Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-04-27
MR.. SPATTERDOCK'S
MISTAKE.
BY HELEN WHITNEY CLARK.
"It'll never do-never!''

'It'll never do-never!'
Mr.. Spatterdock shook his head at
some imaginary auditor, as he stood
warming himself, with his back to the
fire.
The blazing hickory logs snapped
and crackled, sending cheerful
warmth through the snug room, with
its heavy mahogany furniture, fresh
ingram carpet, and gaily lowered cur
tains.
''Rob's likely young fellow, and if
he must get married, there's no reason
why he should throw himself away on
poor girl, with nothing to bless her.
self with but pair of cherry cheeks
and coal black eyes, or whatever color
they are-I amt never sot eyes on the
girl. But Rob Greenaway's my own
nephew, and it's my dooty to look after
him. Marrying, indeed!, What the
dickens does he take sech silly no.
ton in his head for, anyway? L amt
never married, and look at mel"
And, truly, Mr.. Spatterdock seemed
an enviable man, if he was an old
bachelor, nearly forty.
His housekeeper was model of
thrift and neatness. Not nook or a
granny of the big old farmhouse but
what was swept, and secured and gar
nished. Not pane of glass, but was
sheer and speckless as a French mir
ror. And you might dance a jig on
any of the carpets and not raise mote
of dust to show in the brightest sun
beam.
Wash-day comes every Monday, and
ironing every Tuesday, rain or shine,
week in and week out, from one years
end to years end.
Look at me! continued Mr.. Spatter-
dock, still addressing his imaginary
auditor. 'I've never married, and,
what's more, I've never wanted to.
And Rob will get over this notion, too,
if only Let me see. It's no use argu-
flying with a young fellow that's sot as
n mulo when he takes notion; and
the Greenaways allus was obstinate.
''I'll send him away awhile-three
months or so, anyhow. There's sister
Roseanna, living over to Sweetgum
Holler. II send him there for two or
three montnc, NELL forget all about her
in that time. Or mebbe l kin see the
girl herself, and sort of buy her off,
like. Yes, that's what I'll do. Hillo,
Rob! that you?"
Mr.. Spatterdock's greeting was sus-
piclously warm, but Rob seemed not
to notice it.
"Good- morning, uncIe!" he returned,
rather soberly. ''You wanted to
see me, L believer"
''Yes, Rob"
A rather stormy interview ensued,
in which the uncle, however, came
Sat successful.
"Well, weI, and so that's settled,
anyhow"
Mr.. Spatterdock had come home a
few hours later, having accompanied
his nephew to the railroad station ard
watched the train speed off.
"Rob's off safe and sound, "he NUT
tered, punching the fire till it blazed
ike young Vesuvius. ''He didn't
ike the notion of going, at first. Reck-
on he thought l was a-goin' to send
him clear to Injy! But, soon as he
found twas only forty miles away, to
Sweetgum Holler, he got as chirk as a
bull-tarrier. He'spromised not to let
soul know where he's gone. an I've
promised, if they're both in the same
notion three months from now, won't
say nothin' more again it.
''But it's my business to see they
amt both in the same notion. must
go and cali on Miss Penny-Petti-
whatever the name is-and try to fix
it up somehow or another.
1t was more the meddling of the
folks than anything else which
lad set Mr.. Spatterdock again-t his
lephew's choice.
''Real common sort of folks hey
are,'' declared Mrs Ruhama Chick.
pea, 'and nobody knows where they
come from. nor what they've ben.
shouldn't low it, Mr.. Spatterdock.
But as Mrs. Chickpea's eldes
daughter, Rebecca, was known to b,
setting her cap" for Rob GreenawaY