The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-08-05
UNCLE GEORGES VISIT.
The Relative" Whom All Delight
ed to Honor.

You would have thought he was the
prince Of Wales, or at least lord or q
duke, by the way they treated him.
But he wasn't. There was nothing
blue-blooded or princcly about him.
He was only plain George Lewis,
rough, hardened old miner, who had
gone To- the Black Hills when he was u
boy, and by long years of toll had
amasscd fortune.
And now he had come east to enjoy
and visit with his fashionable but by no
means wealthy relations.
Mr. Leslie" that gentleman's wife
announced one evening at the dinner
table, my uncle George. whom / have
never seen, is coming to visit Us within
a few weeks, and he says he may stay
month or two, and may conclude TO
make his home with us if
Make his home with us?' snorted
Mr.. Leslie, putting down his cup of
coffee with vicious jerk. ''Weu, |
guess not. | don't object to yOur poor
relations coming here once in awhile
for few days, but for one quarter
ing himself with US for the rest of his
natural lifetime it's too much. Haven't
! told you
If it's agreeable" went on Mrs.
Leslie, calmly resuming at the point
where she had been interrupted by her
irate spouse, as though nothing had
happened
And he says that he has made a
large fortune and thinks. as he is over
sixty years of age and in rather poor
health, he wants to enjoy a few years
of rest before he dies.
No stage transformation scene was
h.1f .f1al no ,.l,9
that took place on the chubby face of
Mr. Leslie. His gray side-whisllcrs
fairly bristled with new-found JOY.
But he tried hard to conceal his
change of sentiment. That was diplom-
acy. And one of Mr.. Leslie's fondest
delusions was that he was a second
MachiavelH.
''WeH, guess we can find room for
him. How would it do TO put him in
the front room upstairs? Don't you
think it ought TO be repapered, Mrs.
Leslie?" said the husband.
And, of course, Mrs. Leslie, who had
been asking for such an Improvement
for some weeks, eagerly assentcd and
thanked her stars for more than one
reason that her uncle was coming.
Wont it be splendid TO have him
here?" said Miss Florence Leslie, a
rather tall, stately young woman,
whose ideas ran much to society.
Maybe now III get that palr of dia-
mond earrings l have been waiting for
so long"
He may be such horrid old guy we
shall all be ashamed OF him, suggest
cd slangy Miss Bessie, year younger
than her sister Florence. Fancy him
sitting on our veranda with a big slouch
hat and his trousers tucked into his
boots when the De Goodlcys drive 10y.
How they will laugh at u.s.
do you think Uncle George would
buy me n pair Of ponies, mamma?"
queried young Robert, who, though but
alive TO the situation.
Uncle George came. He was very
modest, unassuming gentleman, with a
bronzed face and the quiet ways of a
man who has been an exile from So
ciety for years. And, strange to say,
he was rather averse 10 talking about
the family history.
He's a very modest man, Uncle
George is" said Mrs. Leslie, explaining
this popularity TO neighbor. ''Hut do
YOU know" she said, in a mysterious
whisper. ''he must be very wealthy. L
know he must be getting ready To make
us some splendid present. For ! saw
him counting over an enormous roll of
bills the other day, as though he were
studying what TO buy"
Mr.. Leslie, too, was likewise eagerly
expectant. lie had really begun to
! like Uncle George-at least he thought
| he did.
And so it went down to the youngest
| member of the family. Uncle George,
| it must be owned, Jared pretty well.
They even gave grand party in
! honor of the newly arrived relation
| from the west. All their friends were
| invited. The caterers We're given carte
/ blanche. 1t was really fine affair.
I'VE wish TO spare no pains to make
I my dear uncle feel at home said Mrs.
H Leslie To her friend, Mrs. Gordon, that
K night.
! ITO make him feel at home" echoed
} Mr. Leslie. "It is our aim to make his
( last days as pleasant as possiblc-you
I know he is getting old-for he has seen
| rough times out in the west and has
| earned a good rest, I'll warrant
The fact is this was IA trifie hypocrit-
ical on the part of Mr.. Leslie. Truth
Was he was beginning to get little
anxious over the fact that Uncle George
WIS not making any lavish expendi-
tEres of his vast wealth.
In another part of the house that
night there was another interesting lit
tie scene. 1t was behind huge bank
of ferns and palms that the vivacious
Miss Bessie was explaining To her be
trothed, Frank Jewett, all about th'
new found relative.
You must be very good to him
Frank" she was saying. ''Of course
know he is horrid-lool<ing old fellow
and he dresses like a scarecrow and he
as stupid as stick and all that; bu
then he's rich and we all want to keel
ON the good side of him. If it WASH