Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-09-16
UNCLE !ERRY'S STORY.
BY G. p. GREBLE.

"Tell me about it, Uncle Jerry, / said
lying full length in the warm sand, let
/ ting my eyes alternately rest on the smil
ing water at my feet, or follow the mo
tion of the brush in Uncle Jerry's horny
hand as it splash a vigorous coat Of
green over the worn sides of his old
boat.
de was a character i'll his quiet way
the skipper par excellence of the little
seaport of L; an autocrat whose
word was law in his native town, and
who had been, since the days of our
childhood, the epitome of all that was
worth knowing in sea-lore.
We were great friends, he and |, and
many long summer day had | spent be-
side the bent old frame, watching his
rough fingers mend nets or sails with the
dizziness grown from long practice, and
listening to his tales with keen enjoy
ment; but there was one incident of his
life on which he had never touched, nor
could any amount of coaXing induce him
to approach it. 1t had happened while
| was in Europe. The horror of it reused
the neighborhood, and they said, those
who knew, that Uncle Jerry was never
the same again. Whether that was so or
not found him greatly changed on
my return after six years absence. This
afternoon, for the first time, he betrayed
willingness to confde in me, and | set
tied myself in the shade, by the bow of
the boat, aud waited Presently Uncle
Jerry began
at were nigh five years ago. The
year before the hotel was built. The
cove was crowded 1t seemed like we
all had MORN we could make comfortable,
and the boarders was crowded inter old
Miss Hollis in way that did seem won
derful when we heerd how they lived in
their big city homes-reg' lar palaces. the
gals tibet come with 'em to take keer
Their clos said.
~ he'd Jest bought a new sail-boat, a
fifty footer, an regular goer; | calcu.
lated ter make a heap out o. pleasure
parties an sech-an' | did. In the
mornin's | went lobsterin cause Miss
Hollis folks he'd to hev sea things, an
every afternoon | red up in my blue
coat with brass buttons an sailed skipper
of the sloop yacht Foam.
IL tux the same crowd pretty reg'lar,
an in time | got to know 'em well.
They was as nice lot of young things
as ever came in my path; but they was
csreless-like. an they didn't allays think
1.-THE girls was healthy an hearty, an
my! but they did 90 it lively. There
wasn't nothin' they didn't try. Tennis,
an ridin', an rowin', an shootin' at
targets made o white paper, an sailin',
The sailin' bothered me. They was all
over the boat at once, an notbin' would
do but must larn EN- to sail he'd to
tell 'em | wouldn't take EN- if they
warn't quieter, an after that they kinder
settled down.
II grew powerful fond of 'em all, but
there was one little girl | TUX a special
shine to. She wasn't very strong-I
heerd tell she was jest gettin' over
fever. She had a sickly look, but you
could see she'd been bonny.
Her eyes was blue an round, an her
teeth was little an white-like Miss
Hollis Sunday china They'd cut off her
hair when she was sick, an it was all
over her head in little short curls, like
my Lie when she was a babe.
remember a trick she had of takin'
off her cap an lettin' the wind blow her
hair, an if the day was damp it would
curl up tight, an she'd run her fingers
thro' it an pull it out straightto see how
il was CROWN
'As | said, she warn't very strong, an
when they all got to larkin' it seemed
like she couldn't stand it, for she'd leave
the rest, an with her little polite bow
she'd come an say, so gentle like:
Uncle Jerry, do you mind ii | stay here
with your | was mighty glad to have
her, an she seemed TO know it, for she'd
settle herself in pile of cushions an
sit there quiet Ms mouse.
Gradually the rest OF EN- kinder for
got her, and by-an'-by she'd come right
away from the start. an | got so used to
hsyin' her there at my right hand that
when she stayed home ] felt real lone
some.
'She begged me TO larn her bow to
steer an when saw she meant it
showed her one thing and another, an
somehow she never forgot what told
her. An one day she says TO me Uncle
Jerry, believe | could sail boat ms
well a. any one il were only stronger.
Bless her heart. I'd have trusted her
sooner'u any Young Teller In the party IL
she'd bad little more muscle In her
arm
"When August come | begun TO see
Size warnt happy She grew psler au
thinner AM her oyes wns So wistiullike
10 made my heart ache 90 see them
There was Young TELLER in the party
named GREY IT, vas likely ehap
about twenly reckou. lle hal lots 0f
money, sn / hfarl ffom come ne che
hies gals lhaf ~ uHrt % BE- great
fdo1i Mha Mays before 500 vas s.ek
haf ~ eaI TrHsf spout IH sltff ihe be
HlH 'f - thaUt 81 ha Iauai lHel4|In
Il taH.f Hi0l. ha ...f aaIauIl t.pp q
.aH lm au aai fHsms.m NihM.u
Il.. Ssh .h
iaH SO HIsHII HufH aff
$500 Hs. a0HNIl .I
..a. hHE N.H H Hsf -
l I NI I