Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-28


The proposition seemed TO please Seth;
he even extended his hand in the dark
ness But he met only an irresponsible
void. With slight shrug of his shout
ders and grunting farewell, he felt his
way to the door and disappeared. For a
few moments it seemed as if Uncle Ben
had also deserted the schoolhOuse, so
profound and quiet was the hush that fell
upon it. But as the eye became accustomed
to the shadow a greyish bulk appeared
to grow out of it over the masters desk
and shaped itself into the broad figure of
Uncle Ben. Later, when the moon rose
and looked in at the window it saw him
as the master had seen him on the first
day he had begun his lessons in the school
house, with his face bent forward over
the desk and the same look of child-like
perpleXity and struggle that he had worn
at his allotted task. Unheroic, riducu-
lOus, and no doubt laundering and idiotic
as then, but still vaguely persistent
in his thought. he remained for some
moments i'll this attitude. Then rising
and taking advantage of the moonlight
that flooded the desk he set himself 10
mend the broken lock with Il large me
chanical clasp-knife he produced from
his pocket, and the aid of
his workinanlike thumb and
finger Presently he began to
whistle softly. at first a little arti-
ficially and with relapses of reflective sill
ence. The lock of the desk restored, he
secured into position again that part of
the door lock which he had burst off in his
entrance. This done, he closed the door
gently and once more stepped out into the
mOOnlit clearing. In replacing his knife
in his pocket he took out the letters which
he had not touched since they were handed
to him in the darkness. His first glance
at the handwriting caused him to stop.
Then still staring at 1t, he began to move
slowly and automatically backwards to
the porch. When he reached it he sat
down, unfOlded the letter, and without
attempting to read it, turned its
pages over and over with the
unfamiliarity of an illiterate man in
search of the signature. This when
found apparently plunged him again into
mOtiOnleSs abstraction. Only once he
changed his position to pull up the legs of
his trousers, open his knees, and extend
the distance between his feet, and then
with the unfolded pages carefully laid in
the moOnlit space thus opened before him,
regarded them with dubious speculation
At the end of ten minutes he rose with Il
sigh of physical and mental relaxation,
refolded the letter, put it in his pocket,
and made his way to the town.
When he reached the hotel he
turned into the barroom, and observ-
ing that it happened to be compar-
atively deserted, asked for Il glass of
whisky. In response to the bar-keeper' s
glance of curiosity-as Uncle Ben seldom
drank, and then only as Il social function
with others-he explained:
~ reckon straight whisky is about ez
good ez the next thing for blind chills. -
The bar-keeper here interposed that in
his larger medical experience he had
found the exhibition of ginger in COM
binatiOn with gin attended with effect,
although it was evident that i'll his bust
ness capacity he regarded Uncle Ben, as
a drinker, with distrust.
eye ain It seen Mr.. Ford hanging
round yer lately?'' continued Uncle Ben
with laborous ease.
The bar-keeper, with his eye still
scornfully fixed on his customer, but his
hands which were engaged in washing his
glasses under the counter giving him the
air of humorously communicating with a
hidden confederate, had not seen the
schoolmaster that afternoon.
Uncle Ben turned away and slowly
mounted the staircase to the master
room. After Il moments pause on the
landing, which must have been painfully
obvious TO any one who heard his heavy
ascent, he gave two timid raps OF the
door which were equally ridiculous i'll
contrast with his powerful tread. The
door was opened promptly by the mas
ter.
''Oh, it 5 you, is it?'' he said shortly.
Come in. -
Uncle Ben entered without noticing the
somewhat ungracious form of invitation.
81 1t war me, he said, ''dropped in,
not finding We down stairs. Let's have a
drink -
The master gaZed at Uncle Ben, who,
owing to his abstraction, had not vet
wiped his mouth of the liquor he had i'm
perfectly swallowed, and was il cOnse-
quence more redolent of whisky than Il
confirmed topper. He rang the bell for
the desired Iefreshment with Il slightly
cynical smile. He was satisfied that his
visitor, like many others of humble posi-
ton, was succumbiug to his good for
tune.
~ wanted to see We, Mr. Ford, - he
began, taking an unprotected char and
his hat after some hesitation
outside the door, Gin regard to what l
oncet told we about my wife in MiZzouri.
p r'aps you diSremember?'
81 remember, - returned the master
''You know it was that AFTERNOON that
fool Stacey sent the sheriff and the Har-
risons over TO McKinstry's barn -
EGO on!' petulantly said the master,
who had his own reasons for not caring to
recall it.
cit was that AFTERNOON. you know,
that you hadn't time to bark TO me-
hevin to go off on an engagement, -
continued Uncle Ben with protracted de-
liberation ''and-''
Eyes, sir, remember, - interrupted
the master exasperatedIy, land really
unless you get on faster, III have 10
leave yen again.
lit was that AFTERNOON - said Uncle
Ben without needing him, ''when l told
you hadn t any idea what had become
D my wife ez l left in Mizzouri. -
eyes, - said the master sharply ,"and
told you it was your bounden duty TO
ook for her. -
"That S so, - said Uncle Ben nodding
''them.'s your very words;
IN y leetle more strong than that, eff 1
Ion t disremember. Well, reckon 1 we |