Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-06-10
UNCLE JAKES LITTLE GIRL

amt spliced nor never was"
For many years Uncle Jake had
kept a little tavern near one of the in
let's where the sea breaks through the
long sand bar into the Great South
bay, at a point about fifteen miles
from New York. OF a pleasant Sun
day in summer it was pretty lively
resort Uncle Jake made jovial
host, and people used to say that ne
owed his good health in great meas
ure to the frequency with which he
drank to it himself. Most of the fish
ing parties from the harbors along the
bay stopped here for a clambake and
cocktail; yatchmen anchored near
the inlet and sportsmen would put up
at the tavern for week or two at a
time. But in winter it was dreary
spot. The turmoil of the
surf was broken only now and then by
shrili cry OF gull or the shrieking of
the wind as it whirled across the bar.
During the long storms only an oc-
casional wrecker or patrol from the
life-saving station visited the place,
and at any time in winter party like
ours was a rarity.
A real Bohemian freak had brought
us down to Uncle Jake's that night.
The evening before dozen of us ar
lists had met at little reunion in the
studio of one of our number, and one
OF us seeing a sketch of Uncle Jake's
tavern on the easel, had proposed
paying him a winters visit. We all
knew Uncle Jake, and the idea OF a
winters visit to him was too much OF
4 novelty to be resisted So we set
out for the tavern the next day, and
arrived there before night time. I'm
lie Jake knew that the trip across the
he bay had been rough one. So he
started roaring wood fire; and when
sc had finished supper he put steam
NC bowl OF punch on the table. But
lespite his attention and the iollity
Of our party, he wasn't in the best of
spirits. Not that he didn't dip
his glass into the punch bowl pref
ty oft N, but he seemed moody and
didn't talk much. His low spirits
seemed also to have had depressing
effect on Samson, his big nlastiff, who
was about as well known along the
coast as Uncle Jake himself Usually
be barked friendly welcome to every
one who came to the house But he
had been sulien and silent all the even
ing and had sat near Uncle Jake, rest
ing his head on his masters knee and
now and then looking up wistfully at
him.
| had known Uncle Jake and his
big dog longer than the Others had,
and | noticed that something was
wrong. Excepting the last two years,
which had spent in Europe, | had
been to the tavern off and on for
about a dozen summers. had al
ways liked the place-lt was so far re-
moved from everyday affairs. There
was usually fresh breeze coming over
the broad expanse of ocean, fine
surf sending its cool spray over the
beach. and here and there a white
sale outlined against the blue sky.
Besides, Uncle Jake was always hale
and jovial with young fellows
and few of them ever paid a visit to
| the tavern without returning to it at
some future day The old man SEEM
ed glad enough to see me again and
made me sit next to him. But / felt
that since | had been there some
change had come over him and the
dog and the old place; and at times
he looked as though he would like to
tell me something but hesitated on &C
count of the Others.
remembered a pretty, bright-eyed
lass, about II years old, when ! last
saw her, who was at the tavern in
former years, and whom we used to
call 'Uncle Jake's little girl" She
made herself handy about the place,
and was so simple and graceful in her
bearing that she was n favorite with
all who went there. The sun had
Drowned her face and arms, and the
wind had played with her fair hair UNI
til it hung over her forehead like
tangled sunbeams. She was tall and
lithesome, and as strong as she was
graceful. Often, when she was mere
girl of 10 or IL, had seen her pulling
her skiff across the bay and mailing
the old fishermen as they scudded
past in Their smacks. Many time
they would lay to and take her aboard
and tow her sk.ff home; and then she
would take the helm from the skipper,
trim the sheet and shout with glee as
the spray came dashing over the bow.
wondered what had become of her
and asked Uncle Jake, but he didn't
seem to hear my question, though the
dog sprang to his feet and roamed
about the room uneasily before he
skunk back to his masters feet. /
was about to ask the question again
when one OF our party proposed song.
While they gathered IN agroup around
the old piano in the corner, the old
man stole quietly to the door OF
another room and beckoned me to
follow him. As joined him he was
STOPPING over an old bureau fumbling
among some papers, whilst the dog,
who had slipped in after him, watch
ed him lntently until he put his hand
on tin type which he drew out and
showed me. 1t was the picture of a
child, and in the features recognized
"Uncle Jake's little girl" In the me-, t
room some one was playing a jangling
Accompaniment and the rest were
shouting n boisterous song. Thought
then would be good time to ask him
what had b-come of the girl whose
childish features we were looking at,
so inquired, by way of introduction,
if he had ever been married. 1t was
to this he had replied: mo, mister, |
amt spliced, nor never was.
II.
"But yer see," he continued, as
though he knew what / was driving at.
''It's uncommon lonesome here in
winter, an many a time when I've
heard o some young one ashore yon-
der as wasn't cared for at home, I've
got it's folks to let me take it out here
with me. The children kind a cEeered
me up durin' the long winter evenin's,
an when summer came I'd ask to
have 'em stay bit longer. TIE little
ones would beg real hard too, for
made good deal of 'em and they
thought kind o. well % me for it.
Some o. them stayed a few years, but
as they got big an could be handy at
home their folks fetched EN- away
from me; an so at last they all went;
all but little Maggie, her as they used
to .all 'unc'e Jake's little girl 1t was
a bad home I'd took her from, an
afore she been with me long her father
wand,.ed of an her mother died in
the poorhouse. There wasn't none to
take her from me then, so she stayed
here; an right glad / was
TO keep her. She was a smart,
likely little thing, an / thought as
I'd care for her an lay by bit
o money former. When she first came