St. Paul daily globe., 1885-02-03
UNCLE TOMS LETTER.

ONOLE 1Oh . LE1 AGhs
A late winters day, and fine one at that.
The earth was wrapped in robe of snow,
while the clear, crisp air resounded with the
silvery tinkle ting tinkle of the sleigh bells
as many cozy cutter dashed past Uncle
Toms window, and many laugh-sweeter
far than the music, foated softly into the
great solemn house, where the master
| reigned in solitary state, alone and lonely.
Perhaps it was the music of those bells
perhaps-who knows-it may have been the
faint sound of youths heartfelt laughter,
drifting, like the far off waves on the dreamy
shore of memory, through the library win
dow near where he sat, the awakened old
scenes of the long ago-though maybe not
so very long ago, for Uncle Tom was barely
forty-when he, too, enjoyed the music of sill
yer bells, the crisp mischievious winter wind
whirling past as he and some bright eyed
lassie went dashing over the snow behind
spirited horse, tucked up to the chin in
great furry robes! Strange that his compan-
ion at such times somehow always happened
to be the same little lass, with the big brown
eyes overlooking with mrth and high spirits,
and curly nut brown hair that would persist
in straying from under her cap in most
bewitching manner? How anxious he was
her laughter! Aye, the sweetest bells could
never rival that, and do what he would he
could never quite forget it. His dear little
playmate-his schoolmate--his more than
friendl Yet-and the lines deepened around
the stern mouth-they were strangers now !!
For years and years he had heard no word,
seen never a sign of browI-eyed Dot! She
was married, of course, and why should he
care!
''Pest take the. bel's!'' he muttered. rising
to give the unoffending logs blazing away on
the hearth most energetic poke with the
great brass tongs. "What business have
young folks TO go sleighing! Oh. you brazen
bells I'd like to throw you all into the midst
OF the seas, you hollow sounding idiots!'' as
clash OF music rang out beneath his window
and then died far in the distance.
''If you please, SIR" began voice at his
side: and he turned to see the housekeeper
standing there with a letter in her hand,
which she held toward him.
''What is it?'' Uncle Tom demanded,
fiercely, his eye brows meeting in a terrible
frown. "A letter? who's it from, eh? If it's
begging letter you can throw it to the dogs,
or burn it up, but don't venture to give it to
mel" and he looked fully equal to tossing
her in the fire if such a thought but entered
his head.
81 don't know what it is, sir, but the
postman left it, answered the woman
calmly, well knowing that the masters
''bark' was far worse than his ''bite -
swell, great Cesar! Why don't you give
it to me then, and not stand there arguing
for an hour? Tell James to bring in more
wood. It's cold as hades in this room!'
Aud without stopping to consider the alb
surdity of this speech, Uncle Thomas tore off
the envelope and walked to the window to
read his unexpected letter.
When he bad finished his face was a mix
ture of anger and amaZement, and he turned
the white missive over and over. and picked
up the envelope only to find it was ali a mis-
take, for there, in a full, round hand was
the address, u. d c. Clrtwell. publishers" +"
The letter was most pathetic, asking the
publishers if they would accept the story
which she sent with the note, as she was in
sore need of the money it should bring. And
down at the end, in rather trembling FASH
ion, was written the pretty, homelike name,
Dora Browning"
How on earth did such mistake occur!
His name wasn't Cartwell, aud mos: decid-
edly neither was he publisher.
Uncle Tom pondered over it long time.
Then be came to decision. He was alone
in the world, without relative to whom be
would be expected to turn for advice-who
just as certainly could not question his
actions, so he would do as he pleased.
strange proceeding, truly, hut Uncle
Tom sat down, wrote a short, crisp letter,
inclOsed two-as crisp perhaps not as''short"
bank notes. placed the whole in an envelope
directed to ''Miss Dora Browning 2, Green,
Pa, and sent it of the next mail.