The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-07-05
UNCLE CUTHBERr.

'Hushl 1t is Clarence Hyde's stepl"
And Rosa Eldon sprang to her feet, rosy
and smiling, with the freshly-plucked
heliotrope trembling among her glossy
brown bralds, and her pretty blue dress
floating around her like an azure cloud.
Only 1S, and very fair and lovely was
our little Rosa-a trife spoiled and will
full, perhaps, but what else could one
expectP Every one petted and made
much of her-every one smiled at her
pretty, kittenish way-and Clarence
Hyde thought her the fairest specimen
of feminine humanity that ever the sun
shone on.
Lizzy Eldon made room for her sister
-Lizzy, just one year younger and
scarcely less fair yet very different in
character. Lizzy was quiet, and sage and
demure, while Rosa ratified away like a
merry mountain stream flowing over its
messy stones. Lizzy thought her sister
perfection, while Rosa was lecturing
Lizzy in capricious fashion, and lay
ing down the law to her after the most
approved manner of elder sisters.
Show nice it must be to be engaged"
said Lizzy, with a half-encouraging
smile, as Rosa paused at the glass TO
adjust her hair. 81 wish was en-.
gagedI''
"Youp Oh, you are nothing but a
child" Rosa said patronizingly. "There
give me my pocket handkerchief" 1"
And away she went, light and 1.-THE
as a blue. winged butterfly.
Clarence Hyde was in the parlor anx-
iously awaiting her coming, but Clar-
ence had rather a disturbed face. He
was a well-made, handsome young fell
low. with laughing, wine-brown eyes,
straight features, and brown hair
thrown back from broad, frank brow.
"Why, what makes you look SC
sober2" was Rosa's first question, when
the ceremonials of greeting were gore
through with, and she had had time to
take good look into his face.
"Sober2 do ~"
He was playing rather restlessly with
the crimson cord that looped back the
white muslin draperies of the pretty bay
window that made Mrs. Eldon's cot.
tage look like one of the lovely rustic
habitations you see in old English en-.
cravings.
Exactly as if you had the toothache
or bad conscience"
Clarence laughed in spite Of himself.
"You are wrong, then, my little rid
die guesser; am afflicted with neither
the one nor the other"
swell what is it, thenP"
"Rosa, what should you say ifit were
to become necessary to defer our mar.
riage for some timer"
A shadow came over the infantile
bloom and freshness of Rosa's face.
"To defer our marriage, Clarence
l can't imagine what you mean"
"Listen, Rosa, and l will tell you.
Ny uncle has just come from California
very poor and a confirmed invalid. ]
am his surviving relative, and to me he
naturally appealed for protection and
companionship. l must give him a
home, Rosa. You know l had laid III
just enough to begin housekeeping in q
quiet, economical sort of way, but the
new plan will necessarily alter all of my
arrangements.
81 never heard of any uncle before. -
''No, dearest; knew very little OF
him-nothing personally, as he never
visited my fathers house during his
lifetime. r."
ROsa's face was turned away from
Clarence Hyde's; she was silently twist,
ing piece of paper round and round
her slender fore6nger.
"Rosa," he said, after waiting a
minute or two for her to make some
remark, "teil me honestly, dear one,
which you prefer-to begin housekeep.
ing on this new scale-one more frugal
and humble than had originally hoped
and intended-or to defer our marriage
until can earn enough to carry out
those original arrangementsp"
She was silent for a moment, then
she answered Ia a voice which seemed
to chill Clarence's buoyant young
heart.
"Neither"
"Rosa," he exclaimed, "T do not
understand you,"
81 spoke plainly enough. Neitherl''
"Do you mean that"
81 mean that you must either give up
your uncle or me. After all that has
been said and known of our engage.
ment, after its publicity and length, l
cannot consent to a further postpone
ment. And we shall be poor enough
if we marry Immediately, without fill
ing our house with needy relatives"
Clarence Hyde looked at his fair
tGancee in perfect amazement. Never
in the whole course of their acquaint-
ance had he seen this phase of character.
He had fancied her all that was sweet,
pure and womanly. Could 1t be posi-.
BILE that she was cold-hearted, selfish,
and dead to all the sweet ties Of ma
turep
''Rosa, +" he said, mournfully, "is this
70 part us2"