The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-07-13
Uncle Caleb s WIFI.

lyon mean that you can put your
self ont to give your mother brother a
nights lodging' said Caleb Cheverel
bitterly.
The March wind, bearing dust grit
and 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
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, mo admittance. =
"s'm very sorry, said Mrs. Larkins
stitfiy, "but we have but one spare
room, and that is at present occupied
Of course I should be glad to do all
could for you, but
81 understand, | understand" said
Uncle Cheverel, turning coldly away
"T'U go TO my niece Jenny | wish
you a very good evening
Mrs. Larkins closed the door with a
eigh of very evident relief
81 dare say Jenny will take care of
him, she said philosophically. Jenny
has a smaller family than | have. But
| don see why he came up to London,
instead Of staying peaceably down in
Tortoise Hollow. where he belongs.
Mrs. Jenny Eldertop, Mr.. Cheverel' s
youngest niece, had smaller family
than her sister Rebecca; but, then, she
had smaller income as we'll. 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 a basin of steaming soapsuds.
"What sen is hi,l here of all the times
in the worid2''
And she went down stairs ungraci-
ously enough to the street door, where
her husband was welcoming the old
stranger.
"Ccme 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 yon if you don t
mind tie 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 a
common expression. vinegar and darn
ing needles at the visitor while in her
Utmost soul she calculated the prob
oh Of ho ha, nd
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 vagabond, "
said Mrs. Eldertop acidly, without
halfpenny laid mp ahead. "
"For all that he's your guest, said
her husband land 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'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 Eldertop had nursed comfortably
a jealousy of her for the last four years
II do no euch thing said Jen-
ny tartly. Hand it here
And she threaded a needle with black
silk and thrust her finger into thimble
very much as determined crusader of
old might have donned sword and shield
for some encounter with the Moslem.
whats 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 Its the rough draft of
will d."
'But he's got nothing to leave" re-