Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-09-20
Uncle Arches Wife.
CHAPTER |.

I En- L.
"You will come to Mrs. Marshall's
this afternoon, mother? Oh, yes, it
will do you good 10 make the little
effort! You have grown quite pale
through shutting yourself in the house
so long.
My mother shook her head at this
appeal, as she had shaken it at so
many similar appeals OF mine within
the past few days; but this time
thought | saw signs OF yielding. Ger
tainly she looked longingly over our
pretty front garden and on to the sun
ny high-road.
II suppose you are right, and
ought to make the effort, Irene, my
dear she said. with a disconsolate
sigh; ''bu. | would rather hide my
self away till | haze somewhat recov-
cred from this cruel shock. However.
though your uncle Archie has not used
us well, have no wish TO be unkind
10 him or Mrs. Gerard; and, If we
shut ourselves up, people, | suppose,
would talk
They will do that in any case,
mother | do not suppose the Lud-
leigh folks have discussed anything
for the past ten days but the Squire $
extraordinary marriage; but of course
it rests with us TO give the gossip n
good or i'll natured turn"
Then we will direct il into the
right channel at once" answered
mother, with quick flush, and l am
sure the consciousness OF acting mag
unanimously more than half consoled
her for the effort she was making and
the disappointment she had endured.
Poor mother, she needed some con-
ISOLATION badly; for, though she had
as a matter Of fact, no real reason TO
complain OF actual injustice, she had
been startled out OF II pleasant sense
of security lately, and, as she observ-
ed, made TO look downright ridicu-
lous in the eyes OF all her friends >
Uncle Archic-or Archibald Gerrad,
Esq. of Ludleigh Hall to give him his
more digni6ed title-was my fathers
eldest brother, and had been looked
upon as a confirmed old batchelor-so
my mother pathetically informed me
before | was born. When | had
reached the mature age of nineteen he
was bachelor still, with
apparently as little idea of
entering the holy estate of
matrimony as had of entering a con-
vent-which | was not very likely to
do, for became engaged to Dick Mar
tineau just then.
Uncle Archie brough. us TO Lud-
leigh after my fathers death, and es-
tablished US, not, as mother rather eX-
pected he would, at the Hall, but at
the pretty, old red-brick Queen Ann
house in the High street, that had
been tenanted by unmarried and
widowed Gerrards for many genera
tions.
You will be more comfortable than
at the Hall, Gertrude he said, in the
grave, kind, courteous way that was
natural TO the stately old gentleman;
land we can see as much OF one an
other as we please. | should like TO
have Walters little girl brought up
under my own eyes; and yet | am too
to have the Hall arranged for ladies
occupation now"
| was eight years old then, but
i remember that scene OF our home
coming so well-how / perched on my
uncle's knee and asked, with all the
pert boldness OF spoilt child
.'Why don't you like ladies at the
Hall, Uncle Archie? Aren't there any
pretty things for them to see there?
Every pretty things, Irene"
"And must not | see them some day
soon?" ! asked anxiously, and Uncle
Archie smiled and patted my head.
"Assuredly you shall, little girl, as
soon as your mother likes TO bring
you. No one has so much right TO
see them-no one shall take so much
interest in the pretty things at Lud-
leigh Hall as you. :"
The last words were spoken more
gravely, and, | fancy now, more TO
himself than to me; but naturally |
only understood the superficial mean
ing of words then, and my juvenile
curiosity was aroused.
"Why?" | asked earnestly-"be-
cause | am good little girl, Uncle
Archie?n
because you are my niece and the
last of the Gerrards, " he answered,
with such a heavy sigh that moth er,
who had been sitting in the comforta-
BILE chimney-corner warming her slim
white hands and listening 10 our con-
versation with an expression of inf
mite content on her face. suddenly in
terfered, and, calling me TO her, told