
pected to find him. When the servant
carried my name up to him on nv ARR
val at his house, I became quite fright
ened as sat in the drawing-rO room wait
ing for him to make his appearance. II
he had suddenly sprung through
the floor or dropped from the cell
ing, should not have been more
surprised than / was when he opened
the door and walked into the room !;
for, instead of the wicked old monster
had expected to meet, I found myself
face to face with man who was every
thing man should be-except hus-
band.
Ny uncle was bachelor, and bach
elor by conviction. That is to say, he
might have married long enough ago if
he had so minded, without having turned
single blessedness into married misery,
for he was quite rich enough to keep a
wife; SO rich was he, indeed, that there
were few girls who would have had the
heart-inasmuch as the heart enters in
to the contract-to have refused him
even when he was old and gray, as he
was at the time my story begins. He
told me as much himself before we had
been many hours together. But the
songs OF the syren, he gave me to un-
derstand, had no charm for him; he
had no ear for that kind of music. He
told me confdentially that he had only
loved one woman, except his mother
and he hoped loved my mother; and
suppose he took it for granted that I
did, for he did not give me time to say
80, but went on to observe that he had
never loved but one woman in the whole
of his life.
When I asked him sympathetically
why he had not married her, he laughed
outright in my face.
"For the simplest reason in the world,
my boy" he said, clapping his hands
heavily on my shoulders. "Because- -
"Because she refused you," sug-
gested, gravely. I certainly did not see
anything to laugh at in that, but my un-
Gle took it as very fine joke.
He explained to me that the lady in
question was his niece; and, as did
not know what to say to that, inquired
meekly whether she was still alive.
"She's your Cousin Tabitha, boy, :"
cried my uncle. 9EE M : 5
"Cousin Tabitha-of counsel" re-
piled. I thought my uncle expected me
TO answer him, and did not know what
else to say. ~ =.
"Nicest little woman in the world !;
dearest little woman in existence !;
sweetest little woman in CREATION" con-
tinued my uncle. g <. - 6
els She --
I was going to say "pretty," for I
felt an increasing interest in my charm
ing cousin; but hesitated, for fear my
uncle had not mentioned beauty with her
other attractions for some reason of his
own.
els she whatp'' said nv uncle, sharp
", in q tone which implied that he was
ready to give me any information re-
ssIs she reallyP'@ I returned, limo
Gently.
My uncle then gave me second edi-
ton of her praises, with additions, and
observed that should soon be able
to Judge for myself. Cousin Tabitha,
I concluded, was also staying with my
uncle. .sss -, -.
"And speaking of women,p says he,
ST suppose we shall have to get you q
wife presently fa,i.., ..s.,,,
1 remarked that should no doubt be
able to get one for myself, It struck
me then that my uncle intended me to
marry my Cousin Tabitha. turned
that idea over in my mind as I dressed
for dinner. 1 meet my cousin for the
first time under my uncls's roof;
my uncle represents her to me in
glowing colors; she is al his
fancy paints her; I fall in love
with her, marry her, inherit my uncle's
fortune: this Is the train OF thought
which runs through, my head - Istand
before my looking glass. I am very
careful in the selection of . tie, and un-
usually long over my hair. was pre-
pared to fall in love with my cousin 1t
fret c;pht and with nv heart haAfin0