The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-07
Why Reggie Laughed.

And IL has never come TO anything. II
we only had now all you've spent in
trying your luck. / wonder how much
1t would be. And now you want to do
At again. 1 doubt short cuts are not
meant for us. and that you will only be
sending good money after bad. This
Hamburg lottery business is all very
well for those who have a margin to
gamble with. but we haven't, dear. And.
by the way. 1 am afraid l shall have
10 ask you for a. check. There are sew
eral bills I really must pay.
"All right, dear will. Halo, here's
the second post. Only two letters, and
both for you. One looks like another
bill. and this one must be from your
Australian uncle. Well. / must be off.
Why, Jennie, what Is the ,matter?
There is nothing wrong with the un-
Gle. is there?"
"Oh. Reggie, it's dreadful. Read 1t
for yourself"
Mr.. Bateman took the letter from
his wife and read 1t. Her uncle, Mr..
Teape. wrote 10 say that he was ruin
ed. out OF the wreck he had contrived
10 save a small annuity for himself. He
was too old TO begin again, and he was
thankful that he had never married.
But II was lonely out there now, with
out occupation, and without friends.
for the rats had already forsaken the
sinking ship. III either Jennie or her
sister Matilda would receive him at IS
a week, which was all he could afford
TO pay, he would much like to come
back to England, and end his days
there. He had written also to her sis
ter. and he would await their reply.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bateman looked at each
other in silence. and then she ex-
claimed:
Poor uncle. 1t is hard on him. after
being so well off. And how generous
he was! don't know what we should
have done without him. 1t must have
been some wretched speculation. Take
care, Reggie!"
Yes. yes, little woman; I'll t9ke
care But about your uncle. What do
you say? should like him 10 come to
us. And though. IL is true, we have not
much of margin. we will try and
make him comfortable, and We wont
take his money, eh?''
You are an angel. Reggie! A great,
big"
"But wait a Bit" he interrupted.
"You had better consT't Matilda be-
fore you write. She is the eldest, you
know. and she might want him TO go
to them"
They both burst out laughing. with
out explaining why they laughed. They
understood each other perfectly and
they understood Matilda.
Then Mr.. Bateman went of to his
chambers. He was a struggling barris-
ter and he did occasional literary
work but IL did not amount to much.
He was devoted to his wife. as she was
TO him. They paid their way and hoped
for better times.
Matilda had married Mr.. Yeoman. a
rich solicitor. That he was not quite a
gentleman made her all the more anx-
ious 10 maintain appearances. She was
always smartly dressed and she dearly
loved a lord. She. too. owed muf 10
her uncle; but an uncle prosperous and
an uncle ruined are two different be-
ings to an ambitious nature that Is
straining hand and foot 10 climb
little higher up the social ladder. IoVt
relations are "A nuisance.
So she called on her sister that saire
afternoon. and explained that. unfortu-
nately Ii was quite impossible tnat
Mr.. Teape should make his home with
them. She personally would nave
wished him 10 do so, and 1t was great
disappointment 10 her but-and then
followed the reasons il had taxed all
her ingenuity the whole morning 10 NJ
vent. Mrs. Bateman readily sympatn-
lied with her. and when she was alone
again she sat down and wrote a cordial
that both she and her HUSBAND were
looking forward with great cagerness
TO his arrival.
It was not long before he came-s
broIten feeble. spiritless man, who was
evidently crushed by his misfortunes
beyond recovery. They ala their Ut
most 10 cheer and comfort him, and ne
was touchingly grateful: but he seldom
smiled. He insisted upon paying them
his five dollars a week. notwithstand-
ing their protests. saying that IL was
little enough for all the trouple ne
gave them. After a time he fitted into
his place. and If his life was monoto-
nous he preferred II so; ana after the
excitements both of success and failure
he Mad grown TOO weary for anything
but rest. a.
Rut presently odd things began 10
hannen Mrs Bateman played wen,
but she had no piano as they could no.
afford a good instrument. ana she cou.u
not bear an inferior one. TO her ihn-
mite surprise. magnihctnt sidnu ~.
sno arrived addressed TO her. wLtn no
sort OF indication as 10 who nad Sent
81. MIR Bateman inquired al the max
ars and brought back the information
that they were not at libSty 10 give tne
name but that she need have no scrup-
les with regard to keeping II, for IL was
a present from "a relative.
Ter in the week. when van came
loaded with things she wanted, besides
six unmlstakably fine pictures. rms
time every separate parcel mad a iapei.
on which was printed Mrs. Bateman.
With best wishes of a relative. IL had
become most perplexing, and she i'm
sisted on Reggie telling her what It
meant but he only shrugged his shoul-
ders in that provoking way OF his, and
remarked:
I'm no good at mysteries. What do
you say. Mr.. TeapeT'
But Mr.. Teape had nothing TO say.
H.
\ fortnight later the ferment in the
house rose 10 fever-havt. neat broug-
ham was at the door. with two nne
bays and n groom handed I'm a letter
addressed TO Nrs. Batcman.
she was paralyzed with amazement.
and. i'm her husbands absence. she was
trying To collect her scattered senses,
when he came hurryng I'm. with ire
press.Dle excitement. and almost shout
cd as he pushed a paper into her
hands.
Look here. my darling this is what
| found at my chambers.
Aud she read: You arc credited