Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-12-24

all boys together. Why, I'm hanged n
Hiram don't part his hair, or what he,
got left of it, in the middle yit. | reckon.
ed you'd git over that when We came Ia
havin' one foot in the grave and t'other
one no bizness out"
Grandpa flushed and said coldly:
THE c"mhing Of ones hair is simply a
matter Of individual taste, Henry
Nell hurried Uncle Henry off to show
him his room, and grandpa said to Uncle
Joel:
You bear your years well. Joel. One
would hardly guess you to be six years
older than l."
No., Hiram, they wouldn't. One thing,
I'm "A good deal tleshier n you. I'm kind
o s'prised to see you so kind o all skin
and bone"
Come, now, l ain't quite that, Joel.
weigh 1870"
and"
Come, Uncle Joel, l want to show you
some of the family portraits in the par
lor' SAID Madge, noting g%randpa's RISING
Color. This left Uncle Harvey and grand
pa together.
ooei II Henry were always unneces-
sarliy blunt in their speech" said grand
pa.
les, but they ~gen'ally hit the nail on
the mead" said Uncle Harvey. you do
LOOK as if the wind would blow you away,
liiram' and notice you've n kind of limp
III your gait"
i've nothing of the sort, Harvey My
Ter, ana amt more than two-thirds as
paid as you are and not half so gray"
"oh, you amt; I'll count gray hairs with
you any time, and I'll bet you a jews
harp that"
Come, Uncle Harvey" | said, 'let us
go TO the stable. | want you to give me
your opinion of n horse I've just bought"
The combined efforts of Madge and Nell
ana l suflced to maintain peace ut the
dlnner table. We kept up such Il rafting
hrH of conversation that the four broth
ers had hardly Il chance to speak to each
other. We saw grandpa vince when I'm
ere Henry ate his mashed potatoes with
his khife' n we knew the full extent of
our ~Srandsire's agony when Uncle Joel
poured his coffee into his saucer and blew
II oefore drinking it. Uncle Harvey spoke
nut once, but that was once too often, for
he SAID, eHplcsively:
oh, | say, boys, do you remember that
Sary Jane Skimmerhorn Hi used to be
SO sweet on when we al went to'the Hop
vine school? You member how he. used
to. kiss 'er there at the end of the lane?
Well, she's liyin' yit, an I'd give a deal
to see Iii kiss 'er nOw. She weighs r329
pounds and has a beard that Tom here
might be proud of, an she's had fifteen
children an they're all Twin. | was jest
hinkin' what if Hi had married 'er as he
used to swear he would! Eth. HIP"
Uncle Henry and Joel roared with
laughter and Joel choked on a mouthful
of coffee. Grandpa turned pale and it re-
quired all of Nell's cleverness TO prevent
Il scene.
All of the cousins and uncles and aunts
in the city had been invited to come IN
that evening to enjoy n Christmas eve
reunion of the family and 70 be entertain
ed with family "reminiscences by the four
old and reunited brothers . AT 8 o'clooy
we gathered around n great omen fire to
hear our aged relatives s'reminis." as
Madge mischieyouslv nut If
TEL us all about when Won woro hors
together" said Cousin Ned Dravton 81
guess there wasn't mucb fine nov moror
wasted celebrating Cbristmao wham non
were bows"
well. | guess thera want - soid Irro,o
Joel. 81 guess-O. saw bovs do Won ro.
member that Christmas we four bovs
went bear hunting hack tboro in tIo
Maine woods when we wo,n,t mona of ne
fully grownY" "'
II remember If rs vol, no ~ u uos
terday," said JIncle Hnrrr ~ go
nor list how, that ~ ~ I
shot ,in, " ~ 'Hu'"'eu "hen