Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-06
MY UNCLE'S HOBBY.
A Tale Of Science, Love and I'M
ported Imagination.

Reginald" said my uncle. one
morning after breakfast, Rose dag
incourt is coming to stay with us to-
morrow"
l suppose that most young fellows,
shut up in 4 dali country house, with
no companions except scientific uncle
and faded aunt, would have been pos
sessed by extravagant delight upon
hearing of the approaching visit of a
bright Devonshire maiden. You will
begin to understand the unnaturalness
of my position when l tell you that l
was not. At my uncle's announce
ment my heart sank like lead. The
fear of his hobby was upon me.
''Her father was a fine kniGhtly
soul, continued my uncle, ''and her
mother was distinctly 4 clever woman.
General d'Agincourt, her uncle, was
the handSomeSt man | ever saw. am
inclined to waive certain ancestor in
the maternal line, who is reported to
have been a valetudinarian and bore;
and as to Miss d'Agincourt' great
aunt, Lady Somers, who was undoubt-
edly a creature of weak intellect, there
is a trustworthy tradition of fall in
the nursery, which will dispose of the
supposition Of any hereditary faint
These remarks of my uncle terrified
me. / waited anXiously. but l knew
what was coming. Taking his pipe
from his lips with that meditative gest-
ure which | knew SO well, he pro-
ceeded:
My researches into the life history
of the family have been, upon the
whole, satisfactory. now propose to
devote seven days to the analysis of the
young lady herself. At the end of
week, if the result Of my observations
points in that direction, | shall ask you
to propose to her"
| expected the blow, but it staggered
me nevertheless. Argument. l knew,
would be worse than useless.
But what is she like, uncle?" /
asked.
''Shc will be. as far as | can Judge
from my present data, of the synthetic
order of mind. That is my hope.
What youwant in wife, my dear boy.
is syntheSis. You're so confoundedly
analytical; you haven't q spark of
imagination in your whole compost
ton. That was your poor mothers
fault"
But, uncle, meant what is she like
pCrSOnally?'
Shell be handsome enough for YOU,
you young rogue, I'll be bound. But
you'll Judge for yourself tomorrow.
You can take the dog cart down to
Crompton station to meet the five
O'Clock train. To-day is Thursday; on
Saturday week will tell you if you
may propose to her."
My uncle beamed benignantly, and
strolled into the garden.
l loved no one in the world better
than | loved my uncle, the kind old
guardian of my boyhood, but ever
since l had arrived at mans estate
lived in dread of his hobby. Twas
convinced of a sneaking tendency to
the romantic in my own disposition
which would harmonic i'll with his
scientific plans for my future. and
shrank from the trouble which
thought was sure to come between us
when the time came for the practical
working out of his theories. To listen
and assent to his learned dissertations |
upon heredity was enc thing; to marry
a girl because the match would dove
tail with his principles was quite
another. As drove down to Cromp- |
ton the next day, L felt that l had al |
ready conceived a deep aversion for
this young lady who had been selected
as fitting complement to my ex-
istence.
This feeling lasted for half an hour.
As soon as the train arrived. and Miss |
d Agincourt stepped from her carriage,
/ began to relent; when l had intro
duced myself. and heard the music of |
her replies. l began to like her. and |
when / handed her into the dog cart, / |
was in love with her. The rapidity of |
my subsection amazed me, for although |
/ had always profcssed to believe in
love at first sight. had never actually |
realized the possibility of such an
event happening to myself. But now
/ felt like newly awakened Cymon;
my soul suddenly expanded with the
most delicious sensations l had ever
can not describe her
/ never could understand how any one
dare attempt to reproduce in words the !