Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-12-28
AN OLD FOGY'S MONEY

Here's your newspaper, Uncle Nat,
said Gladys Fame. 1--WE aired it my
self, to make sure that there isn't the
least particle of damp about it. And
your slippers-oh, here they arel Is the
screen just in the right place? And now
I'll go and see about the coffee-I have
such nice French recipe for making il
that Louie Alden sent me from Paris. VI
All this time Esther Ellis stood quietly
by tho window, looking out at the snow
which was falling-falling, cloud OF
binding. eddying white, blotting out
the tall fir trees, thatching the gate
posts with elder down and covering the
carriage drive with a mantle of velvet
softness
Esther was tall and slight, with
dreamy blue eyes, brown hair brushed
back from her temples, and delicate,
nervous mouth. She had none Of her
cousin Gladys dimpled beauty nor trop'
ical richness of complexion, and she felt
the contrast painfully In her heart
Pull the shade down little, Esther, y
said Mr. Fame sharply. Don't you see
how the light is binding my eyes? But
you never notice things as Gladys does.
Esther obeyed hastily.
you needn't jerk it so," said Uncle
Fane. Nov shut the closet door-it
has been squeaking these five minutes
on its hinges in way to set mans
teeth on edge"
Il didn't observe it, uncle"
That's exactly what I'm saying-you
don't notice my comfort or discomfort as
Gladys does. Gladys, now, is really
fond of me- Look at these slippers; she
has crocheted them for me while you
were sitting dreaming over your novels. '
Esther opened her lips as if to speak
then she closed them again.
The slippers had assuredly been
Gladys gift to Uncle Fame; but was il
possible Gladys had concealed the fact
that she Esther) had done all the work
at Gladys coaxing requestP
She was too honorable to betray the
little diplomatist, who just then came in
with the tray Of coffee and eggs, but all
the same she felt the injustice in her
heart.
Umcle Fame was rich and childless. He
had taken the orphan, Esther Ellis, to
bring up-and his brother, a keen Phila-
delphia lawyer, had sent Gladys to make
him a prolonged visit on the chance OF
her being able to ingratiate herself into
the affections of the rich old man.
'Oh, papa" pleaded Gladys, lit will
be worse than Egyptian bondage!
hate old people!"
But yon don't hate money-do you,
Glad: And there's no reason you
shouldn't be this old mans heiress al
well as Esther Ellis"
"Oh. Esther Ellis, | can cut Esther
Ellis out easily enough" said handsome
Gladys, with an exalting laugh. "And
she wouldn't know how to spend it if
she had it. the poor spirited thing!
Well, 1 suppose it's worth little hard
work to get hold of old Uncle Fane's
shekels. and he certainly can't last for
everw
So Gladys had come, smiling and
sweet voiced, to the old stone house.
and Esther's affectionate little heart was
sore with jealous pangs, all the more
bitter because they were ru1uttered.
Uncle, darling, can't we have a New
Years party at the old house% Gladys
had suddenly burst out one day. ''The
down stairs rooms could be thrown into
one SO beautifully, and could find such
lovely spruce and hem1ock boughs in
the woods to decorate the doors and cor
nices, and this is just Il nice distance by
railroad for people to come. Please, un-
Gle, say that may!"
mo, my DEAR" said Mr.. Fame, setting
his lips together in that Napoleonic way
he had when he particularly meant
things. Il hate parties and confusion,
and when my poor wife died from pneu-
mon.a. brought on by sitting in draft
at somebody's paltry birthday party, l
vowed a vow that no such foolery should
ever go on in this house.
Yes: but, uncle, we WON'T
mol" said Uncle Fame.
And even Gladys had not the audac-
fty to press :natLers further
'.It's too bad," pouted Gladys to her
cousin Esther. He's perfect old dog
in the manger. Does he suppose no.
body ever is to be young any more be-
rallse he is old:'
''He has II right to his own way in his
own house, Gladys" demonstrated Es-
tiler
You are as bad US he is" said
Gladys.
On this particular day, when the
breakfast was removed, Esther brought
in the little writing desk. bestrewn
with papers, at which she ordinarily
wrote TO her uncle's dictation, but the
old man waived her impatiently away.
Call Gladys" said he. "She is a
quicker amanuensis than you are, and
she writes a round, clerklike hand.
I'll have Gladys do tho copying for me
henceforward."
Gladys flashed a triumphant glance
acrass the table at her cousin, and Es-
the'. 'neekly replying, Very well, un-
cle," went away to cry in her own
room.
For, shy and reticent as she was in
her manner, she really did love Uncle
Fame.
Hes failing-rm sure he's failingr
said Gladys to Esther. He went to
sleep twice while was writing that te-
dious nonsense about stars and paral
lakes and asteroids to his dictation and
slept good long time, and he's actually
going up to Philadelphia to read that
mass of four syllabled dullness to some
scientific convention or other. When
heard that | made up my mind ant
wrote off lot of letters while he was
mapping to some nice young people
know"
Letters, Gladys! What for?"
TO invite them to a merry gathering
here to the Old Year out and the New
Year in, laughed Gladys. II told Su