The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-07-27
Uncle Caleb'S win.

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"You mean that you can't put your
self out to give your mothers brother a
nights lodgingr' said Caleb Cheverel
bitterly.
The March wind, bearing dust, grit
and bits of flying paper on it's restless
wings, came whistling around the cor
ner, lifted the old mans faded COM
forter's ends and turned his blue nose
shade bluer still, while Mrs. Larkins,
his eldest niece, stood in her doorway,
filing up the aperture with her ample
person in such a way as to suggest the
familiar legend, "No admittance.
t"I'm very sorry" said Mrs. Larkins
stiff1y, "but we have but one spare
room, and that is at present occupied.
Of course I should be glad to do all I
could for you, butt
81 understand, I understand" said
Uncle Cheverel, turning coldly away.
'T'l go to my niece Jenny. I wish
you very good evening
Mrs. Larkins closed the door with a
sigh Of very evident relief.
81 dare say Jenny will take care of
him." she said philosophically. "Jenny
has smaller family than have. But
l don't see why he came up to London,
instead of staying peaceably down in
Tortoise Hollow. where he belongs
Mrs. Jenny Eldertop, Mr.. Cheverel' 8
youngest niece, had a smaller family
than her sister Rebecca; but, then, she
had smaller income as well. She had
just finished a vigorous days cleaning
when Uncle Caleb was announced.
"Oh, drat the mani" said Mrs. Ell
dertop, wringing her parbciled fingers
out of basin of steaming soapsuds.
"What sends him here of all the times
in the world?"
And she went down stairs ungraci-
ously enough to the street door. where
her husband was welcoming the old
stranger.
Scene in, Uncle Cheverel, come in, "
said honest Will Eldertop. "We're all
upside down here-we mostly are, now
that the spring cleaning is going on.
But there's room for you if you don't
mind the children and their noise, and a
little smell of whitewash in the spare
room.
Mrs. Eldertop's welcome was by no
means so cordial. She looked, to use q
common expression, "vinegar and darn
ing needless at the visitor, while in her
inmost soul she calculated the prob
ability of the cold boiled ham and tur-
| nips holding out for one more at supper.
"Come, Benny, don't scowl so" said
Mr.. Eldertop, when Uncle Caleb had
gone up stairs to wash his hands and
face. "Ain't he your uncle2"
ga good for nothing old vagabond, -
said Mrs. Eldertop acidly, without a
halfpenny laid up ahead"
"For all that he's your guest said
her husband, "and you're bound to be
civil to him. And here's his overcoat
now with big zigzag 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. Fldertop had nursed comfortably
a jealousy of her for the last four years.
"You'll do no such thingl" said Jen-
ny tartly. "Hand it hereP'
And she threaded needle with black
silk and thrust ner finger into thimble
| very much as a determined crusader OF
old might have donned sword and shield
for some encounter with the Moslem.
| "What's that2" said Mr.. Eldertop,
for folded paper fell from the pocket
of the garment as his wife turned it up.
side down.
''Some tomfoolery or other" answer
ed Mrs. Jenny brusquely.
| 81 fancy you're mistaken" said Mr..
Eldertop. s'It's the rough draft of 8
will
"But he's got nothing to leave" re,
torted Mrs, Eldertop.
'I'm not SO certain of that" retort.
ed Will. "Just look here, Jenny q
give and bequeath to my two beloved
nieces, in equally divided parts, the
sum of e1O, 900, at present invested in
consols, and -
$50 on" said Mrs. Eldertop breath.
lessly. "Read the rest"
''There is no rest said her hus
band. ''That's the end of the paper.
It's only rough draft, tell you. And
now what's your opinion of Uncle
Cheverel's fortunes2'
'He's been a miser all along" sale
Mrs. Eldertop. her face growing radiant
"making up poor mouths and travelling
around the country with all this money
in the funds, regular old character
just like those one reads about il
novels Put it back, Will; put it back
We've no business to be prying into
Uncle Caleb's secrets. But what bless
ing it is he came here instead of stop
ping at Rebecca Larkins' -
And when Uncle Cheverel came dow1
stairs he was surprised at the sweet
smiles with which his niece Jenny wei
coined him.
"Been mending my coat, ehf 2" sale
Uncle Cheverel. "Thank'ee kindly
Jenny. l caught it on nail yesterday
and was calculating to sew it up my