The Somerset reporter., 1890-02-06

husband felt no little pride But when
she appeared before him In her new at
tire, Mr.. Wise exclaimed almost angrily-
why, wife | never saw you In any
thing 30 positively hideous before. What
could have induced you ~ buy such q
mean fabric, aud such dull, unbecomiDg
colorsf''
Had / only known 1t, his wife replied
regretfully. Il might have gone " War
ren's and bought a beautiful silk and wool
fabric for the same money / paid for
this, but did not see their advertisement,
and thought 1t no use 70 90 up " their
store where things are usually higher than
anywhere else. | was limited as 70
price, and did the best | could"
In another part Of the suburban city
where Mr.. Archibald Wise resided, lived
his cousin, Mr.. Herbert Wise. The cous-
ms had no great fondness for each other,
and seldom met, except occasionally at
the house Of DIR. Erastus Wise. an uncle.
DR.. Wise was retired physician, living
In the great city where both his nephews
were engaged IN business. He was wide
ly known and esteemed among the pro-
fession, and had q large acquaintance,
with whom he was exceedingly popular.
n innu u ihie ue lell tuht
he should regard his nephews equally
favorably, but despite the fact Of Her
bert's being much more assiduous in his
attentions than Archibald. he yet fel.
more nearly drawn to the latter
As these nephews were the old doctors
nearest living relatives, 1t was perhaps
only natural that both gentlemen had
vague expectations that it might tran
spire at some future day that they had
been generously remembered when the
old physician should have done with all
earthly wants.
One morning as Archibald Wise was
about entering his Office he suddenly en-
conntered his cousin Herbert, " b said,
smilingly-
so you didn't think best to appear at
our good uncle's last night?p
What do you mean?'
why, mean you didn't present your
self to ask after him."
why, what's the matter
Howl You didn't see the account in
your paper Yesterday
Not word Of it. Did your"
Why, certainly. Uncle seemed to
think your absence somewhat marked, |
fancied, in the midst Of such large
asse mbage of friends"
turned, his cousin went hastily to the
nearest news stand and bought a paper
of the day before. 1t took him but a
moment to find that the old gentleman
had been injured ard narrowly escaped
death, and that many citizens had called
to congratulate him on having attained
his eightieth birthday in safety.
At the large gathering the previous
night, when Mr. Herbert Wise was about
taking leave of his uncle, the genial old
gentleman remarked
81 am disappointed at not seeing Arch
lie here tonight. Have you heard that he
was away or indisposed?'
"Oh, no. replied Herbert, hesitatingly;
she might not have known of it,"
But | think he must rejoined his
uncle; 1.-THE occasion was noticed twice
in his paper"
"Berhaps he takes no paper regularly"
suggested the nephew, who seemed to
have developed a sudden aptitude for
drawing conclusions.
"And perhaps he does" said the old
gentleman serenely, at the same time he
though III a heeG, f3T5:atS!.sss;s;; thensht ees-
corning the man he felt had cast rather q
slur towards his favorite nephew.
Rejecting on the subject later in the
solitude of his chamber, Uncle Erastus
soliloquized audibly:
1T looks to me as IL Herbert might
have said that for the purpose of alien
ating me from Archie. l can recall hay
ing heard him speak slightingly of his
cousin on former occasions. | wonder II
he thinks
But there the old man sank into pro.
found reverie. After a moment howey- |
er, he aroused and added emphatically-
mo. indeed That would no. be |
Archie at all. I'd be ashamed. indeed /
of relative of mine, who would 60 |
without daily paper for any cause e1-
cept extreme poverty, but believe there's
no danger that Wise would do foolish .
thing
At noon Mr.. Archibald Wise was
emerging from the newspaper Office when
he met his uncle just going in. In eager,
sincere terms, the nephew began explain
ing his absence the night before.
81 entirely missed hearing of the acct
dent he said, simply.
II see you have your paper said his
uncle, glancing at the ample sheet in his
nephew's hands.
Yes; have just been in to pay for
my subscription
And I'm going in to renew mine; wait
bit, Archie, and We'll 60 to dinner to-
gether."
True to the latent msnlness Of his ma
ture, Mr. Archibald Wise told the whole
story to his wife that night, and added
what seemed redeeming confession; he
said
why is it man seems possessed to
persist in a resolve he knows is only dam
aging and hazardous simply because he
has determined to do SO? | can't tell. |
only k ow I'm done with trying to econo-
mize in such a costly way as discover is
involved in doing without my valuable
paper"
A few years later, when Uncle Erastus's
will was opened, it was found that Her
bert Wises prejudicial hints had not
injured his cousin in the least. For be-
sides stubbornly apportioning large sum
to the city hospital, of which he had long
been the senior visiting physician, the old
doctor had further demonstrated the con-
trarness Of human nature by leaving to
his nephew, Archibald Wise, twice as
much money as he left his more ambitious
cousin Herbert, who unconsciously dis
pleased his good uncle by base, yet
perfectly truthful insinuation, only its
truthfulness was fortunately concealed
Boston Transcript.