Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-04-03
A NARROW ESCAPE.


saucy little voice from the pantry win
dow, behind which his neice, Elsie, was
washing milk-pans, 4 think you might
afford to give me the garnet cashmere
dress that I've wanted so long
Stuff and nonsense. said Uncle Reu-
ben, without turning his head. You
don't need dress.
Yes do, Uncle Reuben, persisted
Elise.
Girls are always thinking they need
things, said Uncle Reuben, when they
don't, not the least bit in the world
I've had my Sunday gown for three
years, uncle said Elsie; and it's so rusty
and faded that Tn ashamed of it.
My mother used to dye over her old
frocks in butternut bark, when they got
little off color remarked Uncle Reu-
ben; and it's astonishing how nice they
looked afterwards
But this dress is worn out, insisted
Elsie. You cant dye an old dress into
new one, can you?
Patch it up, then, said Uncle Reu-
ben, reflling the pipe which lay in his
lap, and preparing for a comfortable
smoke. i may praps, get new yoke
of oxen this fall, and if | do | shan't
hev no money to spend on new dresses,
and such like gew-gaws.
But, Uncle Reuben
There, there; that'll do said the old
man, with deprecatoly motion of the
hand Girls shouldn't tease. | can't
afford the frock, and there's an end
ont
Elsie, however, was not disposed to
give up the matter thus easily
Uncle, she pleaded, with the glow of
righteous indignation on her checks when
you say you can't afford the dress, you
say what isn't true.
'Hoity -toityp calculated Uncle Reu-
ben.
Because you've got ten thousand
dollars in coupon governments bonds,
went on Elsie 4 found EN- this morn
ing, in leather bag, up the parlor chin
ney, when / brushed down the SCOT with
a broom
What was you dom with the chin
ney? CURLY demanded the old man.
Why, it smoked so dreadfully last
spring, said Elsie And | asked you
for chimney sweep, and you said CHM
ney sweeps cost money. So / did as
well as | could with a broom, and down
came copper brick, ten swallows nests,
about bushel of SCOT and your leather
BAG Here it is, Uncle Reuben
The old man received it somewhat
sheepishly, mnttering something about
the bonds being meant for provision
for his old age, and not to fritter away
in dresses and things
But, Uncle Reuben, why don't you
put the papers in the bank?' suggested
Elsie.
That is just like girl said Mr..
Rossiter AS if all the papers hadn't
been full of bank burglaries for the last
three months
Then give them to Lawyer Sanford
to keep said Elsie.
i cont like the way Lawyer Sanford
trusts his office in the charge of them
clerks and loafers,' said Rossiter.
But, uncle, you oughtn't to leave the
bonds about the house in that sort of
way said Elsie, earnestly. Suppose
the rats should get at them; suppose l
had built fire in the old chimney;
suppose
We won't suppose nothin' of the
sort said Uucle Reuben. who had a
goodly leaven of quiet obstinacy in his
nature just you hand me them bonds
Elsie, and leave off askin' questions. |
guess I'm able to look arter my own
business
Thus chidden Elsie said no more but
we will not deny that one or two quiet
tears dropped from eyes upon the milk
pans that she was diligently scalding in
hot water For Elsie was only girl,
after all, and it was not pleasant to her
to go shabbier than her young mates.
Now, there was good deal of the
magpie about Uncle Reuben Rossiter
He would have made a first-class miser
if his nature had been one or two degrees
more sorbid; and as it was, he perferred
to bury his bonds or hide them away
in unearthly hooks and corners rather
than to deposit them in any orthodox
receptacle Thus meditating he fixed on
still new hiding place.
4 guess Elsie won't root Fem out of
this he muttered, with a chuckle
About a week subsequently, Uncle
Rossiter went up garrett with candle.
Elsie had gone to 'sociable' at Squire
Portray's For Reuben's sister, the
Widow Watkins, had come to stay for a
week and help about the fall cleaning,
so that Elsie could be spared, just at
this time for an evening or so of recre-
alton
You 60 down suller Malviny,' said
the old man, and draw a pitchero cider
aud I'll go up stairs for some o. them
butternuts, and we'll have a good old
fashioned evenin's
But presently the old man came down
stairs with face as gray as ashes.
Malvina,' said he in a voice that
shook strangely, 'where-where's the
little wood stove that used to set in the
northeast corner of the garrett
What that old useless consarnH saic
the Widow Watkins, who had beer
bringing some blown-glass tumblers fol
the cider. Why, | sold it for old irol
to man with junk wagon. i go
twenty-seven cents for it-and Elsi
said it wasn't no more use, since it
foundation cracked clean across, and tn,
| pipe rusted through in holes
'But-but there was some paper
stuffed inside it. stammered Mr.. Rossi
| ter.
| oh ! yes, said Mrs. Watkins, Z
burned EN- to kindle a FIRE under tn
wash kettle
| Burned them Uncle Reuben le
his head fall hopelessly between hi
hands on the table, 'Malvina, Malvins
you've burned up everything I've got i
the world!
| Reuben, what on earth do you mean