Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-10-14

1eS, l know" said Rachel
glaneing around with Frightening
eyes. "That is a very choice rost
! by the window if it was only prop
erly trained"
It's rather lonesome" said Uncle
/ Ben.
81 like the country" Rachel an.
swered hopefully.
As she spoke a slipshod cid we,
man came to let them in, and led
the way to the best room, a green
curtained apartment with a shabby
carpet on the floor, and a fire in the
CRATE that gave out far more smoke
than heat.
"Smokey chimneys, eh? ?" said
Uncle Ben.
"The draft seems to be poor, +"
said Rachel, "but | dare say it can
be altered"
ST hadn't any idea the ceilings
were so low," grumbled the old
man.
"It's partly the effect of the large
pattern of the wall paper" said
Rachel, with a glance at the red
and green monstroslties. ga mar
row striped pattern will improve
it,"
"What queer little cupboards by
the side of the mantel," said Uncle
Ben.
go, they will be nice for our best
china," said Rachel.
"Mr DEAR" said the old gentle
man, 81 believe you are determin-
ed to be pleased. Do you think you
shall really like this place ?''
81 shall, like any place where
Hugh is" she said brightly.
She went all over the old house
with the old gentleman planning
improvements and suggesting and
contrivIng, until he really began to
think she would make an arcadia
out of the tumble-down old place.
And if she shed few tears on her
pillow when she went to rest under
the caves, in an apartment which
must have been intended for Tom
Thumb, Uncle Benedict never sus-
pected it.
There was carriage at the door
when Rachel arose from her break
fast of bread, butter and coffee the
next morning.
"Come, lass" said Uncle Ben, 81
want to show you place further up
the road, which has been taken by
a friend of mine"
The drive and the delicious Sep
tember air had cheering effect on
the wearied little bride, and an ex-
quisite picture awaited her in a little
villa with rose clad bay windows
and sloping roof. Rustic chairs
stood under the dropping branches
Of the elms upon the lawn, a marble
cupid, holding a carved shell scat
cred bright rain into a fiower-bor-
Tered basin directly in front of the
gate.
"Oh, how beautiful ~ cried Rach-
1l.
"You like the appearance ?"
go, yes, tits beautiful"
"Come in, my dear, and see how |
you like the interior" said the old |
serenely.
l t was perfect from the drawing
'oom with its superb Brussels car
)et and exquisite silk hangings, to
he chambers, all in white and pink,
md the fair conservatory, all |
tocIed with cammelias, heliotrope
md rare fuchsias.
"It is like fairy-land," cried
Rachel, enthusiastically. "Do tell
ne, Uncle Ben, who is to live
lere."
Uncle Ben turned round and
aced her.
"You, my dear"
"Hugh and ?"
"ro be sure"
"But, Uncle" gasped Rachel,
Iuite overcome by this unexpected
ortune, 1.-THE other house"
"That was only a little joke of
nine. This is a real home, and
i've it to you with ali the more
,leasure that you were disposed to
make the best of the bad bargain
'ou thought you were in for. My
'ossess is worth thousand hous-
S."
And Rachel felt something like
drop of warm rain on her cheek
s Uncle Ben stopped to kiss her.
When Hugh came home to find
lis little wife on the veranda, all
smiles to greet him, he
"Why, Uncle Ben, this
perfect casket !"
"But none too good for the little
ewel that inhabits it," said Uncle
zen.
And Hugh knew that his young
life had won the old gentleman's
cart.