Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-08-16
UNCLE cUTHBERT.
The American Cultivator.

Inc American CuluVatOr.
"Hush 1t is Clarence Hyde's step!"
And Rosa Eldon sprang to her felt, ro-
sy and smiling, with the freshly,pluck-
ed heliotrope trembling among her
glossy brown braids, and her pretty
blue dress floating around her like an
azure cloud.
Only eighteen, and very fair and
lovely was our little Rosa, trife spoil
ed and wilful, perhaps, but what else
could one expect? 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 shown on.
Rosa Eldon made room for her sis.
ter, Lizzie, just one year younger and
scarcely less fair, yet very different in
character. Lizzie was quiet, and sage
and deMure, while Rosa ratified away
like a merry mountain stream flowing
oyer its messy stones. Lizzie thought
her sister perfection, while Rora was
lecturing Lizzie in a capricious fashion,
and laying down the law to her after
the most approved manner of Older sis
tiers.
elbow nice it must be to be en-.
gaged!" said Lizzie, with a half ems
couraging smile, as rosa paused at the
glass to adjust her hair. 81 wish |
was engaged"
"You? Oh, you are nothing but a
child" Rosa said patronizingly. There
give me my pocket handkerchief"
And away she went light and 1.-the
as blue,winged butterfly.
Clarence Hyde was in the parlor
anxiusly awaiting her coming, but
Clarence had rather disturbed face.
He was wellNmade, handsome young
fellow, with laughing, wine.brown
eyes, straight features and brown hair
thrown back from a broad, frank brow.
"Why, what makes you look so
sober?" was Rosa's first question when
the ceremonials of greeting were gone
through with and she had time to take
good look into his face,
"Sober, do ?"
He was playing rather restlessly
with the crimson cord that looped back
the white muslin draperies of the pref
ty bay window that made Mrs. Eldon's
cottage look like one of the lovely rus
tic habitations you see in old English
engravings.
Exactly as if you had the tooth.
ache or bad conscience"
Clarence laughed in spite of him.
SELF
"You are wrong then, my little rid
dle.guesser; / am afflicted with neither
the one nor the other"
swell, what is it, then ?"
"Rosa, what would you say if il
were to become necessary to defer oul
marriage for some time"
A shadow came over the infantile
bloom and freshness of Rosa's face.
ITO defer our marriage, Clarence
Ican't imaging what you mean"
"Listen, Rosa, and I will tell you
My uncle has just come from Califor
MIA, very poor and confirmed inva
lid. / am his only surviving relative,
and to me he naturally appealed TO-
protection and companionship. linus
give him a home, Rosa. You know
had laid up just enough to begin house
keeping in a quiet, economical sort o
way, but the plan will necessarily alteI
all of my arrangements"
81 never heard Of any uncle before.
mo, dearest I knew very little o
him-nothing personally, as he neve
visited my father during hia lifetime.
Rosa's face was turned away from
Clarence Hyde's; she was silent,
twisting piece of paper round ant
round her slender forefnger.
"Rosa," he said, after waiting
minute or two for her to make som
remark, "tell me honestly, dear one
which you prefer-to begin housekeeI
ing on this new scale-one more fruga
and humble than had originally hope,
and intended, or to defer our MARI