Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-01-23
An Old FOgy's Money.

''Here's your newspaper, Uncle
Matt said Gladys Fame. give aireo
it myself, to make that there isn't the
least particle of damp about it. Anc
your slippers-oh, here they are! Il
the screen just in the right place? An6
now I'll go and see about the coffee
1 have such nice French recipe fol-
making it that Louie Alden sent me
from Paris"
All this time Esther Ellis stood
quietly by the window, looking out
at the snow which was falling-falling
cloud of binding, eddying white,
blotting out the tall fir trees, thatch-
ing the gateposts 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 brush
ed back from her temples, and a deli
cate, nervous mouth. She had none
of her cousin Gladys dimpled beauty
nor tropical richness Of complexion,
and she felt the contrast painfully in
her heart.
'sPull the shade down little Es-
ther," 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 I'm
Gle Fame ''Now shut the closet door
it has been squeaking these five
minutes on its hinges in way to set
a mans teeth on edge.'
II didn't observe it, uncle.''
HThat's exactly what Pm saying
you don't notice my comfort or dis
comfort 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
it possible Gladys had concealed the
fact that she she (Esther) had done
all the work at Gladys coaxing re-
quest?
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.
Uncle Fame was rich and childish.
He had taken the orphan, Esther Ell
lis, to bring up-and his brother, a
keen Philadelphia lawyer, had sent
Gladys to make him prolonged visit
on the chance of her being able to in
gratiate herself into the affections of
the rich old man.
ooh, papa" pleaded Gladys, cit
will be worse than Egyptian bondage!
I hate old people!"
"But you don't hate money-do you,
Glad? And there's no reason you
shouldn't be this old mans heiress as
well as Esther Ellis.''
Ellis out easily enough" said hand
some Gladys, with an exulting laugh.
"And she wouldn't know how to spend
it if she had it, the poor spirited
thingl Well, L suppose it's worth a
little hard work to get hold Of old I'm
Gle Fane's shekels, and he certainly
can't last forever!''
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 unutter-
ed.
ssUncle, 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
I could find such lovely spruce and
hemlock boughs in the woods to dec
crate the doors and cornices, and this
is Just nice distance by railroad for
people 10 come. Please, uncle, say
that I mayI"
'sNo, my dear" said Mr.. Fame, set
ting his lips togetheri in that Napoleon
ic way he had when he particularly
meant things. II hate parties and
confusion, and when my poor wife
died from pneumonia, brought on by
sitting in draft at somebody's pal
Try birthday party, l vowed vow