The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-09-05
UNCLE JED AND JAMIE.

lie was neither Il tramp, drunkard,
nor pauper, though stranger encount-
cring Uncle jed might, at casual
glance, have easily mistaken for either
the grizzled, slouching figure in garments
much the worse for wear, frayed and
ragged hat-brim, and broken shoes often
bound about and held together with
twinc and withcS of bark. But a closer
inspection would have noted that the
lines ON his face were not those which
dissipation leaves, and that despite his
unkcmpt appearance there was about him
an air of sturdy independence, as of one
who felt II right To his own place in the
world, while the small troop of children
that, mixed with shaggy dog or two,
unusually followed close at his heels.
chubby and robust rs to face and form,
though somewhat dishcvclcd and dilapi-
dated rs TO garments and hats, showed
that, whatever his circumstances, he was
decidedly Il man of family.
In fact, Uncle jed, or more correctly
speaking, Jcduthan Cranston, was both a
householder and landowner, and his
excursions, SO frequent rs to almost seem
continuous, along the quiet country road
through the bit of woodland. over the
long hill, and between the rolling fields
were in the nature of II progress from the
wcathcr-boatcn, little old house that
formed his residence to his ''othcr place. '
something like mile distant. To be sure,
| neither estate was of great extent. vet
| sufficient i'm the hands of AN energetic.
! thrifty man To have rendered him in
farmer phrase "ircc-handcd.n But Uncle
! Icd's industry was never of the violent
kind. In II dcSultory sort of way he
managed 10 raise enough to fill the
mouths of the flock who filled the old
house till it seemed in danger of bursting
! For the rest If n pane of glass CHANGED
to get broken there were plenty oI
hats lying about with which to replace il
and if the barn door threatened to par
from its hinges "A rail propped against il
could keep it in position, all of whicl
seemed to trouble the plump, placid wifi,
of his bosom rs little as it did Uncle Jcc
himself. Perhaps had his farms been ad
iacent his working hours might have beer
less intermittent, but his iaunts from on,
to the other were apt to be broken b,
periods of reposc, if the weather invited
under the shade of n roadside tree or
perch on the rail fence that enticingl
bordered the way and long coloqu
with whoever chanccd to be workin,
within conversation range or would spar
the time for discussions that ranged i
subject from national politics to loca
gossip.
Withal he was good citizen and neigh
bor-honorable honest, kindly, proycr
bially slow in the payment of his ow
debts, but always ready to become 81
curty on the note of n friend. Childre
and dogs grayitated to him naturally, an
his horses and cattle, never any of thcl
lean from overwork, rubbed around hil
unafUid. He was supposed to hold SON
rebulous theories rs to paternal govern
mcnt, fragmentary memories of the ster
rule of grim old father. He had eve
been known 10 eXhort a ncighbor wit
cause of complaint against his numero,
Youngsters TO "Gct good gad and soc
it right to 'em, but under no circun
stances was he himself ever known to pra,
ticc Solomon's advice. And having live
II lifetime in one locality the people, mo
of whom had known him MS boy al