Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-03
Tales aud Sketfhes.
Written for the Kennebec Journal.
THE SKELETON CHAIR.
BY GEORGE EMERSON.
Copyrighted april, 1886. ]
CONTINUED from yesterday. J

The lawyer, tor he was one, supposing
he wan:ed home, or some sort OF help
for the coming winter-for he knew moth
ing of his brother Roberts offer-paid no
attention whatever to the missive. but set
tied himself back into his easy chair, and
was only aroused from his dreams as to
who he would send as consul to the unds-
covered islands, when he got to be Presi-
dent of these United States. by another
letter which came dav or two later.
By this time the follower of Blackstone
began to scratch his head mildly, and
think the moon might be inhabited after
all. But he made no movement until
third summons found its place upon his
table. Then taking blank or two. upon
which to write a will if need be, he got
into his carriage and out he went to where
he supposed the returned merchant lived.
Thinking he knew about where the cab
in stood, he made no inquiry, and the con-
sequence was he went good deal out of his
way. After much time spent in winding
about the country, he discovered the house
at last. at the back part of large field.
Seeing no way to get near it with his ve-
hicle. he tied his horse to the fence and
prepared to make the rest of his journey
on foot. Now thunder storm had been
gathering, and he was barely inside the
enclosure, when the clouds broke, and the
rain came down in torrents, wetting him
to the skin almost instantly. He still had
nearly quarter of mile to go before
he would reach the mud-daubed palace he
was in search of, and to cap the climax,
the field, which had last been cultivated
in corn. but which had not been cultivated
at all for year or two, was full of
prick the skin and tear ones clothing and
weeds, fully breast high, or more. had
taken advantage of the absence OF the
pillow, and grew in grand profusion.
He was only fairly into the thicket,
when the thunder beloved louder than
ever and seemed to be striking exactly at
his head, while the white tightening flash
ed before his eyes as if determined to
blind him. The rain, too, with an utter
disregard for broadcloth, poured down
harder, if possible, than before, and as
the man of finished education bobbed
along over the uneven space, he began to
think that personal insult was coming
upon him from some quarter. the like of
which he had never read of in all his
books. He thought of the blanks in his
silk hat, however, and pushed on as well
as he could.
When the bachelor uncle, who had been
watching all the morning from his one
small window, saw his nephew nearing
the house the tallest weeds pouring their
streams of gathered water down his neck
at every jar, while the briers were hold
ing his two coat tails straight out behind,
and fighting like wild because they could
not bring the learned human being
to an exact standstill, he almost
effort he controlled himself in season, and
by the time his visitor touched the thres-
hold and gave three sharp raps upon the
deal plank which constituted the door, he
was able to answer in wheezy voice. one
manufactured for the occasion, -"Come
in. nephew"
The next instant the door opened, and
the lawyer in his haste to get away from
the water which was streaming from the
caves above him, failed to duck his head
low enough to get safely through the aper-
ture. and the consequence was he received
rousing bump on the back OF the case
that encompassed his mental acquire
ments. and while his hat, with one swift
but ungraceful bound, ending 10 a circu-
lar roll, deposited itself in the immediate
vicinity of the fireplace, his blank wills
meandered across the floor and spread
themselves composedly with the printed
side up, almost under the very ewes of
the returned merchant.
To pick up his papers and hat, was
matter of small moment, but by the time
he had done it the old man had delivered
himself of dry, husky cough or two.
had placed a skeleton chair in front of the
fireplace, and wheezed out, BE seated,
nephew"
This skeleton chair. needs a little de-
scription here, for upon it turns the whole
Importance of the experiment Cole was
now trying. His object was to find out
by short cut across lots, how much real.
true. business tact was possessed by his
nephews.
The chair had been an ordinary splint-
bottomed one. such as can be found in
many farm houses to-day, but the bottom
was entirely gone and nothing but the
frame remained. There was a light piece
of board of convenient size, living UPON
the floor beside the chair, and this served
as bottom for the frame when any one
saw fit to pick it up and lay it across the
top rungs And this the old man often
did when he had occasion.
But this plan was now to see what eff
feet these two pieces OF furniture would
have upon his relatives, and what would
come of it. if offered in the manner de-
scribed. For he thought, and with much
reason too, that a young man coming into
house, would, il he was well-bred and
| sensible, look over any little defect like
that, especially in an aged person, and ar
range the chair to suit himself. Put it ia
shape that would serve his turn. This
was at least the merchants whim. and
how it all came out you will know when L
get through.
The man whose education had been
completely finished. for moment sur
veyed the scene. He saw the pancake
bed, the bottomless chair, the three
legged table, and the old man crouching
in the corner poking the fire-for it was
autumn-while his coat, or rather what
was left of the lower part of it, dan
gled in strings at his heels. One view,
and that was enough. The lawyer, still
smarting from the effects of his bump,
and provoked generally by the experience
of the morning, suddenly forgot his ex-
pectations, turned about, and without so
much as uttering word, away he went
As he lodged out of the low door, his
clothing completely covered from head to