Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-10-30
UNCLE CALEB'S WILL.

bitterly.
The March wind, bearing dust and
grit and bits of flying paper on its
restless wings, came whistling around
the corner, lifting the old mans faded
comforter's ends and turning his blue
nose a shade bluer still, while Mrs.
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, mo ad-
mittance!"
Mrs. Larkins was stout and bloom
ing and cherry checked, dressed in sub
stantial alpaca, with gay gold brooch
and eardrops, which bespoke anything
but abject poverty.
Uncle Caleb was thin and meager
and shabbily dressed, with glossy
seams in his overcoat and finger-ends
protruding from his worn gloves like
ancient rosebuds coming out of their
calyX.
Pm very sorry" said Mrs. Larkins,
stiffiy; but we have but one spare
room, and that is At present occupied.
OF course | should be glad to do all l
could for you, but"
81 understand, l understand" said
Uncle Cheverel, turning coldly away.
'I'll go to my niece Jenny. l wish you
a 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 a smaller family than l have. But
| don't see why he came up to London
instead of staying peaceably down in
Tortoise Hollow, where he belongs"
Mrs. Jennie Eldertop,. Mr.. Cheverel's
youngest niece, had a smaller family
than her sister Rebecca, but then she
had smaller income as we'll. She had
just finished vigorous days cleaning
when Uncle Caleb was announced.
"Oh, drat the mani" said Mrs. Elder
top, wringing her parboiled fingers out
of basin of steaming soapsuds. What
sends him here, just now of all times
in the world?"
And she went down stairs ungra-
ciously enough to the street door,
where her husband was welcoming the
old stranger.
Come in, Uncle Cheverell-come
in" said honest viii EldertCp. 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
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 and
darning needles" at the visitor, while
in her inmost soul she calculated the
probability of the cold boiled ham and
turnips holding out for once more at
supper.
Come, Jenny, don't scowl So" 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 yagabond," :"
said Mrs. Eldertop, acidly, without a
half-penny laid up ahead"
For all that he's your gliest," said
her husband. land you're bound to be
civil to him. And here's his overcoat
now, with a zig-zag rent in it. Just
mend it while you are waiting for the
kettle to boil"
q WON'T" 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. FL
dertop had nursed comfortably jeal-
ousy of her for the 'aEA four years.
you'll do 10 such thing" said Jenny,
tartly. Hand it here"
And she threaded a needle with a
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.
Whats that?" said Mr.. Eldertop;
for a folded paper fell from the pocket
Of the garment as his wife turned it up
side down.
Some tomfoolery or the other" an
swered Mrs. Jenny, brusquely.
II fancy you're mistaken" said Mr..
| Eldertop. "It's the rough draft of a
will"
"But he has got nothing to leave" i"
shrieked Mrs. Eldertop.
I'm not so certain of that" retorted
Will. Just look here, Jenny! L give
and bequeath to my two beloved nieces
in equally divided parts, the sum OF
10000, at present invested in consols,
and"
Go on" said Mrs. Eldertop, breath
lessly. Read the rest"
There is no rest" said her husband
That's the end of the paper. It's only
a rough draft, l tell you. And now
what's your opinion of Uncle Cheverels
fortunes?"
He's been a miser all along" said
Mrs. Eldertop, her face growing radi-
ant. Making up poor mouths and
travelling around the country with all
this money in the funds. A regular old
character-just like those one reads
about in novels. Put it back, Will
put it back. We've no business to be
prying into Uncle Caleb's secrets; but
what a blessing it is he came here in
stead Of stopping at Rebecca Larkins.
And when Uncle Cheverel came down
stairs he was surprised at the sweet
smiles with which his niece Jenny well
coined him.
Been mending my coat, eh?" said
Uncle Cheverel "Thank'ee kindly
Jenny. ! caught it on nail yesterday
and | was calculating to sew it up my
self, when l could borrer a needle ant
thread"
I'm glad to be of use, Uncle Caleb,
beamed Mrs. Eldertop. Johnny, put
on your cap and run to the grocer's fol
| n yaI oa1y 1Nfs