River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-06-21
"CRUNCHER'S NIECE"
a Stroke of Fortune at a Lucky
Moment.

Owen Stanley. huddlcd IN the corner
If third-cla>s carriage, was going
from Manchester To Chatburn. where
position in lawyers Office awaited
him. The prospect was not cheerful,
but It was the only means Owen had
pf earning his bread since that I'M
IucI.v Misunderstanding with Uncle
Raymond. Also. if Uncle Raymond
ncy i would sec the rights of that mis-
cradle .,iTair. the work at Chatburn
would be stePping-stone to a better
place.
Ovens thoughts were decidedly
gloomy. aud there was nothing TO en-
liven them in the contemplation of his
fellow travellers. These were two shy.
awkward. country maidcns; the high
and mighty valet If agentleman in an
other compartment, n thin young man.
with wide strip of black plaster
Ubliqucly travcrsing his nose, and a
wizencd. little old woman in a rusty
bonnet. upon which the detected feath-
ers we're So arranged Is 10 make II
suggest a moltin@ hen. During the
entire Journey. this old lady had OBJ
served q sphinx-like silence. until. as
thcy ncarcd the Chatburn Station. she
gave vent to the sudden and unex-
pected statement. addressed to no one
in particular: ''Cruncherses lives in
that rel house Wonder. with them yell
Ter chimucy-puts. They say he uses
that niece IF his orfuI; a-starvin' an
a-bcat-u' Of her in a way as never
was"
Nobody replied to this gloomy reve-
la,iou. and the old lady relapsed into
her former silence. Mr.. Stanley
smiled grimly 10 himself as he won
dered if many of his future townspeO-
PIE bore such cnviablc regulations.
"ChatburnT' roareJ the guard. and
Owen descended. When he presented
himself at the Office whittier he was
bound, he was informed that his serv-
ices were not required. Mr.. Topham.
the head Of the establishment. was un.
cxPcctcdly obliged 10 accompany hi.
daughter to Il miidcr climate on ac-
count uf her health. and the Office was
TO be virtually closed FOR three months,
Mr. Topham regretted exceedingly {
mistake that had prevented n telegram
from being sent to Mr.. Stanley, tell
ing him Of this change of plan.
This leaves me in a pretty fix
muttereI owen 10 himself. rs h,
turned AWAY what next? is a ques-
tiuu fate must answer / have. lot me
sce-scvcu shiIIings. three pence, and
pastage-stamp. in available cash
and no prospect Of a farthing more,
unless ! earn IT, Not enough TO sci
M a monkey and barrcl-organ. In
rather old for ncwsbov or bOOtblack.
and too biz for chimney Plain
il. I must not be squeamish about any
thing that offers
As ne walked air,less'y down the
street. he read the name. "CrunchcI,
Attorney beside a dingy ofiice-door
with clerk Wanted chalked under.
meath.
Crunchcr-th1t was the name o
The ogre the old gossip denounced il
the train. Could this be the sam,
man.
Hero. Bob. take this letter down
tu the red house ON the east road; it,
for Mr.. Cruucher The house will
the yellow chimney pots; you can
mistake Il. unless YOU try" called ;
young man from the window. 10 ;
country lout just quitting the house
No longer amy doubt in Owen.
mind Of this bciug the Mr. Crunche
accused bv the oracle in the bedrag
cIcd bonnet Should he take warnIn,
aud shuu the place. or dismiss the oil,
womau's maunderiugs from his min'
altogether or. another view of tn
ease. should he watch if there were
pcrchauce means # helping a fai
damseI in distress - befriendin.
Ccunchcr's unlucky niece Then h
laughed At his own chivalrous non
sense. He could imagine the type o
Young lady the one in question wOul'
be. addicted to jet beads and lou
ribbons; fond Of = yeliow-ba
novel. and considered a finished mus
clan bv herself AID friends. owing {
her taking manner Of rafting off foU
or five walrzes and the airs most af
fected BY the b3Trei-Organs. In thOs
haIcvon DAYS before the quarrel wit
Uncle Raymond. o wen had known
Iicher TYNE Of womanhoOd than h
was likely 10 be thrown with nov
and he smiled bitterly 1t his intere:
in the probably fictitious misery
Cruncher's niece Why should b
give two thoughts TO the veal or VIC
of girl he had never seena He VS.
as,onishcd himself
y evertheless, he presented himse
n before Mr.. Cruncher and after
sharp cross-gacs tioning, was engage
10 I'LL the post vacant in the Office.
From a fslO w-clerk Owen SOC