The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-11-16
MY UNCLE'S WIDOW.
A Deep, Dark Plot That Fortu-
nately Came to Nought.

We were a thriftless family; we
were always in debt; we were badly
clothed. badly housed, badly fed, and
We children were badly educated-and
all owing to Uncle John. We children
that ne was our great uncle, and my
father was entitled to the rever-
sion of $4,000 on his death. 1t was
like the house that Jack built; il it
hadn't been for Uncle John and the
reversion my father would have con-
kind. If he had submitted to the
common lot should have had proper
education, and if had had proper
education, my fate might have been
different and happier. My great uncle
never did any thing for any of us. My
father used to go to see him OCCASION
ally, and when he came back he was
always very much depressed for sew
eral days. Uncle John is looking
younger than ever; shall never come
into that money, my boy" he would
say to me in melancholy tone. "Low
diet and hope deferred, my boy, have
made wreck of me-" (He might have
added "laziness and whisky and
water'D. Hell outlive me. my boy;
I'm sure he will. But you've got fine
constitution, and, bar accidents, you'll
come into it after all"
And so in due course my father died
and | was left an orphan. On his
deathbed he gave me my Uncle Johns
address. ats all l can do for you,
Joseph, my boy" he said, ''and it isn't
much" And as soon as the breath
was out of my fathers body the land
and |, having no other home in the
world, proceeded to seek ont my only
living relative, Uncle John. had never
seen my Uncle John. He received
my father once a year, as has been
stated; but though l had never seen
him, knew all about him. He's all
hair and spectacles, my father had said,
''and he wears cap with flaps to it."
Now, some six or seven years prior
10 my fathers death, Uncle John had
married his cook. When my father
heard of that event he was overjoyed.
That's the last straw, Joseph, my
boy my father had said to me; that
settles him. Why she S regular horse
grenadier." My father was out in his
calculations. On his next visit TO my
Uncle John he declared that the old
man was "gaining lesh;" and then he
1a1 rfth tl,r,
OF course, it was over the annual f5
note, which was all that my father
ever succeeded in extracting from his
relative. The fact is that it was to
the cook interest to keep Uncle John
alive; for besides the $4,000 that was
to come to us on his death there was
nothing but his furniture and his saw
ings. AS Uncle Johns widow, the
cooks position would be precarious
one; but with one bed-ridden old man
to keep out of $3.50 year, as Uncle
Johns wife the cook had very good
bargain.
1t was a fine morning in June when
1 screwed my courage up to the stick
ing point, and in the interest of my
three sisters, whom had to keep on
thirty shillings week. determined
to call on my Uncle John and try and
extract the annual "fver.' My Uncle
Johns house was in Araminta terrace,
Hoxtop. knocked gently at the door,
lest | should disturb my bedridden
uncle; slatternly girl opened it on
the chain and asked my business.
"rve called to see Mr.. Worleybone,
my uncle, / replied" As soon as had
said the words look of terror passed
across the girls face.
''Can you call in an hour said the
girl; "the old gentleman's asleep, l
think"
III you don't mind. think I'd like
to come in and see my aunt" replied.
Mothers out" said the slatternly
girl; but I'll step up and ask the old
gentleman.
She didn't let me in though; she left
'no wait.n. on the doorstep, and she
eft the door upon the chain. She
wasn't gone long; and when she re-
turned she opened the door slowly !
enough, and, ushering me into little