The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-03-13

years ago."
"'Well, well, WE'LL Here is a combine
ton! I suppose you would like to go to the
op'rer, even though this adopted uncle of
yours-the musical cobbler-shoul stay at
homef' No, 1 wouldn't sale /. 1T
wouldn't be the same without Uncle
Tony"
At this point Uncle Tony brushed his
eyes carelessly, and blowed his nose vigor-
ously.
"fWell,' said the gentleman, come into
the desk amoment AMI we will see what we
can do.' We went in and he wrote on a
piece of paper, put it in an envelope and
told me to go over to Cartons Theater and
give it to the man at the ticket-office. 1 did.
and here, Uncle Tony, is two-season-
tickets !" And Tim took them triumphantly
from his pocket and handed them to the old
man., who, bringing them close to his near
sighted eyes, exclaimed: "Why, Tim, they
are for the dress circle, as sure as you and
1 livel"
The door of the inner room opened with
ar emphatic click, and a large woman with
beady black eyes, came in, treading with
such weight that the triangles in the cup-
board set up a vigorous Ginning. Her ex-
preston plainly told that she believed her
self to be a martyr, and that no one could
know what she suffered. She seated her.
| self in a rocking chair and fetched a heavy
sigh.
Tim turned his cap round and round III
easily. Uncle Tony gave an apologize lit
tie cough and asked:
"Do you feel any better, motherf"
Nobody cares whether l do or notP'
was mothers" gracious response, as she
leaned her head on her hand and swayed
back and forth ominously.
Uncle Tony coughed again n said.
gently: SNOW don't motheri Tim and
do care a great deal about how you feel
81 should think you did by the noise you
keep up when am trying to get a little
restl"
81 did upset the clamps, but I really did
not mean o."
"Mothern was unappeased and continued
ITO rock and sigh. Tim shifted uneasily
and Uncle Tony bent over his shoe in 6
very industrious way.
As the continued silence gave "Mother'
no further opportunity to say anything un.
pleasant, she raised her bead and turning
towards Tim, said severely:
"Timothy this is a strange time in the day
for you to come home. / hould certingly
think that a boy who needs as much as you
are always a-needin', and earns as little
as you are always a-earnin', ought to put
in his time a pickin' up what he could"
l.. Tim looked furtively toward Uncle Tony,
who came to his assistance.
'Tim had great luck to-day, mother, and
came home to let us'know about it,"
1t woul ave been too much condescen
sion on the part of 'mother" to have ap'
peared at all interested, but, under the
influence of awakened curiosity, she ceased
to be aggressive, and Tim was emboldened
to relate briefly how he had obtained the
season opera tickets. Knowing that
"mother's" one standard of all earthly
good was money, Tim, in an evil moment
and to make his story impressive, de-
clared that his tickets were worth forty
eight dollars, and would fetch as much as
thirty dollars, he knew. "Mother's" inter
est began to kindle, and in a tone of SUI
/ narior wisdom and commanding SuUpaS
ton, she
SNOW, Timothy. you have a chance tc
make something worth while. You just
advertise in the papers that you will sell
them tickets. If o can get more thar
thirty dollars, just do it, and it will be 6
nice nest-egg for a real little fortune.
will help you take care of it, Timothy"
Tin saw his error too late. He grew rec
and stammered:
But the gentleman gave 'em to me fol
Uncle TONY and me to use. l guess he i:
the op'rer boss, and he wouldn't like tx
have me sell 'em"
swell" said mother, bridling, "I dom
s'pose a gentleman such as the n yor
told us about, gives Injun presents, to tak'
'em back again, does he?"
"No-o," said Tim, "but if he hat
a-wanted 'em sold, he'd a-sold 'em him
self"
s'Timothy! now when you nave a chanc,
to get a chunk of money, it is a-fyin' il
the face of Providence not to do it! VIVA
if you was to be sick, what would you de-
them? If you get a little money together
and just put it out to interest, the interes
is a-goin' on night and day, day and night
Your money is a-earnin' for you while YOU
are sleepin'. You just go'and put in thu
advertisement"
Tim, in common with a great many PEG
pie, felt what he found it quite impossible
to express. He was no match for Mrs
Marshall on the subject of selling tn
tickets, though aside from his great long
ing to go to the opera, he felt it would be
mean act to sell them. He twirled his cal
round and round, and looked ~furtively
anxiously toward Uncle Tony.
Perhaps three times during the ffteel
years that Anthony Marshall had live,
with his second wife he had quietly, firml,
and successfully asserted himself in direc
sions he had done this to vindicate som
nice point of subtle honor, or fine delicac,
of feeling; for Anthony Marshall was borl
a gentleman.
spoke with ashade more precision and dis
tinctness than usual.
miranda Tim must not sell the tickets
1t would not be honorable. Tim and ) wi
GO to the opera and use them, as the gentle
man who gave them to him expected W
should."
Mrs. Marshall recognized in the tone an
manner that this decision was final. Sh
was not a stupid woman. b therefor
arose, and with a look of lofty, commise1
ating disdain, remarked:
"Some people ought to be born with tw
silver spoons in their mouths!"
Then she marched out of the shop, he
northumberland skirts moving down
wide swath of small movables as she went
When the door had slammed behind hel
Tim, in silence, hastily ate the lunch c
bread and meat which he had taken wit
him in the morning: Then taking one {
the triangles from the cupboard and hi
box from the floor, he put his hand on tn
latch and turned with a hesitating,
swell. Uncle Tony"
sit will take us an hour to walk it, Tin
We will start at seven o'clock. Good-by,
my boy; and good luck" said Uncle Ton,
wrapping up the shoe he had finished.
II.
The gale which had been blowing all da
had fallen, with the setting of the sun,
a low, cold, crisp wind. Here and the1
| the dingy white of the half-melted sno
sparkled with the gathering frost, in til
|, light of the large moon. Up and down I'll
streets of the great, .grimy, hurryini
never-silent city, the trailing folds of pa
, white light and shadow made all thing
> dimly beautiful. Down the streets, now
light, now in shade, finland Uncle Ton
went silently on their way, Uncle Ton
taking a queer little back step, at regult
intervals, TO Keep ulHlSeI IN pace WI
Tins halting gait.
!. !. "Uncle Tony" said Tim, looking up in
, the old mans face, "wo-would you mir
: telling me how it all hanbened"
The old man hesitated q moment- ar
then said:
3 "Tim, 1 will tell you; out 1 must begi
pretty well back, or you couldn't unde
5 stand it.".
"You see, Tim, my father was a musicie
by profession. He had great music
talent, and a touch of genius, just enoue
to make him ambitious, Inc he was new,
. very successful. He wanted me to ket
away from the music, but. Tim, 1 couldr
do it. And l tell you," said the old ma
growing quite emphatic, 81 could pls
marvelously well in those early days, f
Y one who was not a genius"
"You remember 1 told you that I play,
l in the orchestra at Drury Lane Theate
Well, the great folks liked my playin
o and some of them sent for me to come I
A. - MI .IL e.