The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-01-12
SOMERSET. Pa. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY r. 1893.

cluse of seventy, who had forgotten his
own boyhood, if he ever had one. Still,
there was Niece Marjorie to be consid-
cred. If Niece Marjorie had not fool
ishly insisted upon marrying and hav-
ing this family of boys, Uncle Champe
thought he might have found some
comfort in asking her to live with him.
"She wouldn't be Gathering up and
down stairs at all hours, banging doors
and humping bicycle in and out of
the hall. Or, ifshe'd just had four nice
well-behaved girls like herself now,
could have stood them, but the boys
hear that nowr'
There was a shuffiing of feet, strong
ly suggestive of a clog dance, going on
over his head. The noise ceased sud
denly, but not in time to prevent Uncle
Champe from hurrying up stairs with
both hands buried in his hair, present.
ing distracted appearance as he threw
open their door.
Boys" he demanded, "what do you
each want more than anything else in
the world?''
"a new bicycle" answered Phil
promptly. "Tve outgrown mine, and
one among the four is short allow
anoe."
"a turning lathe" said Rick as
promptly. ave always wanted a
turning lathe, but never expected TO
get it."
"A box of tools for me-" decided
Rob. "GoOd tools that will hold an
edge, not such baby things as We have
at home"
VERY well. Now listen to me. If
you will keep out of my way and be
quiet while you are in the house, you
shall each have your wish when the
time comes for you to go home. You
will have to earn your gifts before you
get them; and need hardly say if you
raise another bedlam such as that of
moment ago"
Rick broke in hurriedIy.
81 beg your pardon, Uncle Champe.
That was / till Phil stopped me-"
"And we shall not force you to buy
our good behavior, sir. We owe you
thai" said Phil with dignity. "You
see, the boys are not used to being kept
down, and they forget"
"a bargain is a bargain" said Uncle
Champe. II shall keep my part fyou
fulfill yours. Let me make a note.
Bicycle, lathe, tools and-what? There
are four of You, aren't there?" He
peered over his spectactes to make GER
thin of the number.
"Oh, Geordie didn't tell his want.
H must be in it if we are, Uncle
Champe"
Geordie was standing bolt upright
in a corner with his hands behind his
back.
"I-I-Oh, 1 should like a white
crow, fyou please,
"A-white-crowr'
The small boy advanced a step or two
and brought his hands forward.
1--WE got the white crow, sir, and [
want to keep it. Please, may I?'
GeOrdie's earnest face and Uncle
Champe's astonished one were too
much for the boys. They broke into a
shout of laughter, quickly suppressed,
but for once Uncle Champe was deafto
such annoyance,
A white crow! Lusus naturaeI
Genus Corvus Americans. Why, SO
it is. Well, sir, keep it safe. It's an
interesting specimen, but crow is a
crow, be it white or black. / shall hold
you responsible for your crows good
behavior as well as your own"
Rick danced across the room on his
toes, as the door closed behind Uncle
Champe; Rob fell limb in a chair, and
Phil stood alert, ready to quell any
violent gymnastics.
"How on earth can we keep out OF
his way and keep still? He's got the
safe side and he knows it, sly old eOonr'
moaned Rob.
"Boys, I've an ideap' said Phil
"First, I'll ask him to change US out of
this room to the far chamber, the attic,
anywhere that we can have our free
dom without disturbing him, and we'll
go on honor TO try to please him. For
the rest" Phil unfolded his plan to
the three pairs of eager ears.
The house was very quiet for the next
few days, so quiet that Uncle Champe
found himself listening expectantly for
the usual Interruptions. When they
did not come, he gradually became alb
sorbed in his books after his old fash
ion, only coming out of them to dress
for his o'clock dinner, where he al
ways found the boys awaiting him with
theiI best manners to the fore, more in
tent upon listening to him than relat-
ing their own exploits.
a full week had gone by before it
dawned upon him that GeOrdie might
be seen at almost any time with his
white crow for company, while the
other boys were visible only in the
evening. a pang of apprehension went
TO the old mans heart. Had his expe-
dent for his own peace driven them
from the house into the dangerous COM
p4ny that is always lying in wait for
blys? He lost no time in calling the
smell boy in and questioning him
closely.
"They're not around because they're
at work, Uncle Champe, that's ALL"
answered Geordie readily. "You see,
we've been hard up for spending mon
ey this long time, and the boys thought
they'd rather earn it than ask you for
it, especially after you'd promised so
much. It's funny, though. Phil does
hate dirt, and he has gone into the cut
lery works, where he gets all black and
oily, and Rob's our slow coach, and
he's carrying telegraph messages, and
has to hump himself, and Rick-well,
Kicks doing something else. He's
put us on honor not 10 tell what, and
an anxious line came between GeOrdie's
eyebrows. but Uncle CIampe's curiosi-
ty was not even aroused.
something more distasteful than