The Red Cloud chief., 1882-01-19
UNCLE EPHRAIM.

"Oh, lear me! IL does 100 sort OF
dilapidated." said Mrs. Angelina Spark
Ter. surveying the high, old, rambling
villa, which was TO be her future home.
IL hope it won't tumble over"
This old balcony looks picturesque;
but it's horrid damp, and there's a lot
of fungus growing out of the edge" OBJ
served Miss Cassandra, kicking Over a
chunky toad-stoOl with the toe of her
delicate boot.
"Ah, wellr' sighed Mrs. Sparklcr,
sitting down upon n of the trunks
the porter had Just brought in, and
folding her hands with detected resig-
nation, II suppose poor creatures in
reduced circumstances like us ought TO
be glad to have any kind of roof over
our heads"
That's all stuffr' returned Cassan-
dra, fiinging her hat and parasol upon o
sofa, I've ami glad, are weP"
.Say, CasS, see that house across the
hedge?" demanded Miss Theodore
Sparklcr, fluttcring into the room, and
pointing through the window to state
ly residence. whose grounds adjoined
their own.
Il suppose I've got eyes" retorted
Miss Cassandra; land l suppose it's
very comforting to see al elegant man.
sion like that SO close to our antcdilu-
vian ark"
Hold on! lemmc tell you," ran on
her sister, talking SO fast she could not
take time to pronounce her words prop
crly. Our girl told me that it owned
by a fearfully rich old bachelor"
Goodness sakes! why didn't you
say 500"
keep still for a moment, Cass. He
isn't home now, but will be home this
fall -
Here n third young lady came flying
in, with herhat tumbling off backwards,
and began totalk before Theodore could
finish her sentence.
.Who do you thinks over ut that
house across the heGge?" she demand
ed. dancing about until she tripped up
on her skirt and fell over n flOwer-pot.
.'Guess-guess! l saw him"
The rich old bachelor?" cried Cas-
sandra and Theodore, in a breath; and
Cassandra added, tartly: ''You always
do get the start of us. Coral. you little
minxr'
".'Twasn't the rich old bachelor. He
hasn't come home yet" answered
Coral. 1T was Laurence Harley. 1
sprowling around in our garden TO
see what l could discover. and the gar
den 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 edge. and
he says he's thought of us so often and
wondered where we were"
GOOD graciouSm uttered CasSan-
dra-
my patiencer chirped Theodore
Dear dear, how it brings up old
timesr' murmured Mrs. Sparkler-
..when we were somebodies in the
world and society was glad to know
us. It's a wonder Laurence isn't
married by this time. But, then. he
was always a careless creature and
never cared for any one in particular"
Don't be too certain" quoth Miss
Cassandra, tossing her tawny auburn
braids consciously. IF we hadn't
moved away so suddenly and left all
our friends in the lurch--"
"What if we HADN'T" broke in Miss
Theodore, arching her jetty eyebrows.
satirically. Don't let your conceit
run away with you, Cass. If l only
hadn't ilirted 10 with that dreadful
Major"
"But, oh. dear mel" Mrs. Sparkler
was beginning her lamentations. Il
dare say Laurence won't are to come
and see us now since u fortunes are
so fallen"
"Oh, yes, he willr' cried Coral.
THAT don't make q bit of difference.
And his fortunes are fallen. too. He
he's the rich bachelors head-gardener
now"
"Head gardener" gasped Mrs.
Sparkler.
Head gardener" exploded Miss
Cassandra-
Theodore.
Yes" assented Coral, in a half
frightened tone: .'but I don't see as it
makes such aterrible deal of difference.
After his father failed, he felt he ought
to do something to help him, and
couldn't pick and choose had to do
what he could-and it was this or
nothing. He's helping his father now
and saving money, and says he will do
better In time"
"For mercy's sake, hushr' groaned
Mrs. Sparkler. 81 hope you didn't ask
him to call. Coral?'
.If she did, l trust he'll have better
sense than to do it." said Cassandra,
holding her head very high in the air.
''It would be q fine thing, when the
ownerof that house comes home, to find
rs on intimate terms with his head
~ar1euerr
dare say he asked herif he couldn't
nat In Theodore HE always