The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-09-16
HER UNCLE'S LEGACY

HER UNCLE'S. LEGACY.
''Alix! Alix! Where are you?"
Alexia Ames stood like some aveng-
ing fate in the middle of the spare
room at Amescroft farm. She had
pulled up every tack in the well-worn
ingram carpet-the one .'store carpet
that the humble establishment afforded
and had flung it bodily out of the
window, where it had descended with
crushing weight on the fery-red BIOS
SONS Of monster burning BUSH"
At the sound of her sisters voice she
stopped abruptly.
I'm here" said she.
'.What are you doing. AlixPn
'I'm trying to civilize things
little"
'.All alone by yourself, AlixP'
There's no one to help me-"
Ellen looked anxiously around the
room.
.sWhy. what have you done with
everything?" said she.
Cleared them all out. If we are
going to have summer boarders we
must get ready for them. Uncle Eben
occupies our best bedroom and is like
ly to for some time; consequently this
must be fitted up for boarders."
Ellen sighed deeply.
Il wish we weren't so poor" said
she. II wish we could live without
filling our house every summer with
crowd of noisy strangers"
why don't you wish for Aladdin's
lamp or the Kohinoor diamond while
you are about itp" said Alix, scorn-
fully.
= 'tAlix, why have you grown so bitter
of latePn pleaded the gentler of the sis
ters. 'I hardly know you'll"
s'Am / bitter?n Alix stood still and
hesitated for an instant or SO. .'We,l,
perhaps / am. But is it not enough to
make any one bitter-this constant
current of disappointment
/ II don't know that we have any
more to bear than others. Alix."
You do, too!n cried Alix, springing
burning cheeks and eyes alight. you
are engaged to Henry Lucas and can't
here are we weighed to the very earth
with poverty and care, and this old
uncle of ours, coming back from a
Il1oIIu0 VI SHnllSSSu0SS III new MIA
leo, to place an additional burden on
our shoulders.
''He is old and poor. Alix."
I ''Very well, Pm young and poor.
Where's the differencep OF the two,
maintain that he is better off"
Ellen looked at her stormy-tempered
sister with troubled eyes.
What have you done with the little
case of butterflies and birds nests?n
said she, 'sand the cabinet of minerals
and the paper box of stonesPn
"Tumbled them back of the goose
berry bushes" said Alix. Il can't
have the room cluttered with all the
trash he brought back in that wooden
chest of his"
Couldn't you have stored them
away in the old chest itselfp''
Nonsense! Such stuff as that?
And, besides, it would have been quite
impossible. for l have had Billy chop
the old ark up into kindling wood.
He'll never know!'
'Oh, Alix!''
81 don't carein flashed out Alix. with
a reckless toss of her head. 'It's too
bad! Everything gees wrong with us.
and mother is utterly overworked, and
I'm clear discouraged. and-and--'
All of sudden her fictitious courage
broke down. She sunk in little heap
on the floor, her head on the wooden
chair-seat, and her masses of auburn
hair escaping wildly from the towel,
| while her whole frame shook with sobs
and bright tears trickled down her
cheeks.
At the same moment Mrs. Ames'
soft, tremulous voice was heard, call
ing:
7.Ellen! Alexia! Where are you,
girlsP Your uncle is took dreadful
bad! Run, one of you, for the doctor!
And t'other one, come and help me lift
himr'
Ellen flew to her mothers assistance
and Alix mechanically tore the towe
from her curls, exchanged it for {
bonnet and fastened to summon DR.
Dodd, who lived at the other end o
the village.
Late in the afternoon she peeped int
the sick-room, shy and shrinking. like
frightened child.
us he worse?" she whispered.
Mrs. Ames came to the door, q
slight, soft-eyed woman, like human
dove.
You needn't speak SO low, daugh
ter" said she HE can't hear you
He is quite unconscious.
''Why does he keep muttering SOP
Il think he is wandering in hi
mind-poor old Uncle Eben! Oh
deari And can remember him sue
a portly. handsome man." added tn
widow, wiping her eyes. He was tn
Youngest of all the brothers. Com
in, AIix, and see him. He's spokel
your name two or three times. Don
look SO startled, dear. He seems quit
happy and composed. He's talking al
the while about those curiosities @
his-the minerals, you know. an
things"
Involuntarily Alix's eyes met th
gently reproachful glance of her sis
ter's. The sudden scarlet mounted t
her cheek.
ooh, Ellen, don't look at me sol
she exclaimed. Il brought them ever
one back-yes, did-and l put thel
exactly where they were before. d
:. you think could have come into tn
room if it hadn't been for thatP'
And she went up and stood by tn
\ bedside, her eyes full of tender tear
her voice pitiful and low.
Uncle Ebep," said she, ''do yo
know meP"
sits Alix, amt itPn crooned the oil
man, after moments silence. "Ale-
anders oldest girl. The prettiest on
Yes, it's Alix-and she's to have n
.