The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-06-07
Uncle Caleb s viii.

on mean thAt You can put your
Eelf out to give your mothers brother
nights lodgingl" said Caleb Cheverel
bitterly.
The March wind, bearing dust, grit
md bits of flying paper ON its restless
wings, came whistling around the cor
ner. lifted the old mans faded COM
forter' ends and turned his blue nose
a shade bluer still, while Mrs Larkins,
his eldest niece, stood in her doorway,
filling mp the aperture with her ample
person in such way rs to suggest the
familiar legend. mo admittance
I'm very sorry" said Mrs. Larkins
stitily, 'but we have but one spare
room. and that is Mt present occupied
OF course | should be glad to do all
could for you. but
81 understand, | understand, =" said
Uncle Cheverel. turning coldly away
I'm go to my niece Jenny. | wish
yon very good evening.
Mrs. Larkins closed the door with
sigh of very evident relief
II dare say Jenny will take care of
him " she said philosophically. "Jennv
has a smaller family than have, But
/ don't see why he came up to London,
instead of staying peaccably down in
Tortoise Hollow. where he belongs +"
Mrs Jenny Eldertop, Mr.. Cheverel's
Youngest niece. had n smaller family
than her sister Rebecea. Init then she
had n smaller income MS well She hod
lust finished n vigorous doy,a cleaning
when Uncle Caleb was announced
ooh. drat the MANI said Mrs HI.
dertop wringing her parbciled fingers
out of a basin of steaming soapsnds.
"What sends him here Of all the times
in the worldY"
And she went down stairs ungraei
ously enough to the street door. where
her husband was welcoming the old
stranger.
Gene in. Uncle Cbeyerel. 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 Won don I
mind the children and their noise. and a
little smell of whitewash in the spare
room. "
Mrs Eldertop's welcome was by no
means 30 cordial She looked, to use II
common expression, "vinegar and darn
ing needles" 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'
"a good for nothing old yagabond. +"
said Mrs Eldertop acidly, without n
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 zipza2 rent in IT, Inst
mend it while you're whiting for the
kettle TO boil. y
~ WON'T" said Mrs Eldertop.
"All right, retorted her lord and
master "Then I'll take 1t 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. Eldertop had nursed comfortably
jealousy Of her for the last four years.
you'll do no such thing p said Jen-
ny tartly. "Hand 1t herel"
And she threaded needle with black
silk and thrust her finger into thimble
very much az determined crusader Of
old might have donned sword and shield
for some encounter with the Moslem
whats thatH" 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.
al fancy your mistaken, " said Mr..
Eldertop. Its the rough draft Of
will
"But he's got nothing to leave, re.
torted Mrs. Eldertop
"I'm not SO certain of TINT. retort
ed Will. "Just look here, Jenny Il
give and bequeath to my two beloved
nieces. in equally divided parts the
sum of f10. 900. at present invested in
consois' ana
20 on SAID Mrs. Eldertop breath
'ea sry, neao 'ne resi-,
Ia ne. .'1. rs no resi-, sa'a her nus
panu ihas 'ne eho OF the paper
:. 0nly iooeh ufai'; tel you ana
~" "na' your opinion Oh Uncle
Snerriei ioi'uhes
NJ ne T,s oeen hiser All along said
mis. Ei'ei 'op' her iace growing RADIANT
ipahing up poor mouths ana traVeilhB
aiounu .ne county WIN an TINS money
III 'he nuhus' regular Ola character
Ju1. IAu .no'o one reaos ABOUT III
n ~, Ut II oach' WIZ put II PACK
~, To We ~ business W DO prylhg INTO