The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-19


needed to be taken care of. So, as YOU
may well imagine. | was not only de-
lighted. but extremely delighted, to get
the chance OF assisting Mr. Erickson
with the Reader And | coniided rs
much to Matt Brewster when we were
coming home from church together the
next Sunday evening. because, YOU
see, Matt" said l. IF | succeed with
this, may be | can 90 on writing until
and L caught my breath at the bold
ness of the idea Il am found worthy
OF place in the Juvenile magazines,
and. as a successful writer. could help
the family much more than | can now,
for literary work is for all seasons, and
millinery only for two or three months
out of the whole year,
"You forget" said Matt, ''yOur rich
uncle who IS coming here from Austria
liza soon, and who will, no doubt, so ar
range things that the family will need
no help at all from your hands"
80 dear" said |. $50 Ibid. But he
has forgotten us for so many wears
ever since was five, and | was nine
teen on nv last birthday-that now he
has condescended TO remember our ex-
istence. and promise Us a visit. it 5 no
wonder that [ can [ keep him in mind.
And we are not sure that his coming
will benefit Us any. He NAV be a
cranky old man. and very hard to
please. 1t is more than likely he is,
for father (witn whom he could never
agree, though he is his only brother)
tells me he was an unusually cranky
young one.
90, you must make him pleased with
YOU" declared Matt, decisively. "You
have one advantage. and Il great one,
over the others. You are his god
daughter, you know"
Il know it to my sorrow" assented.
"Samuella, What a name to give an
unfortunate girl baby! If it hadn't
been for that saving Ella what would
have done? Fancy a woman's being
called Sam all her life"
But you will do your best to get
into the old chaps good graces, won
YOU" said Matt, coaXingly.
well, yes. will, since your heart
seems to be set upon it." l promised.
though | wondered at the time why lie
was so anxious that | should become q
favorite of Uncle Sans. iii do
everything but give up the Reader"
Matt Brewster was chief proprietor
of the store where my brother George
was clerk. and he was also nv ackOwl-
edged lover. The latter fact made
me the envy of half the girls in Wild
wood, for Matt was considered the
handsomeSt and most fascinating yonng
bachelor in the place. He was tall and
slender. with very fair hair, light blue
eyes, a straight nose, and a small
mouth.
Mrs. Leroy, the young wife of old
Captain Leroy-lOoked up to with great
respect by three-fOurthS of the pOpula-
ton of Wildwood. because she had her
bonnet and gloves straight from Paris
-gave it as her opinion that his brow
was too narrow. and his chin too re-
treating. Give me-" she said. calmly
and coOllv, 1.-The School-maSter, any
day, in preference. He is not quite as
tall, but his shoulders are broader, 50
is his forehead. and he has a certain
manly look and way about him that is
utterly lacking in Mr.. Mathew Brews-
ter
Strange rs it may appear, did not
feel as indignant ut this adverse criti-
ciSm of my betrothed (by the way, [
had stipulated ut the time of my en-
@agement. now two months Old, that
marriage should not be thought of for
ut least two yearS) as some of the other
girls did. Nettie Haley. for instance
daughter of Haley. the builder, with a
SNUG little fortune in her own right, in
hcrited from her mother-waS particu-
larry wroth.
''She only talks that way" she sail.
referring To Mrs. Leroy, "hccause she
wants to seem different from everybody
else, Just aS she sends t. Paris from this
out-of tn way village for her bonnetS
and gloves. Why, there's no com
pariSnn between the two men. Matt
dances beautifully: Mr. Erickson don't
dance 4 step. Matt sings lovely; Mr.
Erickson can only Join in a bass. Matt
has complexion like a girl 5; and Mr..
Erickson has one like Xix -
"A mans" | suggested. miSchiev-
Ously, Is she paused for comparison.
80, pShaw, Ella. what tease YOU
are, And about your own beau, too.
But don really believe YOU know
and here she heaved a deep sigh
''what lucky girl You are.
"Well, began the Reader, and soon
became 80 absorbed in my work that
everything | east eyes upon instantly
resolved itself into First Lesson. Did
the butcher stop ut the door, 81 see
man; he is butcher; a butcher sells
meat" Immediately flashed through
my brain. Did one of my intimate
friends call. greeted her in my mind
with, Il see a girl: her name is May
(Or Lib, or Molly. whichever it might
be; ''She comes to tell some news"
My very dreams were haunted by like
examples. | saw the queerest things
Their names were gibberish. They
played strange and ridiculous pranks.
But for all that-perchance in conse-
quence of all that the book progressed
rapidly, and the first hundred lessons
were almost completed, when mother
received letter from cousin of hers,
dated from the same place in Australia
from which Uncle Sam had come. 1t
read as follows:
DEAR SARAH: Your brother-in-aw starts
for Wildwood in a few days. | trust that he
will arrive safely. and bring you permanent
relief from your pecuniary troubles. You
will find him much changed in personal APP
pearance-the result of several hard fights in
which he has been gaged-Since you last
saw him. Never handsome. he is now-pe-
culiar-lO0king. | write this especially to
warn You. and 10 have you warn the others,
not 10 allude in the slightest way to the phys
ical blemiSheS il will b. impossible for you not
TO observe, rs any such aliuSiOn would have
the effect of rousing him to furious anger.
With love to Samuelia. upon whom he seems
inclined 70 look with favor, and kind remeu-
branceS 10 the rest, | an yours faithfully.
TOM"
And not very long after the reception
of this letter Uncle Sam made his APP
nnaranrn He a,rS ..,nnnr,linr-lnnl-inn -