Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-01-20

"
" HE sunshine Is unusually bright
to-day. My Uncle lobe and are
n sitting on the balcony which over
looks the broad, fair stream below,
adorned with the afternoon suns last
rays.
1t Is Sunday. In Sunday dress and
holiday spirits crowds are hurrying to-
wards the big excursion steamers, pant
Ing along the shore.
How would like to be one of them!
I am young and hungry for pleasure.
But Uncle lobe doesn't understand. He
doesn't care for such amusement. IT'S
useless waste of time" he growls.
might tell him It's just for the sake
of innocent frolic, but he wouldn't I'M
derstand that, either. He understands
only the serious side of life, earning
money In the sweat of ones brow, and
he says such money mustn't be spent
foolishly. Uncle lobe Is bachelor,
whom fate has burdened with the care
Of two homeless children. He might
have shaken off the burden, but he was
too conscientious, too honorable for
that. He was the only relative to whom
we could turn-I, the daughter OF his
sister, and Philip, his brothers stepson.
We were quite small, when he took us
into his house, two mischievous wights,
for children know little of sorrow. /
am sixteen years old to-day, and cannot
yet be serious and demure. Philip Is
more ungovernable even than l. When
we are together we laugh and chatter,
so unreasonably loud, Uncle lobe says,
that he Is compelled to drive us from
his presence.
"Silly youngsters! What right have
you to laugh?"
When he took us into his home, he
turned me over to his old housekeeper,
Mrs. Mitchell, saying:
Take the little thing! Her parents
had no business to burden the world
with such n useless little wormr'
Mrs. Mitchell shook her white head.
LET her grow up with the flowers"
she answered. "All she needs is little
sunshine"
Yes, we needed sunshine, Philip even
more than l. He was the elder by four
years, and full of silly notions, Uncle
lobe said. He carried home all sorts
Of animals much to the distress of
Uncle lobe, but when he infested the
house and the entire neighborhood with
white mice, 1t was decided that he
should be sent to boarding school.
Philip was satisfied. 1t couldn't be
any worse than at home, he unused.
Henceforth his life took on a different
hue. His teachers complained of his
careless habits, his boyish pranks, but
they could not gainsay his talents and
bright, active mind. He was expelled
from two schools on account of his I'M
ruly conduct, and when he begged I'm
Gle lobe to send him to college, the lat
ter refused. No, he must learn trade.
don't know how many different lines
Of work Phil tried, but he never remain
ed more than few weeks in any one
At last he was apprenticed to drug
gfst The work seemed to suit him.
There were complaints, of course, but
OF different nature. Philip was con-
stantly experimenting. He came near
blowing up the house once. Yet his
employer praised his cleverness and his
indefatigable desire for study.
Every Sunday Philip paid a visit to
his home, and then he built air castles
Of wonderful inventions which he was
about to make, and begged Uncle Tobe
to advance him money. He might as
well have preached to deaf ears. | was
glad when he was gone, for the scenes
that took place between him and Uncle
lobe had become unbearable.
Sitting on the balcony that lovely Sun
day afternoon l sighed and gazed
dreamily into the beautiful world be-
yond. My jolly companion knew was
confined to his dingy quarters in town.
What was he doing? Concocting some
healing draught perhaps. Perhaps
selling Sunday ration OF bonbons to
some lucky youngster! What a trial
We are to Uncle lobe! Why didn't he
get married and have children of his
own. then he wouldn't have been ex-
pected to care for other peoples waits?
/ lean across the balcony rail to watch
a newly arrived boat unload its human
freight. And-there Is PhilipI
Uncle Tobe," exclaimed, "Phil Is
here In the crowdw
'Of course" he growls, "he is always
to be found where he has no business
to be. Don't beckon to him, l don't
want him up here"
But had already waved my hand to
Phil, and moment later he stood be-
fore US.
His eyes were ablaze with Joy. How
happy he looked. "Aren't you glad that