Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-09-01
Harriet. and l amt no exception TO


ment. "We all thought you'd made q
fortune.
People gets busted out there MS
we'll as anywhere else" Uncle Judson
looked hungrily at the table, now
spread for dinner. "But never mind ;
I'm 'mongst my kin-folks, and-Im
mighty hungry.
jeff and Emmeline, the older chill
dren. glared ut tn, man as if he had IN
some way robbed them of expectations
which they felt we're theirs by right.
But there seemed to be nothing for 1t
but to be civil to Uncle Judson, for
the present, at least, so they all had
dinner. Mrs. Wray, however, drove
Boozer out of the house.
Don't he too hash with the poor
fellow" said Uncle Judson, mildly, as
he threw the dog a piece of corn
bread.
The unwelcome relative soon made
himself at home in a quiet way, that
none of them liked except Judy, who
tried to be kind to him when Aunt
Harriet was not looking. He did not
talk much, but he soon saw that the
orphan child was regarded mainly as a
drudge and convenience for the rest.
Her Uncle Jonas ignored her; her
aunt scolded her and kept her busy
while Cousins jeff and Emmeline
snubbed her at their own discretion.
When jeff wanted chair he took
Judy's; when Emmeline wished to
shirk a duty of any kind, she called
upon her cousin to take her place.
In Judy's face was sort of mature
sadness Of expression, rather pitiful to
see in one so young. 1t reminded
Uncle Judson Of his dead sister-Judy S
motber-when she bade her brother
goodbye, years and years before. At
times. as he sat by the fire, he would
stroke Judy's hair in retrospective
way. and perhaps, giving his head a
sage. though unintelligible nod or
two.
One day, after the westernuncle had
been there for a week or more, Jonas
entered the house, saying;
I've just heerd that Dutch Powell
is going to bring his family over to
stay with us during court week. Where
you'll put 'em all, Harriet, l don't
know. But 1 reckon we'll have to keep
'em, bein' as we stayed with them last
fall when the protracted meetin' was
goin' on at Steertown.
As he spoke, Jonas glanced mean
inglv at Uncle Judson, who sat smok-
inc with Judy on his knee and Boozer
under his chair. Mrs. Wray professed
herself equally puzzled, but Uncle
Judson said nothing. In the morning,
however, he appeared from his room
with his black satchel in his hand.
"You amt goin' toleave us, Judson,
I hope?" remarked Mrs. Wray, but in
such a half hearted way that he at
tempted no argument, other than to
say:
eyes, I've got some business in Tan
nerville; and-and 1 think I'd like to
take Judy along if you don't care.
Tanneryille was the principal town
of those parts, and was on the rail
road
Seems to me you've got about all
YOU can do to take care of yourself,
Jud, she replied. 81 guess Judy had
better stay here. "
Aunt Harriet did not like Judy, yet
the child was too useful to be lightly
parted with. Judy, listening eagerly,
showed that she was more than anxious
to go.
''You oil don't like Judy, persisted
Uncle Judson. "You had better LET
me take her. I'll be good to her---for
for her mothers sake, and l daresay
we will get along somehow.
Jonas nodded appro val, for in order
to get rid of his brother-in-law, he did
not so much mind seeing Judy go for
a time. There would be one less
mouth to feed.
..'I'd ask you to stay longer, Jud, "
said Harriet, after she had given way
in favor of Judy's going "But---you
see how we are fixed. "
Uncle Jud had seen only too well,
He bade them goodbye and shuthed
away, holding Judy by the hand and
followed by Boozer. When they
reached the "big road, a rumble OF
wheels was heard, then wagon hove
in sight going towards Tannerville.
''There is Tom Burney,' exclaimed
Uncle Judson, waving his hat at the
driver. 'Perhaps he'll let us ride.
The two were scarcely seated in the
wagon when Mr.. Wray appeared, call
ing on them to stop.
"Judy," he called, "your Aunt Har
riet mas changed her mind bout youI
goin' She forgot bout the comp'nJ
comm. There'll be lots of work tC
do. You must get out and come
back.
Judy's lips trembled. Uncle Jud,
noticing her reluctance, and thinking
of the slavish life led by the pool
child, showed a silver dollar into
| Rrroav's hand