Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-12-23

49, "a thN WIN Noulu DloW HOu away
Hiram, and notice you've a kind of limp
in your gait"
I've nothing of the sort, Harvey My
Ter, ana amt more than two-thirds us
paid as you are and not half so gray.
'oh, you amt; I'll count gray hairs with
you any time. and III bet you Il jews
harp that"
Come Uncle Harvey" said. 'let us
20 TO the stable. | want YOU to give me
your opinion of Il horse I've just bought
The combined efforts of Madge and Nell
and l sulliced to maintain peace at the
dinner table. We kept up such Il rafting
ny" or conversation that the four broth
ers mad hardly Il chance to speak to each
othcr We saw grandpa vince when I'm
cie Henry ate his mashed potatoes with
MS knife, and we knew the full extent of
our grandsires agony when Uncle Joel
poured his coffee into his saucer and blew
II before drinking it. Uncle Harvey spoke
pu' once, but that was once too often. for
ne SAID. cNplosivcly:
oh, say. boys, do you remember that
Sary Jane Skimmcrhorn Hi used to be
so sweet on when we al went to the Hop
VINE school! You member how he used
| TO KISS or there at the end of the lane!
Wen. she's Twin yit, an I'd give deal
TO see Ill kiss err now. She weighs .-o
! pounds and has n beard that Tom here
might he proud of, an she's had fifteen
children an they're all Twin. | was jest
thinkin' what if Hi had married er as he
used to swear he would! Eth, HIP
Uncle Henry and Joel roarcd with
laughter and Joel chokcd on mouthful
of coffee. Grandpa turned pale and it re
quired all of Nells clcvcrness to prevent
Il scene.
All of the cousins and unclcs and aunts
in the city had been invited to come III
that evening to enjoy Christmas eve
reunion of the family and to be entertain
ed with family "reminiscences by the four
old and reunited brothers. AT s o'cloc.
we gathered around great open fire to
hear our aged relatives 'reminis,' as
Madgc mischievously put it.
Tel us all about when you were boys
together" said Cousin Ned Drayton. II
guess there wasn't much time nor money
wasted celebrating Christmas when you
were boys"
well, guess there want" said Uncle
Joel. Il guess-O. say, boys, do you re-
member that Christmas we four boys
went bear hunting back there in the
Maine woods when we want none of us
fully grown
Il remember it as well as if it was yes
terday,' said Uncle Henry. Il remem-
Der jst how that bar squcaled when |
shot i'm
You still stick to it that you shot i'm,
Henry" said Uncle Joel. IAN am as
sure as I'm Twin that it was my shot that
fetched i'm"
I'm Il horn it was!' said Uncle Henry,
testify. Your bullet went clar over the
bar and lodged in that big pine we found
with bullet hole in it,
"Theres no use in Henry an Joel spat-
tin so about which killed that bar" put
in Uncle Harvey, ''for I've an idee the
beast would have got up an walked off
with both your bullets. 1t was my knife
thrust that finished the beast
Eyes, it was.' sneercd Joel. "Oh. .cs;
to be sure it was snorted Uncle Henry.
Il guess that the blows | raincd down
on the beasts head with the club | car
ricd. had something to do with finishing
HIM, said grandpa, calmly.
We'll We amt got over DRAWN on your
imagination for facts. hev We, Hi!" said
Uncle Henry. "Ihc rest of us kin re.
member how We hid in the bresh trembnn'
an bellerin until we was almost ready
to skin the bear an then you come out
WIFI your niue cIuD anu give tue DcdSt II
whack or two"
Henry Myler, that is not true.''
IF it amt III eat my hat.'
Il dubbed the life out of him." said
grandpa.
Il tell yc | killed that bear myself
"Ye ddn't.'
Il know did,
"My club counted for more than"
"Your club. Pooh.'
"Now. Henry, won't stand it TO-
I'D like to see We help yourself"
"Shet up, all of ye. for i"
Don't We tell me to shet up"
The dispute waxed hot and hotter I'M
til Madge got Uncle Henry off to his room,
and Nell had done the same service for
Uncle Harvey, while dragged Uncle Joel
away for smoke with me in my own
room, where he berated his brothers fear
fully. Grandpa stalked off to his own
room.
We managed to keep the four old hot
heads from getting into row on Christ
mas, but Uncle Henry and grandpa did
not speak to each other all day, and to
tell the unvarnished truth there was great
inward rejoicing when our three dear old
uncles departed. Uncle Henry thrust his
head out of the carriage door and screech-
ed out at the last second:
Il did kill that bear."
"You never! called out grandpa, sharp
y from the stoop, and they never saw
each other again.
Il admit that my dear little scheme
failed" said Nell, when we were alone
together THE next time | bring four
old gentlemen together for IA Christmas
reunion I'll select deaf and dumb men. or
mer who haven't quite so much dynamite
and chain lightning and undimmed pugi-
istic vigor in their makeup | positive
I--V -I?J A , o7,- 1