The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-22
UNCLE JACOBS RUSE.
4 Change In His viii Produces q
Happy Effect


4 Change In His VIII Produces o
Happy Effect
Jenny and Lucy Baglcy were the pref
test two girls in Balky Bottom. Their
mother was very proud Of them. and
though a widow in straitened circum-
stances she strained her narrow means
to put them at the new seminary.
The ambitious mother might have
found it difficult to carry through
her plans ii an only brother, several
years her senior. who had run away
when a boy. and who had long ago
been given up for dead, hadn't come
back one day as suddenly as he had
disappeared, with no end Of money in
his pocket, still a bachelor.
Uncle Jacob Ransower. in spite OF
his grotesque dialect and old-fashioned
manners, soon became great favor
ito with Jenny and Lucy. BY sort
Of tacit understanding he took up his
home in his sisters house, and from
that time the latter was relieved from
all anxiety on the score of her daugh-
ters' education, Uncle Jacob thence
forward cheerfully paying their bills,
including all the ''extras."
The girls came home finished at
last, and Uncle Jacob was leased into
buying grand piano, with half q cart
load Of fashionable music.
The sisters would have had flocks OF
bcaux. for they we're not only remark
ably pretty. but, as every body knew,
they would one day come into Uncle
Jacobs money; but they held their
heads 60 rery high that there wasn't a
youth in Balky Bottom adventurous
enough to spunk up to them. Even
Hiram Hoppick. who used to be rather
spry in his attentions to Jenny in the
ante-seminary days. and Reuben Ruck-
man. who used to bask in an occa-
sional smile Of Lucy's in the same
blissful period, hung back now like a
brace Of bashful school-boys with their
fingers in their mouths.
At last star of the first magnitude
set the armament of Balky Bottom all
ablazc. II was no less a luminary
than Mr. Cleophas Brassey. Uncle
Jacob, who had caught from his nieces
touch Of the seminarian idiom. pro-
nounced him .'mooch too quote"
But the ladies nonconcurred. Mr..
Brassey. in their eyes, was perfect
Prince Charming; and when they
came to know him. and heard him
sing: ME hawt is fawh. fawh awayr'
"a statement with probably more
truth than poetry in it-Jcnny declared
he was nicer than a-a--, and Lucy
quite agreed with her.
For the first time in their lives was
there any jealousy between the sisters.
For time Mr. Brassey distributed
his attentions impartially between the
two. 1t would have puzzled him, in.
deed. to give a reason for prefer
encc. In point OF looks. neither sister
had the advantage. and Uncle Jacob
money, ii was understood. was TO gc
TO them in equal portions.
But Cleophas Brasscy was OF a more
practical turn OF mind than the meta
physical donkey that starved to death
between two haystacks. for want of .
philosophical reason for choosing The
one rather than the other Uncle
Jacob was complaining good dea
i0fn - iy,f l.:
had put himself on double rations o
blackstrap rs Il remedy. Feeling there
was no time 10 Lose. Mr.. Hr:.ssey, il
the privacy Of his chamber. christene.
his meerschanm Jenny and his tobacco
stopper Lucy. and went owe. the oil,
juvenile rigmarole by which school
boys decide who's first to be hare
The last word fell to Lucy; so Lucy i
WAS
From that time forth it ceased to b,
ACQUISITION where MIR. Brasscy's pre-
objections lay. II was nothing bu
Lucy with him now.
Mr.. Bras,ey would have propose.
to Lucy without delay, but he was ;
little dubious on the score of Cncl
Jacob. II would be just like that oh
stinstc old Dutchman. If he didn't l;k.
the mitch. to express his disapprova
by il d!sinheriting clause in his will.
But at last "A circumstance occurred
that couldn't fail to give Mr. Brasse,
Il considerable lift in Uncle Jacob
opinion. Lawyer Hacker. with whom
Mr.. l.. seemed to have good deal 0
business lately. came in hot haste il
search OF that gentleman, whom h
found on the widows back porch max
ing himself quite one Of the family
Uncle jacob, with his corncob pip
and pitche. Of blackstrap. hankin,
the party.
Il have just received said the law
yer, breaking in on the company witt
the air OF one on pressing business
IAN offer Of two hundred thousand dol
lars for your Florida plantation
What answer shall giyco"
Say I've changed my nina an
don't wish 10 seil. carclessly replie'
the other, turning to resume his tete
a-tetc with Lucy. and Hacker left.
Uncle Jacobs ears had not been idle
and when, in the evening, it was dis
closed in family council that MI
''rassey had that afternoon propose
to Lucy. the old gentleman, instead Z
exploding as mad boon feared, smoke
his pipe in silence. and when that an
the blackstrup wcrc finished, betoo
himself quietly TO bed.
Next morning Uncle Jacob was o
betimcs to town. Going straight I
Lawyer Hackers Office, he sough
and obtained private interview.
..lIow .nooch you sharch to wrid
my vill?" he asked.
twenty-five dollars" replied tn
lawyer, blandly.
boo mooch," objected Uncle jacob