Smyrna times., 1894-02-28

ana the OLD gentleman extended one
finger, without turning his head, say
ing, in cracked voice:
II wish, nephew, you would shut
that door. Nobody ever thinks of
shutting a door in this house I'm suf-
fering from a terrible cold. Is tea
ready? If so, will take cup here
by the fire!"
"What does it mean, my dear ?"
calculated Mr.. Grumble, in a hurried
whisper; and his wife, whose arm he
had caught on the way to the kitchen
after hot water for Uncle Thorn pkins,
replied, in the same tone:
"Oh, you mustn't mind my uncle,
dear; he doesn't mean anything, only
he is old and whimsical"
"But a man has no business to make
everything uncomfortable in this sort
of way" muttered Mr.. Grumble.
He silently devoured his meal,
secretly wondering how long Uncle
TOmpkins meant to stay. No sooner
was the table cleared than the irascible
old gentleman began again.
"Grumble," said he, 81 wish you'd
stop that creaking of you chair; my
nerves are so weak; and if you could
keep your children up stairs their
racket wouldn't disturb me 80 much,
really don't know how Pm going to
stand that baby's noise"
II do not think it is a very noisy
baby said Mr.. Grumble, meekly.
"Its teeth are very painful just at pres
ent."
Mrs. Grumble who was poking the
fire in accordance with her uncle's
petulant request, said nothing, but
smiled quietly to hear her husband ex-
tenuate the baby's sins.
WELL" remarked Uncle Thompkins,
"all babies are noisy. And, by the
way, Grumble, l wish you would oil
the hinges of that squeaking door; and
1 don't like the smell of that geranium
in the window. Halloa you haven't
any button on your shirt front hope
my niece isn't a careless wife"
mot at all, sir" said Mr.. Grumble
nervously; "but the care of her child
and household duties absorb a great
deal of her time. The instant she finds
leisure she will look to my clothes"
81 don't see how a woman can spend
her whole time keeping house and look
ing after pack of children" observed
Uncle TOmpkins, incredulously.
About 10 o'clock the old gentleman
was ushered to the spare room, ac-
cOmpanied by "a procession of medicine
phiale, tub OF hot water, ,woolen dress
ing robes and heated blankets for his
feet, and his absence occasloned very
general relief.
What an insutferable old duffer that
is !" exclaimed Mr.. Grumble, throwing
himself with sigh of satisfaction into
his favOrite seat once more. "My dear
Bessie, how could you endure his fault
finding ?"
Il am accustomed to that, Henry; it
is lesson most married women are
obliged to learn" replied Mrs. Grum-
BILE, with a sigh.
Her husband pricked up his ears q
little uneasily. Accustomed to it ?''
What did she meanY"
1T was not pOssible-~it could not be
pOssible-that he was like that odious
old Uncle ThOmpkins And yet be
wished Bessie had not spoken in that
way; somehow, it made him feel very
uncomfortable.
Three days passed away. Uncle
TOmpkins growing more intolerable the
whole time, while Mr.. Grumble i'm
proved the occasion by making sort
of looking glass OF that worthy old
gentleman.
"UpOn-my-word," said he to him.
sell, II must have been a perfect
nuisance all these years. Why didn't
somebody tell me of ?"
At length Uncle Tompkins went
away, flannel robe, medicine bottles
and on the same day Tom Carlton ar
rived from a temporary absence, no.
body knew where.
$50 uncle has been visiting you ?" he
said gayly to Mr.. Grumble,
Eyes" said the latter with a slight
grimace.
What sort of a looking man is he p
Mr.. Grumble was silent for mo-
ment.
do you know" he exclaimed
bursting into perplexed laugh, 81
couldn't describe a single feature of his
face He was always enveloped, like
an Egyptian mummy, in a silk hand.
kerchief, something like that one you
have in your hand"
"The most intolerable fault.finder l
] ONOA AOO WAVliS hbSOtuAoiy buO uO5b uls'
agreeable man who ever numbered the
earth / don't see how it is possible
to growl at everything as he did"
"That's not an uncommon failing, ]
believe" observed Tom, demurely
smiling.
Very likely" said his brother-in
law, emphatically; "but his visit hai
been productive of at least one effect
it has completely cured me of any
tendency l might have had that way
1, for one, mean to leave off grumbl
ing"
"I'm happy to hear it, Nephew
Grumble, "exclaimed cracked voice.
The victimized man started up il
dismay, scarcely believing the testi
mOny of his sense, as Tom twisted the
silk handkerchief skillfully round hi
head and bent himself nearly doubl,
with an asthmatic sound between
groan and a grunt.
why you don't mean to say thai
you are Uncle Tompkins P"exclaimed
Mr.. Grumble.
"Pardon me, Henry" said Tom smil
ing, "but l saw that you had uncon
sciously become an habitual grumbler
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