Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-12-20
toRIGINAL.
on IRC H Y.
4 HUIaISMATIsT's STORY.
81 RYE ROssK..

BIT RYE RossK.
To visit "uncle Lem" as he was ia.
m iliarly known, was the acme of my
childish joy. Indeed I have suudry
"reminiscences of more than one pair of |
shoes ] mutilated In order to have them
repaired by uncle Lem" Perhaps he |
guessed this, and noticed my predilec- |
ton for his society, for he always en-
deavored TO amuse me and keep me |
with him as long as possible. Such
tales ami anecdotes as "uncle Lem"
related Such wonderful kites, AMI
traps and balls he could manufacture |
Such stores of apples and nuts he i
always had on hand, and SO many
we're the woodcraft mysteries he knew
and taught me! In my eyes simple
" uncle Lem" always was, and Is still,
a very wire man.
When old enough to be sent to school,
very bitter was the parting with the
kind old cobbler, who held me In his
arms and told me. In q husky voice, to
be- " a good 10y" and to not forget"
him. l earnestly promised his requests,
and when my vacation came. the second
visit was paid TO "uncie Lem" He
exhibited an almost childish delight at
| tho recital Of all my school exploits.
That vacation was the last In which /
ever saw "uncle Lem" Shortly after
my return to school received letter
from home containing news of his
death, which had occurred suddenly by
lappuplexy. III he died possessed of
money none was ever found, although
the neigh bora, who were obliged to
bury MIN, made diligent search.
The tidings OF "uncle LENS" de-
| cease caused me genuine sorrow for q
time, bnt as grief was never meant to
abide with youth, and as months rolled
by gradually forgot all but the memo
ry Of his Kindness. When again
visited the spot where his cabin had
stood, / found fierce storm, that had
ldevastei the country few weeks pre-
viousiy. had completely demolished the
old house, so that nothing could lie seen
| bat a mass of fallen timber and mortar.
iAfterward, when | came In possession
OF the estate, had the mound cleared
of all rubbish and kept In the order
you see 1t in to-day.
Many years, EN- bracing those spent
at III eidel berg and in the East, elaps. d
before again saw Quirchy. During
the first summer after my return IL be
lcame favorite pastime to spend the
mornings as | am now doing, and 1t wal
while lying here in my hammock
smoking and reading, and my dogs
Laohine aud Lencos, lying on TIE
ground few feet distant, that the mos
Iunaccountable event took place.
/ had been absorbed In my book fol
perhaps an hour when CHANGING to looh
toward Quirchy saw standing on tn,
mound Il very peculiar looking ole
man. His garb IL nothing else woult
have attracted attention. 1t was GU
after the style of q century ago. Kne
breeches, white lambs wool stockings
low buckled shoes, and a coat of blu
7 llinsey woolsey. His complexion wa
, remarkably pink his hair remark
ably white and worn in q que
y surmounting his head was the mos
I comical CT all bell.crowned hats an
r in his hand, stout cane on which
leaned. AS | gazed at this strang
y lfaure in amazement he smiled, ar
r moved toward the left until lie stoo
o within three feet, on the sunset side, {
lrotted away, There he paused an
n looked intently at the ground where
o lstood. STOPPING he used his cane
ipusliing aside mass of leaves an
0 sticks, then raised bis head, looked ;
a spot where he had raked the leaves.
II Az this inucture I sprang from N
haninoek and advanced toward him.
I'll !" old on" cried, Z" What do yc
mean 20 then | stopped in smazemen
There was no old man to be- seen an
where around. Ny dogs, usually O
G the aiert, had not even stirred. For
|, moment | v as stupeiied-then | broh
iintoa laugh.
You iuoi q! you have been aslee
and dreaming" / cried aloud, an
n tuinbied tack into my hammock, whei
y once more lost myself IN the pages I
: NY book out rot for long. You ha'
II idoubtiess been compelled to acknow
edge the presence OF pc sons ere now
"a whom you were not even thinking, bi
"a who Il d attracted your gaze by the
4, own magnetic awe. 1t was an itf
sistible attraction OF this hlnd tn
caused me second time TO look ,
only TO again behold the same ola ni
in the same spot.
Again | stared stupidity ar him, al
lagain be repeated his former action
, Onee more sprang FROM the hammoc
and started toward him only to To ba
= He'd as at first. Again l concluded
mus: have dreamed, but decided til
two such dreams were enough 1
one morning, and began unfasteni'
my hammock, preparatory TO retur
=, ing TO the house. Having gathered
~ and my book together, l reflled Il
" pine, i,ghIed il, whistled to my dog
4, aud turned to depart, not however WI
. out farewell glance at tluirchy. In
~ time did not dream-l WAS just
wide awake az am now-but there
To- the mound stood the old man bnoki'
IN, snoes, white Lair anu boli-crown'
an nat. Again he walked toward q
ca ich.stnut stump, paused three IL
from IL on the sunset side, and NOV
no 1.-THE leaves at his feet with his can
n, Again he looked at me, smiled al
th, pointed downward.
Determined this time to ascerta
n. who and what was this curious beil
20 v no eluded my efforts to grasp him,
called my dogs and pointed in his
q irection. They stood still, apparen'
mi steing nothing, but obedient TO q
III command sprang in the direction I'M
n n Gated, straight past the old man W
,,,. STOOL in tie same spot, unmoVed .
Iox smiling. =
"a A. moved toward him for
third time, he again vanished but 81
me did what I had not done oefo
. examined the place where the ecc'
.uic visitor had pointed. The Iea'
III werr rot disturbed, although l
p ainly seen him move them with
MI ,an- securing ii stick tnat Wouid SCI
lay my purpose, Il stopped down aud pusi
ion aside The mass OF leaves ard molo u
II Hflr