The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-03-05
INTERESTING STORY.
A NARROW ESCAPE.

yellow autumn sunshine, his chair tipped
back against the outside of the house, his
spectacles balanced on the lumpy apex Of
his brain, while in his lap lay the news
paper, and old Bose, the bulldog, slumber-
ed fitfully at his feet. a8 e s6s8gzf5E
'' It's been a good season for the crops"
soliloquized Uncle Reuben, land haint
no fault to find"
Then, Uncle Reuben spoke out a
saucy little voice from the pantry window,
behind which his niece, Elsie, WAS washing
milk,pans, "I 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. g You don't
need Dress
Yes, l do, Uncle Reuben persisted
Elsie
Girls are always thinking they need
things," said Uncle Reuben, " when they
don't, not the least bit in the world
q I've had my Sunday gown for three
years, uncle" said Else and it's so rusty
and faded that I'm ashamed of it"
My mother used to dye over her old
| frocks in butternut bark, when they got q
little off COLOR remarked Uncle Reuben :;
and it's astonishing how nice they looked
afterwards"
9 But this dress is worn out" insisted
Elsie. g You can't dye an old dress into
new one, can you p"
Patch it up, them" said Uncle Reuben,
reilling the pipe which lay in his lap, and
preparing for o 90 -.ortable smoke. 81
may, p'raps, get q new yoke of oxen this
fall, and if do I shan't hey no money to
spend on new dresses, and such like gew-
gaws"
.'fBut, Uncle Rsuben-n fft
There, there that'll do, said the old
man, with deprecatory motion of the
hand. "Girls shouldn't tease. I can't af-
ford 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 cheeks, :" when
you say you can't afford the dress, you say
what isn't true. ;, ! sssfffst =fzff{F
Hoity-toity |" calculated Uncle Reuben.
Because you've got ten thousand dollars
in coupon government bonds" went on
Elsie. 81 found 'em this morning, in o
ieathern bag, up the parlor chimney, whom
brushed down the SCOT with broom"
"What was you dom with the chimney ?"
CURLY demanded the old man.
Why, it smoked SO dreadfully last
spring, said Elsie. And asked You for
a chimney sweep, and you said chimney
sweeps cost money Sol did as well as /
could with broom, and down came cop
ing brick, ten swallows nests, about a
bushel of SCOT, and your leather bag. Here
1t is, Uncle Reuben ysf*ff#ef - 1
The old man received it somewhat sheep
ishly, muttering something about g 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 n suggested Elsie
l"Thatis just like girl. '.said Mr.. Ros.
sitter. "As if all the papers hadn't been
full of bank burglsries for the last three
months" Till III fFtIff Z
"Then give them 70 Lawyer Sanford to
keep" said Elsie.
81 don't like the way Lawyer sanford
trusts his Office in the charge of them clerks
and loafers," said Rossiter.
g 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 had built a
fire in the old chimney; suppose"
1--WE won't suppose nothin Of the SORT"
said Uncle Reuben, who had gocdly leav-
en- 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" 81 ~
Thus chidden, Elsie said no more, but we
will not deny that one or two quiet tears
dropped from her eyes upon the milk-pans
that she was diligently scalding in hot water.
For Elisha was only girl, after all, and ii
was not pleasant to her to go shabbier than
Der young mates. -.
Now, there was good deal Of the magpie
I about Uncle Reuben Rossiter. He would
have made frst-class miser II his nature
had been one or two degrees more sofdid ;
and as it was, he preferred 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.
81 guess Elsie won't root 'em out Of this, "
he muttered, with a chuckle.1 II @49'F3'
/ About q week subsequently, Uncle Ros-
sitter went up garret with q candle, Elsie
! had gone tosa 'ssociable Of Squire Por-
/ trays. For Reuben's sister, the Widow
Watkins, had come to stay for week and
help about the fall cleaning, so that Elsie
could be spared, just at this time, for ar
| evening OF go of recreation.