The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-01-27
LEARNING A LESSON.

81 can get along with him, I'm very
sure said Jnscelind d ,rkridge
Nobody could get along with HIM"
| ch"rused the three other Misses Dark
ridge in unison.
U"cle Black was the parsonage of
whom they spnke-a grabbed, i'll temper
ed little old man-whn lived IN a superb
Old country seat among the Catskills.
He had money to leave. but his nieces
and nephews secretly believed that it
W. uld he deal easier to go to Califor-
MIA or Go.c"nda. or some of those fabu-
lpus places. and dig fortunes out. mug
get by nugget. than to stay at home and
earn them by making themselves accept
ABLE to an old gentleman who had as
many angles as rose diamond. and as
man, pricklv spikes Of temper and dis
position a. = pore upine.
y o'.i ,DtIkrit4R hal tried i! first.
Naomi was soft -v"irrd slender girl
with head which reminded one vi a
dropping lily.
mo one can help loving Naomi, ="
said hirs. Darkridge, as she kissed her
daughter goodbye.
But in three weeks Naomi came back,
half frightened out of her wits.
He scolds me dreadfully," said Mao
mi; and he looks ut me as the wolf
must have looked at Little Red Riding
Hood. Oh. mamma, | could not stay
there. not if was to be made richer
than Hiss Burdett- Coutts herself
Magdalen Darkridge went next: but
Nagdalen, although fine, tall girl. with
| a spirit Of her own. was cowcd by Uncle
Blacks savage eyes in less than a week.
I'D sooner sweep crossings for a liv-
ing" said she, than to be Uncle
Black heiress.
And so she cane home without loss of
time.
Rhoda D,rkridse, not in the least
abasied by the successive failures of her
sisters, was the third one 80 try Black
Grange ami its possibilities. But she
also succumbed before the terrible
scourge of Uncle Blacks tongue.
1t 5 scnll. snarl. scold, from morning
till night" said Rhoda, as 10 three days
time she tearfnlly related her experience
t, her parents. "Oh, yOu don't know
nobody can know-what dreadful man
Uncle Black isl
"Oh. hang the old scamp said Mr.
Darkridge, who was of free and cas-
nature, and thought his girls a grea.
| ieal too sweet and nice to be snarled Il,
~ any rich old miser. Let him alone.
Iy daughters need not go begging iol
| my old mans money"
But here % celind, the youngest, tall
| st and pretti, st of the four girls. spoke
IN:
"tn GO said she.
| "Ynn don't know what YOU are under =
aking," said Naomi with a shudder.
| He'd wear out a stone" said Mazda
| len.
" He's ghoul,' shuddered Rhoda.
| " can get along with him, | am W ~
sur said Jascellna. brightly.
And she packed her little trunk, ant
went to Black Gran se.
1t was suuset-a red, flaming sunset.
| Ike one of Gitford's pic ure:-w len sh,
,me up the terraced flight of steps that
lie to the old house. Everything blush
| ed blond red in the deep light, and JOS
celind could see how lovely was tn,
scenery: no. substantial this old gray
house, with square towers anC semi-cir-
cllar, colonnaded porch. Uncle Black
$ o I'd on the steps, in wig and black
silk knee buckles.
80 you are Joscelind - said Uncle
Black, surveying her with little twink
ling eyes, like black beads.
| "Ies, am Joscelind," said the bright
checked girl, giving him kiss.
9 You're late" said Uncle Black
Il am late" said Joscelind. q
thought the old beast of a stage would
never get here. The horses fairly crept
and the roads were horrid.'
cts dreadfully warm day. growl-
ed Uncle Black.
Pm almost roasted" sighed Josce-
lind.
"The whole summer has been intoler-
ably warm said the old gentleman.
I'VE might as well be in the tropics
and be done with It, retorted Joscelind.
| finging off her shawl and tanning her
self yehemently.
| Uncle Black gave her the keys that
night, just as he had three times before
| given them to her three sisters.
{" shall expect You to take charge OF
the whole establishm3 nj" said he. THE
servants are miserable
NO more than one might expect, y
| i 'terrupted Joscelind, with deprecatory
m 'tlon of the hand. "Servants are mere
frauds, nowadays! -
And nothing goes right about the
place.
Nothing ever does :" said Joscelind.
Uncle Black eyed her quecrly. Fhl,
was quite different from the determine
chrelfuIneSs an systematic good spirit,
Of her three sisters.
At breakfast next morning, INCL
| Black began to sr"la. as usual.
" Fish again - said he. This make,
| fur mornings in the week we've h ~
fish
Il detss. fish y said J"scelird. pnsh
ing a~.sv her plat with a gri"ace.
| "And the rolls heavy again = gIowler
| Unclr Black, hreaking one open
| =. Please give me the plate. Uncl.
| Black. said J">c,lna ard she ran, til,
table he'll sharpl,.'
| Betty. the cook. a stout. good hnm0red
| lnSh woman. made her appearance.
p" BETTY said Miss Darkridge. abe s.,
...",i a. +, thr,r tlrese rolls ut of th,
! : W
! = =. .'..,,.3 :. 'Hf .., ,--
And hrtt, iinng the rolls among tue
| rose bushes where they were spee,iily