Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-01-02
Ted's Account of New Years

by the way, SAID Mr. Samuel GlOSS,
I've letter from little Ted; its quite
a heavy one, you see, for chap of ten;
but | can't make out such scrwl.
Here, mamma, you read it.
Before Mrs. Gloss could reach out
her hand Uncle Joe, Mr.. Gloss bache-
lor. brother, interfered with, ''let me
have the boys letter; | always did like
that young scamp of yours
After smiling at the down-hill tend
ency of the superscription, Uncle Joe
soon became absorbed over the pages
that began in text-hand, continued in
spider tracks, and at last rose to the
dignity Of hieroglyphics.
The Gloss family, tired out after the
holiday season, were having a domes-
tic evening in the dining room. The
library, artistically hung in old Spanish
leather, lacked the embellishments that
grow out of daily use, and oppressed
one like great bronze eXtinguisher;
the long drawing room, the conven-
tional New York parlor, was too like a
mammoth and splendid hearse to admit
or even it's proprietors feeling at home
in it. So about the dining table were
gathered Papa and Mamma Gloss. the
Misses Lou and Rosie Clos, Mr.. Sor-
ghum, a gentleman of many smiles and
compliments, of many suits of fine
clothing, of dog cart, and gorgeous
living generally, and Uncle Joe, un-
married, crusty and rich There was
also young fellow called Fred Tremaine,
but he was only chap in papa's Office
at small salary, though he had six
feet of uncommonly good looks; still
he was very modest And no Won
dor,' as Lou whispered to Rosie, he
ought to be. Twelve hundred q year,
indeed
Sorghum remarked in bis sweetest
tones, how seldom poor dog of
bachelor like me has the chance of en-
joying happy family gathering
A sigh, carefully given out for only
Rosie to hear, was a graceful hint of
his dissatisfaction with a bachelors
existence
Mamma Gloss clasped her plump
hands in little ectasy, and answered:
No one can have any idea of the peace
and contentment of family life A
smile both maternal and encouraging
showed that Mr.. Sorghum was an ap-
proved candidate for the position of
son-in-law.
Lou, who was clever, and had lofty
hnartnrr ,o,aplxla 70 chin and
derful rows of coal black scallops on
her pretty forhead, made properly in
nocent and girlish comment on the
bachelors remark; but Rosie, who was
confding blonde with big gray eyes,
said nothing, and kept on with her
crochet work. Sorghum used inward
ly a warm emollient of Wall street in
vective, and wished himself the AT
CHAN stripe that could so hold her at
tention.
Just then Charlie Hedge (tbe young
stock brokerage firm was Hedge y
Sorghum) dropped in, and nodding
Familiarity to his partner, Joined the
family circle by taking place at Louis
side. He exclaimed:
How jolly A regular boom in
domestic evenings, eh, Miss Lou?
Now Uncle Joe was sixty at least,
tall grizzled, clean shaven, heavy
browed, with cast iron look that
seemed expressly made to withstand
humbug, and steel cold sharp eyes that
could pierce the neatest coating OF
sham Having at last finished his
reading, he sat awhile shading his face
with his hands; then looked up sud
denly, as if he had made up his mind
to something, cast searching and dis
comforting glance around the table, and
asked:
who would like to hear Teddy's
letter.
j., said Sorghum, with the liveliest
interest. Ted must be a capital boy.
He's your brother tThis last in an
aside to Rosee)
Fine boy confirmed Hedge. Saw
him here New Years. SO cheeky
Check is business capital. Ted will
succeed Let's have the letter.
Il think my Teddy is very bright,
remarked Mrs. Gloss, and 50 always
keep him at school, where he has the
best advantages,
Yes, answered Uncle Joe, with an
jnscrutable intona.ion, the boarding
school is such an advantage to a child
of ten
oh, yes, undoubtedly sighed NAM
ma, with pensive look at the diamonds
on her nice fat fingers; and we moth.
ers sacrifice everything to the good OF
our dear children
Uncle Joe coughed noisily, and then