The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-11-16
Uncle CheVereI'S Will.
ny HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

elel, blllerlN.
The black March wind, bearing
dust and grit and bits ofIlying paper
on its restless wings, came whistling
around the corner, lifting the old
mans faded comforter's ends and
turning his blue nose shade bluer
still, while Mrs. Lew Larkins, his
eldest niece, stood in her doorway,
filling up the aperture with her ample
person in such way as to suggest
the familiar legend, "No admittancer'
Mrs. Larkins was stout and bloom
ing and cherry checked, dressed in
substantial alpaca, with gay gold
brooch and eardrops. which bespoke
anything but abject poverty.
Uncle Caleb was thin and meagre
and shabbily dressed, with glossy
seams in his overcoat and finger ends
protruding from his worn gloves like
ancient rosebuds coming ont of their
calyx.
"Tm very sorry" said Mrs. Lar
kins, stiAly; "but we have but one
spare room, and that is at present oc.
cupied. Of course should be glad
to do all that i could for You, but"
''I understand, / understand" said
Uncle Cheverel, turning coldly away.
'1'll go to my niece Jerusha. l wish
you very good evening""
Mrs. Larkins closed the door, with a
sigh of very evident relief.
81 dare say Jerusha will take care
of him." she said. philosophically
"Jerusha has smaller family than 1
have. But don't see why he came
up to town, instead of staying
peacefully down in Tortoise Hollow,
where he belongs"
Mrs. Jerusha Eldertop, Mr.. Chever-
els youngest niece, had smaller fam
lily than her sister Rebecca, but then
she had smaller income as we'll. She
had just finished vigorous days
cleaning when Uncle Caleb was an
nounced.
"Oh, drat the mani" said Mrs. Elder
top, wringing her parboiled fingers
out OF a basin of steaming soap-suds;
"what sends him here, just now, of
all times in the world?"
And she went downstairs, ungra-
ciously enough, to the little entry,
where her husband was welcoming the
old stranger.
''Come in, Uncle Cheverel-come
in" said honest Eben Eldertop.
"We're all upside down here-we
mostly are, now that the spring clean
ing is going on. But there's room
for you, if you don't mind the children
and the noise and little smell OF
whitewash in the spare room"
Mrs. Eldertop's welcome was by no
means so cordial. She looked, to use
a common expression, vinegar an
darning needles" at the visitor, while
in her inmost soul she calculated the
probability of the cold boiled ham and
turnips holding out for one more at
supper.
'Come, Jesusha, don't scowl soi"
said Mr.. Eldertop, when Uncle Caleb
had gone upstairs to wash his hands
and face. "Ain't he your uncle?"
"a good-for- nothing old vagabond, "
said Mrs. Eldertop, acidly, without a
cent laid up ahead"
''For all that, he's your guest, :"
said her husband, land you're bound
to be civil to him. And here's lis
overcoat now, with a big zig-zqg rent
in it. just mend it, while you're
waiting for the kettle to boil"
81 won'tl" said Mrs. Eldertop.
"All right" retorted her lord and
master. ''Then I'll take it next door
to Alexia Allen to mend"
Now, Miss Allen, the tailoress, who
lived in the adjoining house, was
pretty and buxom to look upon. and
Mrs. Eldertop had nursed comfortably
jealousy of her for the last fonr
years.
"You'll do no such thingw said
Jerusha, tartly. "Hand it here!"
And she threaded a needle with
black silk and thrust her finger into
a thimble, very much as determined
Crusader of old might have donned
sword and shield for some encounter
with the Moslem.
"What's that?" said Mr.. Eldertop,
for folded paper fell from the pocket
VI thc 6ui hoht 10 uiS Wlt turutu ~
upside down.
''Some tomfoolery or other" an
swered Mrs. Jerusha. brusquely.
~ guess you're mistaken, " said Mr.
Eldertop. "Its the rough draught O
q will"
'But he's got nothing to leave, ;
shrieked Mrs. Eldertop.
'.Pm none so certain of that" re
torted Eben. just look here, Jerusha
Il give and bequeath to my two be
loved nieces, in equally divided parts
the sum of $40, 900, at present inyeste,
in United States securities, and
go ont" said Mrs. Eldertop, breath
lessly. ''Read the rest"
'"rhere is no rest said her hus
band. "That's the end of the paper
It's only rough draught, l tell you
And now, what's your opinion o
Uncle Cheverel's fortunes?"
''He's been a niser all along" sal.
Mrs. Eldertop. her face growing radi
ant. "Aaking up poor mouths an.