Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1886-04-29
HOUSE THAT DAN BUILT.
BY B. b.

HOUSE THAT DAN BUILT.
Eyes, it should be cottage" said
Dan Berkely, laying down his rule,
and beginning to chalk out a diagram
on his carpenters bench; eyes, it
should be cottage, and built on the
plan of Ben Morrill's. 1t tshould have
one of those picturesque Gothic porti-
cos just here, facing the west" (here
Dan made pentagonal addition to
the western side of the digram), "and
two bay windows (making two small
er pentagons), "and here should be
the parlor, and here the library, and
here the cool, pretty little breakfast
room, where we would breakfast to-
gether so cozily-Minnie and l y and
Dan smiled to himself at the charming
picture his fancy had created.
Minnie might well have been
proud of Dan if she had happened to
see him just then for he was looking
his best. Men always do when they
are thinking such good, pure thoughts
as filled Dan Berkely's mind that day.
And Dan Berkely, looking his best,
was not to be sneered at, | assure you.
tits not every day that one meets such
a handsome fellow, or one SO manly
and noble.
Ermina Lowering thought SO, and
when Dan asked her to be his wife
she very willingly spoke the little
word that made him happy.
If there was any one thing in which
Dan implicitly believed it was the
goodness and sweetness and translu-
cent loveliness of Minnie Lowering.
And it was. one of Minnie's articles of
faith that there never was a man SO
worthy of confidence as Dan.
The one thing that stood i'll the
way of their perfect happines. was
Dams lack of worldly wealth. He
could not afford to build house, and
Ermina was determined not to marry
until they could begin life in q cozy,
independent home oftheir own.
The subject was one Of great anxiety
to Dan. He spent a great deal of
time planning and contriving how he
could raise money enough to build n
cottage like Ben Morrill's.
So now, as he stood there, planning
out his house for the five hundreth
time, he grew so interested in it that
he fell to thinking aloud, and confided
all his hopes to the carpenters bench
and tools, never dreaming that he had
another auditor.
How should he know that Uncle
Nathan Hale had just composed him.
self for snooze on the wide bench un-
der the open window of his shop, and
was listening intently to every word
he said?
There was suspicious moisture in
Uncle Nathan's eyes and suspicious
quiver on his lips. de was 7ery fond
of his nephew and his pretty tiancee,
and he thought it really too bad that
they could not have their house.
"Here am l." quoth Uncle Nathan
to himself, "worth a snug fortune, and
no earthly use for it, and really -
An then and there Uncle Nathan
formed plan which he resolved to
put Immediately into execution. So
he said to Dan the next morning:
"Dan, l want you to build house
for me-
: "a house for you, Uncle Nathan?
What in the world do you want of q
house Are you going to get married
THAT is none of your business" said
Uncle Nathan, irascibly. x"Will you
undertake the job, or won't you :"
"Of course" replied Dan, who un-
derstood the old gentleman's peculiar
tiles. "But when, where, and how j.
it to be built?"
81 want it to be commenced right
off," said Uncle Nathan, decidedly
"And / want it built on that corner
lot of mine where the big elms stand
That's a fine building spot. It's to.be
a cottage. You've seen Ben Morrill's!
Well, that is the style; only my cot
tage is to be ever so much prettieI
than his, I'll leavesit to your. judge
ment and taste. Make it just such q
house as you'd like for yourself
And you are not to bother me about
it. Take it entirely into your hands
I1lre iii CHo WOTkneu you WduG, Ouly
get it done as soon as possible. Cal
on me when you want funds expense
is no object"
Uncle Nathan, I do believe yor
are going to get marriedP laughed
the astonished nephew.
Uncle Nathan's eyes twinkled as he
answered: "You build me. pretty
house, and I'll promise you there vii
be pretty woman in it within 1
month from the day it is finished"
That evening Dan told Ermin,
| about what he was to buliG, and tina
he believed Uncle Nathan had matri
monial intentions. Whereat the,
both fell to guessing whom he was 20
ing to marry. Dan guessed Mis-
Nancy Dawes, but Minnie believed
the Widow Banks.
So Dan went to work at Uncl
Nathan's cottage. He threw into j
all the taste, the prides the enthusiasm
which he would have bestowed upol
the ideal cottage Of his own- Ono
/ in awhile Uncle Nathan came to lool
/ At the building, nod approvingly, an,
| 80 away
!. N hen at last It was all fnifhed, an
i 8 49, - IS sz a i sszsz 8. =