Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-04-27

DeWalieu Uncle Black.
Crackers, of course" said Joscelind
Anything is better than imperilling
ones digestion with such stuff as this!
And, Betty, If you send up any more
fish in month you may consider your
self discharged-do you hear?"
But, my dear, l am rather fond OF
fish," put In the old gentleman.
Zone can't eat fish the whole time"
said Joscelind, imperiously. "Here,
Betty-this coffee isn't fit to drink! and
the toast is burned! and you must have
put the cooking butter on the table by
mistake! Let these errors be rectified
at once"
Betty retired with an ominous rustic
on her stiffiy starched apron.
"My dear" said Uncle Black, appre-
hensively, Betty is very old servant,
and"
81 don't care If she is the age of Me-
thuselah," said Joscelind; nobody can
be expected to put up with such wretch
ed cooking as thisw
II really think she is not so bad,
if"
"Oh, pray don't apologize for her,
Uncle Blackw said Joscelind. "They
are all shiftless, lazy creatures. who
must be discharged promptly if they
don't do their duties"
Uncle Black began to look fright
ened. He had. kept Betty, Sylvia and
old John for ten years. Was 1t posi-
BILE that he had scolded at them for ten
years, only to have Joscelind Darkridge
outscold him now?
81 wouldn't be too short with 'em,
my dear, if l were you," he remon-
strated.
Then let them do their duty" said
Joscelind, with the air of an empress.
I'VE are all mortal" pleaded Uncle
Black.
Il expect every one around me to
live up to their conditions" said JOSEF
lind.
Uncle Black ate the rest of his break
fast with but little appetite. Sylvia.
the housemaid, was finishing busting
his library when he entered it.
Not through yet" growled Uncle
Black, the fretwork of wrinkles once
more coming into his brow.
sylvia" said Miss Darkridge, Sc
verely, ''if this happens again l shall
dispense with your services! Look at
that clock! Is this the time of day to
be dawdling about the rooms with
broom and duster? Remember Mr..
Black does not pay exorbitant wages to
lie in bed until noon"
my DEAR said Uncle Black, "Syl-
via is generally very good girl. if"
Dear uncle" interrupted Joscellnd.
pray permit me to be the Judge OF
these matters. You have ruled your
household with slack and indulgent
hand altogether too long. l shall now
institute reform
And poor Sylvia had never moved
about so briskly as she did that day.
Old John, the gardener, was not ex-
empt from his share of the general tur-
MOL. Miss Darkrldge CHANGED to hear
her uncle reproaching the old man for
some fancied neglect in the flower beds,
whose diamonds, ovals and crescents
of brilliant cOlors were the pride of his
horticultural heart, and she promptly
came to his aid
Gardening, indeed! Do you call this
gardening" she said. "Uncle Black,
I'm astonished that you keep such
man as that about the place"
And the torrent Of taunts and re-
proaches which she showered upon the
luckless head Of poor old John was
enough as that individual observed, ito
make ones flesh creep"
"My niece is young lady of spirit
and energy" apologized Mr.. Black.
when at last Joscelind had gone back to
the house.
"Verra like you, sir, vera like your
said old John, scratching his head.
Like mew said Mr.. Black, slowly.
And he stood full FIVE minutes, quite
speechless and motionless, staring at
the messy rim of an ancient sun-dial
half sunk in the velvet grass. And at
the end of five minutes he spoke two
other words, and only two:
"Like-mev
"There's no KNOWN the masther,
he's that changed" said Betty In the
kitchen, a week or two later. Hes as
mild as a lamb and as peaceable as a
kitten.
"Sure, isn't that what the young lady
told u.s." said Sylvia, when she came
down into the kitchen that first morn
ing after the fire was lighted, and told
us she was goln' to try an experiment,
we wasn't to mind word she said
cause 1t was all by -contraries? He
doesn't know what his temper has got
to be- said she, and I'm going TO show
him. And, bless her sweet heart, her
plan has worked like charm"
1t had, In good truth. Uncle Black
was a changed man. And Joscellnd
had relapsed into the original sunshine
Of her temper-and all the domestic
wheels Of Black Grange seemed to re
volve on velvet.
But Uncle Black took all the credit to
himself. He never knew that Josce-
lind had taught him a lesson.
I'VE can get along very nicely" said
he, now that my niece has subdued
those little tempers Of hers"
And Joscelind was his heiress and
darling after all-for he will always be-
lleve that 1t was he "who formed her
character. Cambridge Tribune.
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nawsou Cftv dead