Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-12-16

veil suppose Ihey areF Dlun
Bess and Madeline and the two girl
spend all summer at Blackford farm
three years agop Uncle Zabdiel
didn't make any excuse for getting
rid OF them then did hep l declare
they've no more hearts than so many
slabs OF grantee
At this moment however there
was ring at the bell. ana two fair
tressed slim. young girls rushed
breezily into the room dragging a
brown faced old farmer behind them.
'Its Dora and me- F" said Honora
Barchester breathless and red
checked ''And we have brought
Uncle Zabdiel with us"
Its Nora aud mel" put in Eudora
crowding herself into the foreground
How do you do Cousin Ransom and
LucyP We went to tho depot to
meet them. and good job it was, for
he hadn the least idea which way to
go"
He was heading straight for the
Weehawken ferry" giggled Honora-
Uncle Zabdiel's round moon face
beamed all over.
Il expect DO pretty stupid" said
he. but guess should "a fetched
round all right il these ere girls
hadn't took possession OF me. Where's
the bag % hickory nuts Honory?
Who's got the basket pound sweets
Eudory! Here the carpet sack an d
paper box all right
He shook hands heartily with Mrs
Ransom and Lucy.
How be you phebeP" pursued he.
''And little Lucy. too? Got to be a
woman, hain't you? Livin' with the
judge folks l SUPPOSED But where $
Madeline and my little favorite BessP"
Lucy and her mother looked hesi-
tatingly at each other but Honora
plunged into the question at once.
'I'll tell you Uncle Zabdiel said
she. Mora aud aren't fools nor yet
children. and Madeline and Bess have
treated us shamefully. and SO we are
going to be revenged by telling their
secrets. They're going to have an
at home and they've invited lot or
grand people and when they got your
letter they decided they didn't want
you"
.HeyPn cried Uncle Zabdel
Yes "cried Eudora taking up the
thread OF the discourse 1.-The mean.
ungrateful things-after all that dear.
delightful summer at Blackford farm
that saved Bess' good-ior- nothing life.
they laughed at your cowhide boots
end chin whiskers and Madeline made
believe to cough out loud just as you
do sometimes and
Well / declare said Unclo Fab
diel relieving his bronchial tubes by
the same identical cough and growing
very red.
Aud so" again chimed in Hopora
',you were TO be made. to believe that
We lived at II Currant court and kept
out OF the way OF the company.
They needn't put themselves to
all that trouble" said old Uncle Zab-
del, letting his head drop upon his
two hands. If they hadn't wanted
me- why didn't they say so? / want
no one to peril their souls by telling
falsehoods on my account"
Both the girls few at Uncle Zabdiel
with hugs and kisses.
I'VE love you Uncle Zab!' said
Dora vehemently. We heard il all
We listened at the register and we
made up our minds you shouldn't
| be-"
Deceived and put upon!' Nora
struck in. 'And please don't be
vexed with us because wo are Made
lines and Bess' little sisters! It's
quite true what Dora says. We do
love you. We are tired OF being
scolded by the girls and snubbed by
papa Please Uncle Zab. mayn't we
go back to the farm with you and be
dairy girls or milkmaids or some
thing of that kind? I'm awful fond
OF chickens and Dora can weed the
onions and shell corn. Please. Uncle
Zabr'
The old man suddenly Strengthened
himself up and dashed the big drops
from his eyelashes.
NO girls said he; no! That
amt my notion I've sold the old
farm to a railway aud I've made a
good bargain, so folks say. | guess
I'm what my cousin. Judge Barches-
ter would call rich man. and | was
coming up here to end my days with
my relations and leave 'em my money
after was dead. But everything s
| different now. I'll hire a house here
-Phebe Ransom-here in New YORK
and you and Lucy shall be my
housekeepers And I'll adopt Nora
and Dora for my own. Yes girls We
no daughters and you shall take the
place to me"
.'Oh dear Uncle Zabdielw ecstatic.
ally shrieked Dora and Nora with one
accord.
Bess Barchester's at homo" was a
very tame affair. The funny man did
not come at all. Miss Dale had such
a cold that her voice made no impress.
sion on the company. The WRONG
/ people all came and the right people
stayed away. Altogether it scored as
a failure in spite OF Madeline's heroic
efforts.
/ f'.By the way. girlsn said tho judg q.
as he opened the morning paper al
4 the morrow's late and insipid break.
fast you really must write for your
old Uncle Cooper to come up hero