The Red Cloud chief., 1882-01-19

Not ouiy tndt. rctOrteQ SOrai,
"but he asked me if he couldn't marry
me as well. He meant to ask me that
last night, before we moved. but We
got interrupted, and the next day we
were gone; and his folks got into
trouble right awav after-so he thought
he'd wait till he was in q better posi-.
ton before hunting us up. But now
that he found me, he said, he must tell
me, anyway, and"
1.-The saints preserve usr" choked
Mrs. Sparkler. on the verge of fainting.
"What-oh, what did you say?'
"Well-I kind of said yes, if you
didn't all object too strongly"
The exclamation that interrupted her
convinced Coral pretty thoroughly that
they all did object very strongly, and
made her wish devoutly, for a minute,
that she had been Uorn without any
ears.
"You will never have my consent
while the world SPINS" wound up Mrs.
Sparkler.
CaSsandra and Theodore.
And Coral, quite persuaded in her
own mind that the world might as well
come to an end as at any other
time. curlcd down into n little bunch
behind the curtains and cried till her
handkerchief was soaked.
Late in the evening. a little, old gen.
tlcman, in 4 tall, woody cap and a pair
of painfully brilliant s~pectacles, stood
on the step Of the Sparkler residence
and rang the bell violently: and when
the door was opened by the girl. Mrs.
Sparkler, who. was peeTing down the
staircase in the dim light, exclaimed to
the two Misses Sparkler behind her:
"Oh, it's Uncle Ephraimf" and ran
down stairs into his arms, with the two
young ladies at her heels, in n state of
great curiosity; for, though they had
heard n great deal OF Uncle Ephraim,
they had never seen him, owing to a
streak of eccentricity which led that
gentleman TO ramble about the world
and cut his relations:
His pet peculiarly had long been
keeping himself secluded in a veil Of
mystery from all his kindred anifricnds,
and the last tidings the Sparklers had
received of him had been waited from
Brazil.
Having concluded T. show himself at
last, his relations could do no less than
be grateful therefor.
"And these are your girls, hey?"
said Uncle Ephraim, surveying Cassan-
dra and Theodore through the brilliant
spectacles; land not married yet, hey?
That won't do, Angelina-that won't
do at all!"
Uncle Ephraim shook his head, and
, np,Iantlr 1,,-nr his tan,rnr of cnnh N
state of affairs, he continued with a
frown gathering above his nose,
at wont do it won't do, Angelina!
They must get married."
"But you see, uncle" began Mrs.
Sparklcr, "we know nobody now, ow-
ing 10 u fortunes having fallen"
'.Bother your fortunes cried Uncle
Ephraim. WHO cares for fortunes? l
know a nice young man splendid
young man. I'll fetch him to see YOU
line young man; sure to make a for
tune some day; saved my life once. I'll
fetch him to see %you-fine young man!
He's only 4 gardener now-head gar
dener Over yonder-"
Good gracious. don't bring q gar
dener.n shrieked the ladies'.
.Uncle, how can you?" sobbed Mrs.
Sparkler weeping with the disappOint-
ment of having had her hopes raised
only to be knocked oyer-''a man that
digs-a man that raises vegetables"
''What of that" cried Uncle Eph-
rain. bouncing out of his chair in a
rage, and growing angrier and redder
with every word. Il don't care if lie
does. l don't care if he's a vegetable
| h,,,,f la,st ,,ra IS h.
Der, Dr. n case-kni;e bean, or a fat
Dutch cabbage, or n gmmbO-he's n
fine Young man. Sure to make his for
tune l tell you, Harley is. I'll fetch him
to see YOU"
..Oh, dear. oh. me-" wept Mrs. Spark
Ter. It'll upset everything to bring
him here. Coral wants to marry him
bad enough now. and"
'Hey, hey. hey?' shouted Uncle Eph-
rain. ..Does Coral want to marry
him?" And Coral that minute enter
ing the room, he caught her by the arm
without waiting for an introduction,
thus terrifying her half to death, and
whirled her around so he could see her
face. Needn't be scared" he vocif-
Grated. Il amt no ogre; Pm Uncle
Ephraim. And who is it you want to
marry. hey, hey3 Is it Laurence IIar-
ley. hey"
And in his excitement the little man
shook Coral about so she could only
gasp:
Yves. it's L-Laurence Harley"
Mrs. Sparkler and Cassandra and
Theodore instantly set up a wall.
"And, oh, dearr' said CasSandra.
| Io-,1,. s.u-hot'n %hn r;aL oil
bachelor think when he comes backT"
What rich old bachelor-what rich
old bachelor" demanded Uncle Eph-
rain. squaring his elbows and transfix-
inc Cassandra with his shiny spectacles.
..Do you mean the old bachelor who
owns the house across the hedge-hey,
heyp Who do YOU reckon Iam-heyT"
II presume you're Uncle Ephraim,"
said Miss Sparkler, with a slight hint of
rcasm
"Yes, yes. of courser' said Uncle
Ephraim. beginning to prance around
again; land I'm the rich old bachelor.
too. Didn't know that, did you? Didn't
know you'd settled down next door to
Uncle Ephraim, did you? But
you're a set of lunatics--all but
Coral. Can't tolerate a gardener.
can't you? But L tell YOU he's my
gardener, and a fine young man--Tm
going to take him in partnership; he'll
be as rich as the old bachelor himself.
You re all lunatics-won't speak to a
gardener-nice country this! lovely
country this. Coral shall ride in her
carriage yet. I'm going home -you're
all l~unatics,'
And Uncle Ephraim skinned off no.
fore he could be detained.
And l suppose you don't object to
my having Laurence nowP' said Coral.
Il suppose not" said Mrs. Spark
Ter. still a little injured, but ready to
catch a stray CLEAN of hope. "Seems
like Laurence IL be quite a catch after
ALL"
"And here's all my hopes of a itch
old bachelor gone up" said C~assandra,
"since he turns out to be Uncle Eph-
enthusiastically Night.
lus-nrc IN HorroS~ou6ou<s