Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-02
AFAIRY GODFATHER.

~It,s OF no use Betty. And we'd best say no more
abON 1T And RaOda gave the wheel chair an
impatient SHOVE and then rolled back again
1--WE can't help thinking And was In hopes
but there, It serves me right. counting upon adj
vantage from ones death It's I'll waiting for
dead mems shoes"
"Uncle James wore carpet slippers, Betty"
(Which accounts for our shabby remembrance ~
said the pretty Betty with n laugh tat showed
her little teeth, even and white as grains OF rice
.'The idea Of a mans giving all the money he has
10 an art museum and leaving all his connections,
VINO haven't even enough 70 get along with by
means OF pinching, residuary legatees to-some
household rubbish! It's laughable; that is, it's
lamentable. wish auntie'd sell 1t"
'-She couldn't sell 1t; except the old chairs and
tables and chests OF drawers, and those we'd like
ours instead she tried all the dealers on the old
engrSvtngs. and those little black daubs OF paint
ings, and they would have none OF them; and now
''sle hadn't any right to- They're ours
yes Uncle James LETT the engravings 10 me
with his love, and all the other pictures TO you"
"Ihank him for nothing" said Betty. wheeling
a courtesy and picking cut her last erimp. II
are Just the thing on those dark old walls so long
as auntle has made up her mind TO keep them
there You can't make out much OF anything In
them. and so. at any rate, they don't offend"
Uncle James used to think a great deal OF
them" said Rhoda, suspending her crochet-needle
moment I've seen him SIT before them for
hours and stare at nothing else. Old associations
/ suppose. His grandfather, the Holland mer.
chant, brought them from Holland some time or
''OId assOciationsf- said Betty turning this way
aud that the worn breadths OF silk which she was
working on "He wasn't that sort OF person. IL
he had cared for old associations he wouldn't have
left his brothers wife and-at least-what relation
brother? AZ any rate. were people eopneets ,
with him, and he knew II, and he used TO seem 10
love ~ But now see that II he had really cared
for his brother, or his wife, or that wifes nieces
he'd have left US enough OF his property to keep
from hard work"
..Uncle James believed in work. Betty
..well, don't; and know more about It than
he ever did Perhaps II we had been Heydeker's
-But aunIie thinks It's all right. She thinks
Uncle James could do no wrong. And she wants
10 move At once into his house and cease paying
rent here. And she thinks she shall renew her
youth there where she went to live as a bride"
"And II Uncle James had only done his duty,
might be going TO live as bride there, too. But
nOw-oh, long before Rob aud / can marry we
shall be as gray as auntie is now, shan't we
Rhodaf It's all very well for auntie 10 talk; she
married when she was seventeen, and wasn't
haunted oy a Vision OF herself so Old ana faded
that her lover wouldn't know her. Just think
kO0 and have been engaged a whole year now;
10 comet"
You shouldn't have been so previous-preco-
cious, mean. You're only twenty now"
"HOrriOle fate to be pretty and poor, and
in love and helpless at twentyV' And Betty
actually shuddered, as If, instead OF being
fore her. ''We, !" she said gravely "perhaps Uncle
james knew best; for II | had any sort OF a Tor.
tune should give IL all TO Rob for his business
terprise, whether were married or not, and If
he lost II, we should be no worse on than We are
now"
aus charmlng!- said Betty, looking about her
In Unele James garden, couple OF weeks later
ITS blISSi but somehow It's fairyland without the
1nries- OF all the unexpected things never did
expect TO be GOmciled In Uncle James old den.
But here We are for better or worse, and the rest
OF cur lives, fancy IL seems mean 10 come into
his home. feeling as do about him, though. But
ff had any proud spirit 10 indulge, couldn't in
dulge IL, and leave RhOda to stay with auntie all
alone; and Rhoda without any use OF OF her feet,
and without any practical use OF anything.
whatever In the world made you choose such
good Tor naught as am, hob, TO be your wife? 1
don't know any way In which could earn my salt
at extremity, unless went out TO service or into
a shop; and auntie wouldn't listen TO that, II /
her little or nothing, We used TO do down in the
town But It's sweet sort Of place, isn't IL,
ROBE"
"a place like a dream, (" said Rob.
II Vas quaint and unique place. at any rate;
an old colonial house OF single story, with court
and wings. OF such age that the moss grew upon
the many roofs, and surrounded by old-fashiOned
garden grounds overlooking with sweet-scented
flowers, and uncovered In rOses and honey suckles
that made a network over the easements OF half
the diSuSed rooms. And within doors the low
Sram sn 9 on ,I & .ne rooms opening
niShlng the dark, yet faded, blue green coverings
the strange old CHINA ornaments and dingy paint
ings all made II as picturesque and quaint as it
III one only had something to live on, one could
live very happily here, couldn't one, Rob?" contin-
"or anywhere else" said Rob, rather gloomily.
Though l Will confess that never saw q more
enchanting spot"
Like something you read about isn't 1t, Rob?.
but somehow IL never seemed so during your
Uncle James lie"
THAT was because we felt no freedom here and
spoke under our bTeaths with asthma and death
before Us and ali youth and brightness barred out
grum6le thar he left Us no more; he wasn't our
own uncle, you know, and lt was very good OF him
10 give auntie this, and IL saves her the rent But
oh, II he had only said 20 himself: .There's Rhoda
helpless cripple, and a lovely creature, without
apenny; and there's Betty-she's a fine girl and
she's % marry the finest fellow In the country:
III make the way easy IOr her, OH, why couldn't
he have said it?' And Betty stamped her pretty
81 don't see that he could have made the way
easy" said Rob, unless he could have stirred up
whole hornets nest OF ntigants and sent them all
them and AdOlph Vreimann and his pipes too A
young lawyer wants clients more than he wants
lesaeles-"
"a young lawyer" said Betty, misch!evously
had better take what he can get!'
And In this case?"
We'll" said Betty, ruefuly, don't see here
that he can get nyIhing but Betty"
That's ali he wants!" said the young lawyer
And shes only too ready TO be taken" said
RhOda, wheeling her chair In at the long Window
IRON the green terrace.
zone may as well DC ready as unready when the
whole thing Is impossible" said Betty. and for
81 mat can see, I've 10 20 Painting silly wilk
n0Hers that nooody wants, and Rob TO 20 on
them 10 make out, TO the end Of the chapter II
auntie wasn't incr1ste1 with the dust OF all her
ancestors, should have money enough laid up by
tAIs time 10 buy a house for koo and me- and nave
had a good business going that / could have con-
tlHUed after was married. and he could have gone
on taking care OF all hls sisters and his cousins and
his auAts Just the same as he does now But when
piOPJ>cd opening mIiliner'S rOonS-and It's lust
l1c II4us IL NJ Tor with my knack and I'm nj Tor
Looming clsc-she sad Uncle James would turn
over IL ni> grave. Well, what II he did turn over
IN his grave? IL wouldn't hurt him And n
MOUiint hurt anybody else. And nobOdy'd know
u any dy- And why should he turn over because
Lad iJUHd q way out Of-Out or
single Cusseune5s?" said RhOda-
"AunJie'd die herself To hear you. RhOda Rut
therr, II auAtle wasn't 50 awIu!iy prUyer We
sAOu.dHt " a"IulIy Improper, / suppose
lefty, Betty, how DO you dare 10 speak 50 about
aUntIe:7 ~ o'Ns
Il don't. shouldn't. OF course, II wasn't ready
tocOheos IN the next breath that she IS the sweet
t7l niue Old dried rOse that was with ali her
lads and fOilies-youn De just ike her. RhOda.
wAeh you're her age. Your very name meals
IOsr."
-Auntie never brought you I'D TO speak OF her I'm
THIS dlsTespectTul way
Auntie brought Us up" cried Betty "We
Drought her up. And on the whole she does rs
credit; doesn't she now: And she is lust as will
IT, a. most spoiled children are
your tongue Is running away with YOU Betty
what i IL That Interests Bob sO?"
>tOdylns those little black daubs of paintings
NaL , u make anything out. Rob? Come let's 70
U4t dOors; We shall never be young but once and
the rOs-s only blow In June, and the sOut Invest
Sihu . perfectly delicious, and there's a neil fun