The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-02-03
UNCLE CUTHBERT.
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.

And Rosa Eldon sprang to her feet
rosy and smiling, with the freshly plucked
heliotrope trembling among her glossy
brown braids, and her pretty blue dress
floating round her like an azure cloud.
Only eighteen, and very fair and love-
" was onr little Rosa-a trifle spoiled
and willful, perhaps, but what else could
one expect2 Every one petted and made
much of her-every ono smiled at her
pretty kittenish ways-and Clarence
Hyde thought her the fairest specimen of
feminine humanity that ever the sun
shone on!
Lizzie Eldon made room for her sister,
Lizzie, just one year younger, aud scarce
ly less fair, yet very different in charac-
ter. Lizzie was quiet, and sage, and de-
mure, while Rosa ratified away like q
merry mountain stream flowing over its
mossY stones. Llzzy thought her sister
perfection, while Rosa was always lee.
turing Lizzie in a capricious fashion, and
laying down the law to her after the most
approved manner of elder sisters.
How nice it must be to be engagedr'
said Lizzie. with half encouraging
smile, as Rosa paused at the glass to ad.
just her hair. II wish l were engaged!'
lyon? Oh, you are nothing but a
child" Rosa said, patronizingly. There
give me my pocket
And away she went, light and 1.-the as
blue winged butterfly.
Clarence Hyde was in the parlor. anx-
iously awaiting her coming, bat Clarence
had rather a disturbed face. He was a
well-made. handsome young fellow, with
laughing wine-brown eyes, straight fea-
lures, and brown hair thrown back from
q broad, frank brow.
"Why, what makes you look so sober?'
was Rosa's first arch question. when the
ceremouials of greeting were gone
through with, and she had had time to
take a good look into his face.
"So'rer? Do II"
He was playing rather restlessly with
the crimson cord, that looped back the
white muslin drsperies of the pretty bay
window that made Mrs. Eidon's cottage
look like one of the lovely rustic habita.
tions you see in old English engravings.
Exactly as if you had the toothachs
or bad conscience.
Clarence laughed in spite of himself.
"You are wrong, then, my little riddle
guesser; am afflicted with neither the
one nor the other"
"Well, what is it, them"
"Rosa, what should you say if it were
to become necessary to defer our mar
riage for some timer"
A shadow came over ~ 9 iufantine bloon
and freshness of Rosa's face.
"To defer our marriage, Clarence?
cant imagine what you mean
"Listen. Rosn. and 1 will tell you. NJ,
uncle has just come from California yer.
poor, aud a confirmed invalid. am hi
only surviving relative, and to me h,
naturally appeals for protection and com
panionship. | must give him home
Rosa You know had laid unjust enougl
to begin housekeeping in a quiet, econ
omical sort of way. but this new pla,
will necessarily altar all my arrange
ments."
II never hearl of any uncle before"
mo, dearest; Ikuew very little of lin
nothing personally, as lie never visited
my father during his Lifetime"
Rosa's face was turned away from Clar
ence Hyde's; she was silently twisting
bit of paper round and round her slende
for, fngers.,
Rosa, he said, after waiting a min
ute or two for htr to make II ME remark
'aell ne honestly, dear one, which woulC
you prefer-to begin housekeeping oil
this new scale humber aud NOR,
frugal than had originally hoped anC
intended-or to defer our marriage unti
| can earn enough to carry out thos,
original arrangements"
She was silent for moment, then Fh,
answered, in a voice which seemed to chill
Clarence's buoyant young heart:
''Neitherl"
"Rosa," be exclaimed, Il do not un
derstand youl"
II spoke plainly enough. NeitherT"
"Do you mean that"
Il mean that you must either give NJ
your uncle or me. After all that has besi
said aud known IF our engagement, afte
ils pnblioiiy and length. eeElaiply ean