Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-01-27
LearDiDe-
IA Lesson.
AhICAN get along with him, I'm very
sure" said Joscelind Darkridg,

CAN get along with him, I'm very
sure" said Joscelind Darkridge.
Nobody could get along with him!"
,chorused the three other Miss Dark
ridges in unison.
Uncle Black was the parsonage of
whom they sPoke-a Grabbed. iIl-tem-
Pered, little old man-who lived in a
superb old country seat among the
Catskills.
He had money to leave, but his nieces
and nephews secretly believed that it
would be a deal easier to go to Califor-
mia or Golconda, or some of the fabu-
lous places, and dig fortunes out, mug
get by nugget, than to stay at home and
earn them by making themselves ac-
ccptabIe to an old gentleman who had
as many angles as rose diamond, and
as many prickly spikes of temper as
porcupine.
Naomi Darkridge had tried it first.
Naomi was a soft-voiced, slender girl,
with a head which reminded one of a
dropping lily.
NO one can help loving Naomi"
said Mrs. Darkridge, as she kissed her
daughter good-by.
But in three weeks Naomi came back,
half frightened out of her wits.
HE scoIds so dreadfully," said Ma
omi. ''And he looked at me as the wolf
must have looked at Little Red Riding
Hood. Oh, mamma, I couldn't stay
there, not if 1 was to be made richer
than Mrs. Burdett-Coutts herself
Magdalena Darkridge went next; but
Magdalena, although a fine, tall girl,
with a spirit of her own, was cowed by
Uncle Blacks savage eyes in less than
week.
I'D sooner sweep crossings for liv-
ing" said she, ethan be Uncle Blacks
heiress."
And so she came home without loss of
time.
Rhoda Darkridge, in nowise abashed
by the successive failures of her sis
tiers, was the third one to try Black
Grange and its possibilities. But she
also succumbed before the terrible
scourge of Uncle Blacks savage tongue.
Its scold, snar1, snarl, scold, from
morning till night" said Rhoda, as in
three days time she tearfully related
her experience to her parents. ''Oh,
you don't know-nobody can know
what dreadful man Uncle Black isl"
''Oh, hang the old scamp!" said Mr..
Darkridge, who was of a free-and-easy
nature, and thought his girls a great
deal too sweet and nice to be snarled at
by any rich old miser. Let him alone.
My daughters need not go begging for
any mans money"
But here Joscelind, the youngest,
tallest and prettiest of the four girls,
spoke up:
EsT'II roI" enid eba
"You don't know what you are I'M
dertaking," said Naomi, with shud-
der.
He'd wear out a stone," said Magda-
lena.
Hes n ghoul!" shuddered Rhoda.
81 can get along with him, 1 am very
sure," said Josce' d, brightly.
And she packed up her little trunk
and went to Black Grange.
It was sunset-a red, flaming sun
set, like one of Gifford's pictures-when
she came up the terraeed flight of steps
that led to the house. Everything
blushed bIood-red in the deep light, and
Joscelind could see how lovely was the
scenery; how substantial this old gray
house, with its square towers and semi
circular, colonnaded porch. Uncle
Black stood on the steps.
$50 you are JosceIind?" said he, sur
,vRying her with little twinkling eyes,
like glass beads.
Yes. I am Joscelind," said the bright
checked girl, giving him a kiss.
you're late." said Uncle Black.
al am late" said Joscelind. 81 thought
the old beast of stage never would
have got here. The horses fairly crept
and the roads were horrid."
Its dreadful warm day." growled
Uncle Black.
I'm almost roasted" sighed Josce-
lind.
The whole summer has been intol-
erably warm" said the old gentleman.
1--WE might as well be in the tropics
and be done with it," retorted JoscelinG.
finging off her shawl and tanning her
self vehemently.
Uncle Black gave her the keys that
night, just as he had three times before
given them to hen three sisters.
II shall expect you to take charge of
the whole establishment" said he.
The servants are misera Bile
NO more than one might expect"
interrupted Joscelind, with n depre-
ecatory motion of the hand. Servants
are mere frauds nowadays!"
"And nothing goes right about the
place
Nothing ever does!" said Joscelind.
Uncle Black eyed her queerly. This
was quite different from the determined
cheerfulness and systematic good spir-
its of her three sisters.
At breakfast next morning Uncle
Black began to scold as usual.
Fish again!" said he. This makes
four mornings this week we've had
fish"
Il detest fish," said Joscelind, push
ing away her plate with grimace.
And the rolls heavy again." growled
Uncle Black. breaking one open.
"Please give me the plate, Uncle