Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-12-20
Uncle SilaS' Christmas Gift.
CHAPTER I.

Among the varied expressions of which
the human face is capable, there is per-
haps none more beautiful than that which
lights the countenance Of busy man AS he
stops to read n letter from some loving
woman, be it daughter, wife or mother.
SO as Philip Farley stood reading the
letter Just handed him in the Office of the
hotel at Milwaukee where he was staying,
one would have pronounced him almost Il
handsome man, though there was only n
plain, honest manly face, with the love.
light in the steady brown eyes. Looking
over his shoulder, this is what we read
making the story-leller's necessity an
excuse for The rudeness thereof
There is the outline Of IL chubby child
sh hand, with oulspread fingers and
extended thumb.
Here is Myrtie's mark. with kiss
from within it for papa Philip rs she
calls you now. Queer little Myrlic She
seems to be absorbed in studying our
erratic language, and guided only hy her
ear makes all sorts of ode sp.ech,s. She
astonished poor grandpa last week by ask
ing him. at the conclusion of the blessing
at the dinner table, grandpa why don't
you say "a boys sometimes? you always
say Amen
You should have seen grandpa lay
down his knife and fork, and look at her
over the tops of his glasses.
Bridget came TO me yesterday with a
complaint that Miss Myrtle was turning
round and round like atop
Sure enough, there she was walking
r,unI iiopra IL, Ihn nlr,ot
though walking for II wager.
"Why. Myrtle, said |, don't do so,
you II get dizzy,
oh, will IT, said She, aud thea she
went on faster than ever. 4 want to get
it lust like grandma Didn't she have the
di2zen,ery, and didn't you say she got it
going round 100 much; and didn't she
have splendid things TO eat, cruel and
jellyP I'm gon' round till | get diz
zentary too, and III have jelly and Cruel
To dav she announces that Miwauki lie
is so called because everybody walks out
there; so if you see her coming on foot
some line day you need not be surprised
at all. We are counting the days before
Christians time when you will come home
to us ouco more, most eagerly. have a
long snaY of ivy cut from the vine. and
laid by Mvrtie's little bed 1t b. iJlst as
many ieoyas rs there are days before that
time, ami very nigh the little hand pulls
off one leaf before she says her prayer. g
Philip trley was not ashamed. great
bearded fellow though he was, TO kiss the
print of the BAH Hand softly before he
folded the letter up AMI put in his pocket
everything his hear, where through all the
worries of business mans day, it seemed
TO whisper gentle, loving words TO cheel
him onward. 1t was only now and then
that he remembered the short postscript
which was added to Mary's letter: 81 have
seen nothing Of Uncle Silas."
Then he thought sadly of the stern and
hard old man, who yet had loved him
dearly through falherless boyhood
befriending him with he p and home until
the pretty teacher in the school hed so
bewildered Philips honest heart that ht
had dared the wrath of Uncle Sias, and
married the gentle little creature whom
he loved so well. Since his marriage day
Uncle Silas had turned away from Philips
offered hand, was deaf to Philips voice
as though he spoke not. and So lived on
his ionely life as ne did in the days before
his nephew came 10 him.
mo objection to the GIRL" he said
gruilly once, "but he needn't have made q
fool Of himself, getting married with
notbin' year to speak OF. We done with
him. Wouldn't listen to me. There was
Millow's only daughter, over at The
Falls ready to have him any minute
fifty thousand clear to start on; and the
confounded fool tied himself to Il pretty
face and nothin.' Well, they can Dob
out for themselves. Shan't have any o
my money any way And as he said this
10 himself, he buttoned his coat up tight
as though he would keep down any weak
ness of heart underneath.
That was five years ago. Olher friend:
had stretched out helping hands to the
young man, and he now held place thai
brought him present comfort and future
promise, his happiness only marred by
frequent absences from the happy home
which "the pretty teacher" guided well