The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-03-31

renovate the hall was accepted. Any
unfavorable impression which uncle
Sam might have created on the mind
Of the Rev. Mr.. Fuller at their first
meeting was speedily removed when
next they met. and my uncle an
his brother. OF restoring the church
Of Holdenhurst Major, an ancient edi
fee much decayed. The necessary
permission being at once given, uncle
Sam said he would have the church
examined by an ecclesiastical arch:-
tect. and order the restoration to be
made at once. Il don't suppose the
job will cost more than $1,000 or
$500" said he, whcreat Mr.. Fuller
dropped his lower jaw on his white
tie, aghast at the presence Of man
who could talk so ariiy of such large
sums of money.
The moment of our departure having
arrived our comfortable old carriage,
drawn by a pair of greys. stood ready
d
duties was numbered that Of coach
man-sitting on the box. AS uncle
Sam, aunt Gertrude. my father and 1
passed through the hall my uncle hes
itated and stopped. where are the
servants?" he asked. and being told
they were in the kitchen he desired
them to be called. Our entire domes-
tic establishment, consisting of four
women and boy. responded to the in
vltation. Hastily giving two sover-
eigns to each of the women and a half
sovereign to the boy he stayed not to
hear their thanks, but handed his wife
into the carriage. Uncle Sam and I
followed, the driver cracked his whip
and the horses walked slowly down
the path as we waved our hands 10
my father. who stood outside the
house in the porch.
1t was some minutes before the hall
was lost to our view, and to the last
moment it seemed to engage my un-
cle's attention. There. Gertie.' said
he. pointing to the old house from
which we were now rapidly receding,
Ito think that it was mere accident
"a woman's feeble will-that saved
me from spending my life in that
place.
I was surprised and not altogether
pleased at hearing my home-where
no effort had been spared to make our
guests comfortable-spoken of in this
contemptuouS manner. but concluded
from my uncle's muniticence that ne
was an extraordinarily rich man. ac-
customed to the best of everything
the world could supply. and consc-
quently quite out of his element in Il
Suffolk village.
Don't you think. Sam. the anti
Quated appearance Of the old hall will
suffer from the repairs you are going
10 make" asked aunt Gertrude.
Not a bit in the world. The main
structure won't be interfered with
Il think would prefer it as it is, if
it were mine"
"All old places have 10 he repaired
some of them pretty much and often"
said uncle Sam, selecting 4 cigar from
his ease. Il don't doubt but Queen
Anne would have some difficulty in
recognizing Windsor Castle if that
lady could come 20 life again 10 look
at it; it is continually being patched
As for Westminster Abbey. I question
# handful OF the original structure
remains. A small Snuff-boN wodia
contain the dust Of all the Phara 0nS
Everything substantial is transient
aud paSseS away. Human nature
alone is unaltered aud unalteranie.
Consider that parSon Fuller. Two
days ago he could hardly disguise his
horror OF me; yet when offered 10 re-
store HoidenhurSt Church did you no.
tice how his tongue fell out Of his
mouth as if he wanted to lick my
boots on the spot? suppose the poor
chap hopes for a commission from the
contra ctor. Well, III see that he's not
u.suptOAh'SN'
Sam, Sam, how you do talk said
his wife reprovingly; then turning 10
ne as / sat silent with folded arms,
Il an afraid, Ernest. it will take you
some time TO understand your uncle.
He's awfully cynical. but those WHO
know him best like him best
l forget what answer l made, but
certainly l was not disposed to cor
verse much. The novel experiences o.
the last few days. and speculations as
to my visit to London engrossed my
thoughts. Though l had more than
completed nineteen years Of life l had
seen little or nothing of the world,
Eleven of those years had been passed
in a school at Bury st. Edmund's. with
the exception Of !hc interval between
Friday night and Monday morning
each week. which was spent at home.
During the school holidays my father
had been accustomed to take me with
him 10 the seaside-Lowestoft, Var
| mouth. AldborOugh, or some other OF
| the summer resorts OH the east coast
and occasionally to London. My ac-