Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-02-16

coming nome CnaC evening, lully prlm-
ed for domestic TRADE on the SUBJ
ject of a button which had drifted
down from his shirt-front during the
day, to find his especial easy-chair
and corner of the fire occupied by an
asthmatic old man, whose head and
face We're enveloped in silk hand
kerchief He stopped short, in
amazement and horror.
"This is Uncle Tompkins. said Mrs.
Grumble, who was busy warming o
basin OF Cruel over the fire; and the
old gentleman extended one finger
without turning his head, saying in a
cracked voice.
81 wish, nephew, you would shut
that door. Nobody ever thinks OF
shutting door in this house! Pm
suffering from a terrible cold. What
that noise upstairs? ! beg, niece, that
your baby won't cry the whole time
that ! am here. Is ten ready? If so,
will take q cup here by the tire!'
"What does this mean, my dear?"
calculated Mr.. Grumble, in hurried
whisper, and his wife, whose arm he
had caught on the way to the kitch-
en- after hot water for Uncle Temp
kins, replied, in the same tone:---
"Oh.you mustn't mind my uncle,
dear; lie doesn't mean anything, only
he is old and whimsical
"But man has no business to
make everybody else uncomfortable
in this sort of way" muttered Mr.
Grumble.
He silently devoured his meal, Sc
cretly wondering how long Uncle
Tompkins meant to stay. No sooner
was the table cleared, than the iras-
chile old gentleman began.
"Grumble," said he, 81 wish you'd
stop that creaking OF your chair;
my nerves are so weak; and if you
could keep your children upstairs
their racket wouldn't disturb me
quite so much. l really don't know
how I'm going to stand that
baby's noise"
II do not think it is very noisy
baby" said Mr.. Grumble, meekly.
ats teeth are very painful just at
present"
Mrs. Grumble, who was poking the
petulant request, said nothing, but
smiled quietly to hear her husband
trying to extenuate the baby's sins.
"Well," remarked Uncle Tompkins,
call babies are noisy. And, by the
way, Grumble, wish you would oil
the hinges of that squeaking door;
and don't like the smell af that ger
anium in the window. Halloa! you
haven't any top button onyours shirt
front! hope my neice isn't care
less wife!"
'Not at all, SIR" said Mr.. Grumble.
nervously; "but the care of her child
and housekeeping duties absorbs a
great deal OF her time. The instant
she finds leisure she will look to nv
clothes"
~ don't see how a woman can
spend her whole time keeping house
and looking after pack OF children"
observed Uncle Tompkins, incredu-
lousy.
About ten o'clock the old gentleman
was ushered to the spare room, &C.
companied by a procession of medi-
cine phials, a tub OF hot water, wool
en- dressing robes, and heated blank
cts for his feet, and his absence occas-
Toned very general relief.
"What an insufferable old duffer
that Isl" exclaimed Mr.. Grumbe,
throwing himself with a sigh of salts
faction, into his favorite seat once
more. "My dear Bessie, how could
you endure his eternal fault-tinding?"
81 am accustomed to that, Henry;
it is the lesson most married women
are obliged to learn,' replied Mrs.
Grumble with sigh.
Her husband pricked up his ears a
little uneasily. accustomed to
it," What did shemean? 1t wasnot
possible-it could not be possible
that he was like that odious old Uncle
Tompkins. Andye he wished Bessie
had not spoken IN that way; some
how, it made him feel excessively I'M
comfortable. Three days passed away,
Uncle Tompkins growing moreintoer-
able the whole time, while Mr.. Grum-
bic improved the occasion by making
a sort OF mental looking-glass OF that
worthy old gentleman.
"Upon-my-word," said he to HIM
self, ~ must have been a perfect
nuisance all these years. Why didn' t
somebody tell me OF it?''
AZ lelSII tUCle 1OIllphlIS WENT
away, flannel robes, medicine bottles,
and all, and on the same day Tom
Carlton arrived, from q temporary
absence, nobody knew where.
$50 Uncle has been visiting you?"
ne said gaily. to Mr.. Grumbie.
"Yes," said the latter, with slight
grimace.
"What sort of a looking manis he?"
Mr.. Grumble was silent for a mo-
ment.
do you know" he exclaimed,
bursting into perplexed laugh. 81
couldn't describe single feature oil
his face. He was always enveloped
like an Egyptian mummy, in silk
handkerchief, something like that one
you have in your hand. However
Pm heartily glad he's gone; with my
permission he shall never set foot in
this house again.
"No?" said Tom, archly.
''The most intolerabe fault finder
ever met with" said Mr.. Grumble
"absolutely the most disagreeablt
man who ever numbered the earth!