Evening journal., 1899-10-27
UNCLE CALEB'S WILL.

you mean that you can't put your
self out to give your mothers brother
a nights lodgingl" said Caleb Cheverel,
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 a way as to
suggest the familiar legend, No 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 flnger-ends
protruding from his worn gloves like
ancient rosebuds coming out of their
calyx.
I'm very sorry saIG Mrs. Larkins,
stihiy; but we have but one spare
room, and that is at present occupied.
OF course 1 should be glad to do all
could for you, but"
Il understand, / understand" said
Uncle Cheverel, turning coldly away.
''I'll go to my niece Jenny. 1 wish You
a very good evening"
Mrs. Barl1ins closed the door with a
sigh of very evident relief
Il dare say Jenny will take care OF
him." she said philosophically. Jenny
has a smaller family than I have. But
l 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 s
youngest niece, had a smaller family
than her sister Rebecca, but then she
had a smaller income as well. She had
just finished a vigorous days cleaning
when Uncle Caleb was announced.
"Oh, drat the mani" said Mrs. Elder
/ top wringing her parboiled fingers out
of a 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 Eldertop. Were
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 little smell Of whitewash in the
/ spare room.
/ Mrs. Eldertop's welcome was by no
means so cordial She looked to use
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 10 wash his hands and
face. "Ain't he your uncle?"
"A good for nothing old vagabond,
said Mrs. Eldertop, acidly. without a
nalf-penny laid up ahead"
For all that he's your guest" said
ler husband. 'and you're bound TO ne
civil to him. And here's his overcoai
now, with a zig-zag rent in il. Just
mend it while you are waiting for the
kettle TO boil"
Il WON'T" said Mrs. EldertOp.
"All right" retorted her lord and
master. "Then I'll take IL nsxt door t
Alexia Allen TO mend"
Now, Miss Allen, the tailoress, who
lived in the adjoining house. was pretty
and buXom to look upon, and Mrs. Ell.
dertOp had nursed comfortably a jeal
ousy of her for the last four years.