Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-22
THE PRODIGAL UNCLE.

My family, at the time when this story
begins, lived in Havre. They were not
rich, and were always hard up Father
worked in an office, and the wages were
not the highest.
had two sisters.
My mother fretted under our poverty,
and she often addressed harsh words to
my yfather-perfdious yelled reproaches
The expression of the poor mans face
always distressed me; he passed his hand
over it as if to wipe away a perspiration
that was not there, and said nothing.
felt his powerless sadness.
My parents economical with every
thing; they often ate dinners unfit to be
served; they bought provisions at the
lowest prices, and yet even at that they
had often to ask for credit.
My sisters made their own dresses, and
had long discussions about the price of a
kind of lace costing fifteen centimes a
yard.
well remember many scenes about
lost buttons and torn trousers.
But every Sunday we took a walk to
the docks in great STYLE My father, in
gloves, offered his arm to my mother,
who was dressed as gayly as a ship on a
holiday My sisters, always the first to
be ready, awaited the signal Of depart
ure, but at the last moment forgotten
spot would be discovered on the coat of
paterfamilias, and it had to be quickly
effaced with rag dipped in benzine.
My father, keeping his hat on his head,
waited in his shirt sleeves until the op-
Grafton was done, while my mother, hav-
ing adjusted her glasses-she was near
sighted-hurriedly put on her gloves.
Finally we started with great cere-
mony, my sisters with linked arms,
going before. They had attained mar
riageable age, and made quite respect
able appearance in the city.
| walked at the left of my mother, my
father at the right And l remember
the pompous air of my poor parents in
these Sunday excursions, the rigidity of
their features, the severity of theil
aspect. They advanced with a grave
step, as if an affair of the greatest i'm
portance depended upon their carriage
And every Sunday, seeing the great
vessels that had returned from unknown
and distant countries, my father invari
ably repeated the same words;
''Ahl if Jules were on one of these
what a surprise it would bel"
My Uncle Jules, my fathers brother
was the only hope of the family, after
having been it's terror.
did not speak of him, but since my
infancy my thoughts were with him
and his first culpable act was always
present in my mind. l knew all the de
tails of his life up to the day of his de
parture for America. He had, it ap
pears, misconducted himself-that is tx
say, he had squandered some money
which is great crime if it happens il
poor families. A rich man who amuse
himself is simply guilty of follies. HI
is called ''nobody's enemy but his own.
With the poor and needy, a man whC
forces his parents to curtail their capita
or income becomes rascal, knave.
In short, Uncle Jules had considerabl.
lessened the inheritance of my father
after spending his own share to the las
sou. Then he had sailed for America
as they afterward learned, on board
merchantmen bound for New York.
After having been there some tim
my Uncle Jules established himself as
merchant; and he soon wrote that h
was saving a little money, and hope'
that he would be enabled shortly to in
demnify my father for the losses he ha'
caused him.
This letter created profound emo
ton in the family. Jules, instead of be
ing a worthless fellow, they said, was al
honest man, tender hearted man,
true Davranche upright as all the Dav
ranches.
In a second letter, sent two year
later, he said:
MY DEAR PHILLIPE-1 write you SO tina
YOU need have no fears regarding my healtf
which is all that can be desired. My bushes
also goes well. l start tomorrow on lon
VOYAGE to South America; several years ma
pass, perhaps, before you will hear from nj
But If / do not write do not be alarmed.
shall return to Havre with fair fortune.
hope it will not take too long, and then W
shall all be happy.
This letter became the gospel of th
family. 1t was read at every opportr
nifty, it was shown to every one.
During ten years, perhaps, we did nc
hear from Uncle Jules; but, as the tim