The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-06-23
UNCLE GEORGES VISIT.
The Relative Whom All Delighted
to Honor

But ne WASH I. Inero was nothing
blue blooded or princely about him. H.
was only plain George Lewis. a rough
hardened old MINER who had gone te
the Black Hills when he was boy, ant
by long years of toll had amassed for
tune.
Aud now he had come east to enjoy
and to 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 I have
never seen, is coming to visit us within
few weeks, and he says he may stay a
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 cot
fee with vicious jerk. "Well, l guess
not. l don't object to your poor rela-
tions coming here once in a while for a
few days, but as for one quartering him
self 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 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
ever half so wonderful as the change
that took place on the chubby face of
| Mr.. Leslie. His gray side-whiskers fairly
bristled with new>found JOY
But he tried hard to conceal his change
of sentiment. That was diplomacy.
And one of Mr.. Leslie's fondest decisions
was that he was second Machiavelli.
| "Well, guess that 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?n said the husband.
| And. of course, Mrs. Leslie, who had
been asking for such an improvement
for some weeks, eagerly assented and
thanked her stars for more than one rea>
! son that her uncle was coming.
won't it be splendid to have him
here?n said Miss Florence Leslie, rather
tall, stately young woman, whose ideas
ran much to society. maybe now I'll
get that pair of diamond earrings have
been waiting for SO long"
"He may be such a horrid old guy we
shall all be ashamed of him." suggested
slangy Miss Bessie, a year younger than
her sister Florence. Fancy him sitting
on our veranda with big SLOUGH hat
and his trousers tucked into his boots
when the De Goodleys drive by. How
They will laugh at us p
| Do you think Uncle George would buy
me pair of ponies mamma?' queried
young Robert, who, though but nine
years of age, appeared keenly alive to
the situation.
Uncle George came. He was very
modest unassuming gentleman, with a
brcnzed face and the quiet ways of a
man who has been an exile from society
for years. And, strange to say, he was
rather averse to talking about the fanii-
ly history.
Hes very modest man, Uncle George
is" said Mrs. Leslie, explaining this Pc
culiarity to neighbor. "But do you
know she said, in mysterious whisper,
che must be very wealthy 1 know he
must be getting ready to make us some
splendid present. For | saw him count
ing over an enormous roll of bills the
other day, as though he were studying
what to buy"
Mr.. Leslie, too, was likewise eagerly
expectant He 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 we'll
They even gave a grand party in honor
of the newly arrived relation from the
west. All their friends were invited.
The caterers were given carte blanche.
1t was really fine affair.
1--WE wish to spare no pains to make
|
Leslie to her friend, Mrs. Gordon, that
night
ITO make him feel at home" echoed
Mr. Leslie. 1t is our aim to make his
last days as pleasant as possible-you
know he is getting old-for he has seen
rough times out in the West, and has
earned good rest, I'll warrant"
The fact is this was trifie hypocritical
on the part of Mr.. Leslie. Truth was
he was beginning TO get q little anxious
making any lavish expenditures of his
vast wealth.
III another part of the house that
night there was another interesting little
scene. 1t was behind a huge bank Of
ferns and palms that the vivacious Miss
Bessie was explaining to her betrothed
Frank Jewett, all about the new found
relative.
"You must be very good to him Frank,
she was saying. "Of course l know hi
is a horrid- looking old fellow and he
dresses like a scare crow and he's al
stupid as stick and all that; but ther
he's rich and we all want to keep on the
good side of HIM. If it wasn't for thai
we wouldn't have him in the house."
But papa is going to let him make
his home with US, and when he dies ht
will surely leave us all his money. Ane
| would't be particle surprised, if WI
keep in his good graces, if he would fur
nish our house for us from cellar to gar
ret when you and are married"
Was that faint chuckIe that cam,
from the other side of the thick bank o
ferns and palms?
One morning Uncle George failed t.
come down to breakfast. This was no
an unusual thing for Mr.. Leslie's avun
cular relative was in the habit of takin.
long morning strolls, Jest to brace VI
my appetite a Bit" he would explain
But when he failed to come back t,
lunch, to dinner-when night arrived
and still no uncle George-Mrs. Lesli
began to be alarmed