The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-05-30
TO LIT.


TO LET.
I should like to describe my hero q
y Young and gallant cavalier of the
nineteenth century, with the beauty Of
an Apollo and the wisdom Of sage
but truth compels mo TO acknowledge
that Rupert Smithson, in spite Of his
fine Christian appelation, was neither
one nor the other. His nephew and
nslmasake, who was called in the bosom
Of his family Rupert the second, said
that his uncle Rupert was ''crusty old
bachelor" and ! hammer my brains in
vain for moro fitting appelation. A
crusty old bachelor he undoubtedly was
more than afty years Of age with griz-
zled hair, heavy grey eyebrows, thick
grey beand and gruff voice and man.
ner. 1t is very true he was always very
careful to keep the crustiest side of his
nature on the surface, and had been dis
covered IN the oct Of committing Sc
cretly, deeds Of charity and kindness
that belied utterly his habitually surly
tone and abrupt manner.
Twenty years before, when the gray
hair was nut-grown and clustered in
rich curls over the broad white fore.
head, when the brown eyes shone with
the fire of ambition, and the clear voice
was true and tender, Rupert Smithson
had given his heart to Katie Carroll
neighl,pr and friend and little sweet
heart from childhood. Urged by love
- wen ss ambition, he had left his
home in small Western town and
gone to New York to win name and
fortnne to lay at Kati.s's feet. The for
time and fame Is successful merchant
oane to him, but when he returned to
RAtia he found slse had left her home
also, to become the bride of wealthy
pork dealer in Cincinnati. Nobody
told Rupert of any treachery to the
pretty Katie, Of letters suppressed, of
ISLANDERS circulated, and of parental
authority stretched to its utmost in
favor Of the wealthy suitor. He had no
record Of the allow despair that crept
over the loving heart when the plead
ing letters were unanswered, of the dull
apathy yielded ut last, and gave away
the hand of the young girl when her
heart seemed broken. All the young,
ardent lover knew was the one bitter
fact that the girl he loved faithfully
and fondly was false to her promise and
the wife of another. He spoke NO word
of bitterness, but returned to the home
he mad fitted up for his bride, and the
business he had hoped was Q stepping
Aolle to happiness and q life loneliness.
Ten years later, when his sister, with
her son and daughter, came to live in
New York for educational advantages,
Rupert the First was certainly what his
saucy nephew called him, crusty old
bachelor. Yet, into that sore, dissap.
pointed heart Katie's desertion had so
wounded the bachelor uncle took with
warm love and great indulgence his
nephew and neice, bright handsome
children of ten and twelve, who, child
like, imposed upon his quiet good ma
ture ana 1ioted over his quiet, orderly
home, till his ataid loalsekeeper de.
clared they were worse than pair of
monkeys; they caressed him stormily
one moansnt and pouted over the refusal
Of some nonstrous indulgence the next,
and trsahed him generally az bachelor
uncles must expect to he treated by
their ssters children.
There was SOME talk when Mrs.
Kimberly came to New York of making
one family of the household, but the
idea was abandoned, and the wealthy
widow selected residence three doors
Oh, in the same block.
Rupert is so set in his fidgety old
bachelor ways she said, "that It will be
positive cruelty to disturb him."
Probably young Rupert Q nd Fannie
did not consider their bright faces dis
turbers Of their uncle's tranquility, for
it is quite certain that, out of school
hours, No. 46, their uncles house, saw
them quite as frequently as No. 43,
where their mother resided. With the
intuitive perception of children, they
understood that the abrupt and often
harsh voice, the surly words and the I'M
demonstratSve manner, covered heart
that would have made any sacrifice for
their sakes, that loved them with as
true love as their own dead father
could have given them.
As they oaltgrew childhood, evidences
Of ELECTION ceased to take the forms of
dolls and drums, and chopped out in
Christmas checks, in ball dresses and
bouquets, in asaddle horse. and in vari.
Gus other delightful and acceptable
shapes, till Rupert came of age, when
he was taken from college into his un-
cle's counting-room, and closer init
macy then ever was cemented between
the young life and the one treadine the
downward path to old age.
There had been family gathering at
Mrs. Kimbsrly's one evening, late in
the month Of March and conversation
had arisen upon the traditional customs
of the first Of April.
"Senselsss, absurd tricks" Rupert
Smithson had called them in his abrupt
way, ut only to amuse children and
idiots"
"Oh, pshaw, Uncle Rupert" Fannie
said saucily. ''you played April fool
tricks, too, when you were young"
Never! Never could see any wit or
oonoo IN than Arl ~,,h>kS.