The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1886-04-01
pitality which is one Of lifo7s best

gifts.
Mrs Bellenden's fame went abroad
among the Decreases of the neigh
borhood in the matter of butter and
cheese; she took the prizes in the do
mestic departments of all the agri-
cultural fairs, and the adjoining house
wives took no trouble to make things
that they could borrow Of Mrs. Bellen-
den, Gust as we'll as not,
And one day, when poor Lucy, un-
der the blighting influence of a hor-
rible sick headache, was endeavoring
to strain three or four gallons of milk
into the shining pans, the news ar.
rived that uncle Paul was coming to
the farm
"Another guest" said Lucy dispair-
ingly.
And then she uttered the pfoverb
that heads our sketch.
ooh, it's only uncle PAUL" said Mr..
Bellenden Don't fret, Lutiel He's
the most peaceable old gentleman in
the world. He'll not make any more
trouble than a cricket. Johns wife
thought she couldn't have him be-
cause she had no girl just now"
"Neither hayeIlD said Lucy rebell-
ieusly.
"And Sara Eliza don't like COM
pany."
"And I am supposed to be fond OF
It'll" observed Lucy, bitterly.
"And Reuben's girls don't want the
old folks staying there. It's too much
trouble, they say added Seth.
Lucy bit her lips to keep back the
words she might have said, saying in
stead
"Where is he to sleek? The Bel
fords have the front room, and your
cousin Susan has the back, and the
four Miss Pattersons sleep in two hall
chambers, and the hired men have the
garret ROOM" 4
She might have added that she and
her husband and the baby had slept
in hot little den opening from the
kitchen for four weeks, vainly wish
ing that Mr.. and Mrs. Belford would
depart /; and that she had never YET
had chance to invite her father to
the farm in pleasant weather,
But she was nlagnanimous and held
her peace.
"Oh, you can find some place fol
him." said her husband, lightly, "there
is that little room at the end Of the
hall where the spinning wheel is"
"But it isn't furnished pleaded Lu-
cy.
"You can easily sew d sarpet to-
gether out OF those old pieces from the
Belfords' room, and it's no trouble to
put up muslin curtain to the window
and lift in cot bed, There are plen,
ty of good sweet husks in the corn
house, and you can just tack a mat
tress together and whitewash the cell
ing, and"
whats that, John? The cows in
the rye lot? Dear mel Everything
goes wrong if | step into the house q
moment. And really, Lutte, those
things are your business and not
mine," he added, irritablYg
Lucy could not help laughing all by
herself as her husband ran up the
steps
But it was very sad little laugh
and soon changed into a sigh
Il wonder" she said, in q whisper
"if my poor, tired-out ghost would
haunt those stone payements ant
scrub shelves If / were to diel nev
er heard of ghost in a dairy before
but should think that it mighteasily
be-" NJ 2
But the little bedroom was fiittet
up, for all that, and uncle Paul ar
rived, a dried-up, yellow complexion
ed old man, with an old-iashionet
cravat in many folds around hi
neck, and a suit of navy blue will
brass button. ~ e
He had the polite way Of half cen
tury ago, and Lucy thought sh
should like him very much if she onl,
had time to get acquainted with him
But she was churning ten pound
OF butter day, and there was the ba
by and the company and the youn
chickens and the baking to do for th
sewing society, which was to meet q
her house that week.
She was almost too busy to sleep.
But Uncle Paul was watching he
quietly all the the time.
He came out one day to the bar
where his nephew was putting a ne
handle on sickle-blade.
pretty busy times -eh uncle Pauls
asked the farmer, scarcely taking tim
to look up,