The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-02
UNCLE GEORGES VISIT.

who had gone 10 tie BLACK Hills when ne
was boy. and by long years of toll had
amassed fortune. And now he had come
East to enjoy and visit with his by no means
wealthy relations.
"Mr Leslie" announced Mrs. Leslie one
evening at the dinDer-table, my uncle
George, whom l have never seen, Is coming
TO visit us within few weeks, and be says
he may stay a month or two and may con-
elude to make his home with Us Il
make his home with usY" snorted Mr..
Fe.!ie nut'ing down his cup of coffee with
. vicious jerk. well, guess not l don't
object to your poor relations coming here
ence in a while for few days, but as for
one quarterrrg himself on US for the rest of
his natural lifetime, it's too much. Haven't
! told you"
IF lis 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 large fortune.
and thinks, as he Is over 60 years OF age
and in rather poor health, he wants t. en-
Tov few years of rest before he dies.
No stage transformation scene was ever
half SO wonderful as the change that took
place on the chubby face Of Mr.. Leslie.
"a His gray side-Nhiskers fairly brstled with
pew-found 10Y. But be tried hard to con-
ceal his change Of temperament. That was
diplomacy And one OF Mr.. Leslie's fond,
est deIusiOns was that he was second
Machlaveli.
"Weu, guess we can find room for him.
How would il DO to put him Ia the front
. room upstairs? Don't You think ii ought
10 be repapered, Mrs. Leslie?" said the hus-
band.
OF course Mrs. Leslie, who had been ask
ing for such an Improvement for some
:. weeks. eagerly assented and thanked her
stars for more than one reason that be uncle
was coming.
Wont it be splendid to have him bere?"
said Miss Florence Leslie. q rather tall,
stately young woman, whose thoughts ran
much to society. Maybe now III get that
pair Of diamond earrings have been wait
Ing for so long"
"ne may be such q horrid old gay we
shall all he ashamed of him" suggested
sangy Miss Bessie, younger sister OF
Florence Fancy him sitting on our Yer-
anda, with big SLOUGH hat and his trousers
tucked into his boots, when the DE Good
leya drive By. How they will laugh al uSl'
''Do yOu think Uncle George would buy
me pair of ponies. mamma?" asked young
Robert, who, though but 9 years Of age
appeared kepnly alive 10 the situation.
Uncle George came. de was very mod
est, unassuming gentleman, with bTonZed
face ana the quiet ways Of man who had
been an exile from society for years. And.
strange 10 say, be WIS rather ayeTse to talk
ing about he family history.
Hes a very modest man, Uncle George
Is" said Mrs. Leslie, explaining this
peculiarly to a GelghbOr But do you
know" she said in a mysterious whisper.
The must be very wealthy. l know he must
be getting ready to make rs some splendid
present, for l saw him counting over an
enormous roll Of bills the other day, as
Though be were studying what to buy"
Mr. Leslie, too, was likewise eagerly ex-
peetant lie had really begun to like Uncle
: Ge0Tge-at least he thought he did. And so
Invent down 70 the youngest mem Der OF
the family, Unels George, 1t must be
owned, Jared pretty well.
They eyeE gave grand party in honor OF
the newly arrived relation from the West
= All their friends we're invited The cater
ers were gwen carte blanche. Il gas really
a fine affair.
:. I've wish TO spare no pains to make my
dear uncle feel at home" said Mrs. LESLIE
to her friend, Mrs.. Gordon, that night
40 make him feel al home" echoed Mr..
leslie III is our aim TO make his last
Gsys as pleasant as possible-you know he
II getting Gi3-for he has seen Tough times
out in the West, and has earned a good rest
Pll warrant"
The fact is this was a trife hyrocritical
q. on the part Of Mr.. Leslie. Truth was be
was beginnng to get a little anxious over
the fact that Uncle George was not making
. any lavish expenditures Of his vast wealth.
In another part Of the house that night
there was another interesting little scene.
p H:Was behind huge bank Of ferns and
palms that the vivaCious Miss Bessie was
= explaining TO her betTothed, Frank Jewett
. all abOgt the new-found relative.
Il gu must be very good 10 him, Frank"
she was saying. "0f course, ! know be is
horrid- looking old fellow, and he dresses
Ike a scarecr0w, and he's rich, and We all
want to keep on the good side of him. Ii it
wasn't for that we wouldn't have him in lhe
house"
''But papa Is going to let him make hi:
Zone with Us, and when he dies be will
surely leave US all his money; And
wouldn't be particle surprised, IL we keep
In his good eraces, if he would furnish our
house for Us from cellar TO garnet when you
and ! are married"
Was that q faint chuckle that came from
the other side of the thick bank Of ferns
and palms2
One morning Uncle George failed to come
down to breakfast. This was not an I'M
usual thing, for Mr.. Leslie's avuncular
relative was in the habit of taking long
morning strolls, Jest to brace up my appe-
lite a bit, he would explain.
But when he failed to come back TO
lunch. TO dinner-when night arrived and
still no Uncle George-Mrs. Leslie began to
be a1aried.
~ am afraid something has happened to
him.. she said 70 her husband. "He is not
very we'll acquainted in the city. Who
knows but he may have been robbed and
murderer"
SO Mr.. Leslie hunted up the chief of de-
tectives and reported the mysterious disap-
peaIance. He described the missing man.
"Nas the gentleman's right fOrefinger
missing up TO the middle ioint?" asked the
chief
Yes" replied Mr.. Leslie, wondering how
the chief knew that fact.
And. he had a sort of innocent, rustic.
modest air about him ?"
Yes, yes" said the other. 'eYou have
found him then?"
NO" replied the detective with ouizzi-
cal smile, but wish l could. Is this his
picture ?' he asked, pointing to photo-
graph which he had selected from large
brown book.
THE very manw exclaimed Mr.. Leslie.
HAS anything happened to him? How did
you come by bis picture?"
The gentleman has the distinction of
having bis photograph In the rogues' gal
Iery," was the reply
"ROgues' gaIeryl Why, what do you
mean, man p gasped Mr.. Leslie. "He is
my wife's uncle"
''Can you prove that?'' queried the chief.
why, yes-that s-weP'-stammered
the now thoroughly astounded man. Now
hght was thrown on thousand little cir
eumstances Of Uncle Georges visit and ac-
tons.
81 tell you."' continued the detective nitv.
iDgly. this man is Louis Rebsteise. one of
sharpest confidence men In the country. tho
makes business of this sort of work. He
mas been missing for some time and | sun
:. pose he has been out West, where he proh-
ably met the real Uncle George and learn ID
enough of your family story to play his
little game.
III you search your house you will proba-
Dly md that all your silverware. jewelry and
money are gone, or at least as much of them
as one man can carry away"
The chiefs surmise was correct. This
choice old family plate, Mrs. Leslie,
1ewelry and $500 which Mr. Leslie had
gen in the day before after banking hours
- al, gone; loss $500.
In taeir place was a little note pinned t.