Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1890-02-22

| 0uls CllCu L, Jumping up l1ol
the footstool, where | was twisting my
yellow hair over a long hairpin "you
ought to be ashamed of yourselves p
'In-deed" pouted Philippa. "Whc
are you, Miss Polly, to set yourself W
in judgment over your elder sisters
I'd like to know ?"
81 don't care" stoutly persisted l
"Uncle Rudolph is a dear, generous
hearted gentleman, and | won't sit
here and hear him laughed at Now
you just keep still both of youp'
Hateful thing She's jealous" said
Laura. "She can't bear the idea of
me being adopted by the rich uncle of
the family
81 don't care a pin whether he
adopts you or not" said |, pulling saw
agely away at my hair. But l won't
hear him made fun of when his back
is turned"
Hell not adopt you, anyhow" said
Philippa; nobody wants such an ugly
wide-mouthed little gnome about their
house."
winked back my tears, Philippa
knew that | was sensitive about my
mouth when she aimed that shaft so
skillfully.
off you say another word in ridicule
of Uncle Rudolph" said l, "I'll go
straight to mamma and tell her.
mamma won't care"
mamma will care" said |. "Mam-
ma loves her brother dearly, and she
won't allow you to laugh at him.
A sullen silence ensued on the part
of my elder sisters. had gained my
point, but they contrived to make it
very uncomfortable for me.
Mamma" said Laura, give me
the keys of the blue room and I'll 90
up for some of the larger napkins
These are mended and darned until
they are hardly decent, besides being
too small"
"You can't go now" said mamma,
she was busy brewing chocolate,
"Your Uncle Rudolph is in the blue
room. l put him there to sleep because
there's leak in the roof Of the best
bedroom, and [ was afraid it might be
a little damp. Why, girs, what's the
matterY
For Philippa had uttered little
shrek, and Laura dropped the double
damask table cloth into the coal-scuttle,
while | stood transfxed to the floor.
''Uncle Rudolph in the blue room !"
said Philippa. "Close to ours With
that door between Laura, he must
have heard every word we said p
And she sat down and began to cry.
Laura looked aghast, but she was
quick to recover herself.
"Hush, Philippa," she said. Don't
make fool of yourself Here's Uncle
Rudolph coming down now. I'm just
as sorry as you are, but all the whim-
pering in the world won't do you any
good. We must just make the best Of
it,
Girls" said poor ,bewildered mann
ma, "what does all this mean ?"
But before we could explain Uncle
Rudolph came down stairs, snug,
smooth shaven, and looking as fresh as
a winter pippn.
"Good morning, Sister Rockfeld,"
said he, sitting down opposite the fire
Good morning, girls. | was talking
last night, sister, about adopting one Of
the three, and making her the heiress
to the little I'ye cot to leave"
"Yes?" said mamma, wondering very
much what was coming next. /
"Well, I've made my choice. This
is the one" drawing me close TO him.
"Not Polly p
Eyes, Polly. True, she hasn't
Philippa's wax-doll face, nor Laura's
quickness of repartee, but l think she'll
get fond of me all the same. Philippa
thinks me mean old hunk. Laura
don't approve Of a way l have of talk
ing through my nose. But Polly
stands up for the old gentleman, like a
brave girl, as she is, with a heart of
genuine gold p
"I'm sure | don't understand what
on earth you mean, Brother Rudolph"
said mamma, with a puzzled wrinkle
between her brows.
but these girls do" said Uncle Ru-
dolph, with curious roguish sparkles in
his eyes. "The next time you've got
company staying in the house, young
ladies, to Laura and Philippa, "you
must do up your confidential converse
ton in a low tone of voice.
Philippa pouted. Laura hung down
her head. | cried; l couldn't help it.
"Uncle Rudolph" said |, 81 don't
want anything that my sisters can't
sharep
"But, you see, you haven't any say
in this question, miss, retorted Uncle
Rudolph, laughing.
So that is the reason that /, little
Polly Rockfeld, whom my siste al
ways declare was born for a kitchen
maid, live in a great house, with a
swarm of servants at my beck and call,
and Laura and Philippa, who would
have graced a ducal castle, keep house
together in cottage. Mamma lives
with US; but Uncle Rudolph won't
have the girls.
"They don't like my way of talking
, through my nose" said he. "And I'm
too old dog to learn new tricks at my
time of life! No, no! little Polly suits
me the best p Toledo Blade.