Passaic City record., 1891-01-01
"What!" she cried-'sdear old Uncle

every DEAR" observed Madeline, con-
temptuously, ''and very delightful!
Just the person to make sensation at
at your AT Home, under Mrs. Fitzalan's
eye, and raked by the fire of Mrs. Au-
brey Rockingham's lorgnettel With his
cowhide boots and pepper-and-salt
trowsers, and his fringe of chin whis-
kers, and that chronic catarrh OF his!
My dear Bess, if we allow that old nuis-
ance to cross this threshold on Tuesday
evening, it amounts to throwing up the
game at once. And he's written that
he's coming on that evening""
Bess grew pale.
ssOh, Madeline, what are we to doa"
Madeline laughed.
ssI've managed it," said she. 'sI've
written back to him that we've moved to
Fourteen Currant Court. I've told
Cousin Lucy Ransom to make the best of
the situation. She can personate you,
if she chooses-she always had a turn
for private theatricals. Or she can con-
vince the dear old bungler that he has
made some mistake. Anyhow, he'll be
be safe until "Wednesday morning, and
we are safe, tool"
ssMadeline, what contriver you areg"
said Bess, admiringly. 'But do feel
sorry for Uncle Zab!"
I. Madeline shrubbed her shoulders.
"It's poor policy to feel sorry for any
one," observed she. "And what does
an old lout like that know or care
whether he's snubbed or not2''
Bess's heart pricked her little; but
she was an apt pupil in the cold philoso-
ply of her elder sister, and the arrival at
that moment of box of marrons glacees
for the supper table diverted her atten-
ton from the topic under discussion.
At No. IA Currant Court, however,
the Widow Ransom was furious.
ssDepend upon it, Lucy" said she to
her daughter, who did plain sewing for
livelihood, "this is one of Madeline
Barchester's sly, underhand tricks, and
I'll have nothing to do with it. You
personate Bess Barchester, indeed
You're about as much like her as a
pumpkin is like parsnip. If Bess is
ashamed of her relations let her say SO. "
ssBut, mother" pleaded meek Lucy,
sswhat can we do9 Madeline has got a
good deal of work for me among her
grand friends"
"All that don't make it your duty to
tell lie, nor to act it, neither, to suit
her whims, /" said the old lacy.
ssAnd they're to have a great party on
Tuesday evening, you know"
"Well, suppose they area Didn't Bess
and Madeline and the two girls spend all
the summer at Blackford Farm three
years ago2 Uncle Zabdiel didn't make
any excuse for getting rid of them then,
did he2 I declare, they've no more
hearts than so many slabs of granlte!"
At this moment, however, there was q
ring at the bell, and two fair tressed,
slim young girls rushed breezily into the
room, dragging brown faced old farmer
between them.
ssIt's Dora and me" said Honora
Barchester, breathless and red-cheeked.
ssAnd we've brought Uncle Zabdiel with
us!'
.sIt's Nora and mel" put in Eudora.
crowding herself into the foreground.
sHcw do you do, Cousin Ransom and
Lucy9 We went to the depot to NEE
him, and good job it was, for he
hadn't the least idea which way to 60"
oHe was heading straight for the
Weehawken ferry" giggled Honora.
Uncle Zabdiels round moon face
beamed all over.
81 except be pretty stupid" sale
he. nBut I guess l should "a fetched
round all right, if these ere gals hadn'
took possession of me. Where's tn
bag O hickory nuts, Honory2 Who
got the basket O pound sweets, Eudory
Here's the carpet-sack and the paper
box all right"
And he shook hands heartily witt
Mrs., Ransom and Lucy.
.sHow be you, Phebe9" said he
ssAnd little Lucy, tooa Got to be
woman, hain't you7 Liyin' with tn
Judges folks, I supposed But where
Madeline, and my little favorite, Bess2"
Lucy and her mother. looked hesita
tingly at each other, but Honora plunge'
into the question at once.
.ssFll tell you, Uncle Zabdiel," sal
she.> s'Nora and aren't fools, ne
vet children-and Madeline and Be-
have treated us shamefully, and
we're going to be revenged by tellin
their secrets. They're going to have a
AT Home, and they've invited a lot
grand people, and when they got yot
letter, they decided that didn't wal
you.-"
"Hey?" cried Uncle Zabdiel.
ssYes," cried Eudora, taking up tt
thread of the discourse, ssthe mean, vi
grateful things-after all that dear, d.
lightful summer at Blackford Farm, tina
saved Bess's good-for nothing, life the
laughed at your cowhide boots and chi
whiskers, and Madeline made believe
cough out loud just as you do SOM
times. and"
| "Well, declare!' said Uncle Zabdie
relieving his bronchial tubes by the sam
identical cough, and growing very red.
ttAoI O., ooa;p chino6 in Honor,