Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-11-30
a. percer1arv
Love
BY EDMUND MITCHELL

IAN picture the Mhole httAe' ne
said at last, summing up the
thoughts that had given pause to their
conversation
Yes. she responded. her eyes still
fixed on the emleFs. You know those
three uncles Of mine well enough to
understand my shame and indigna-
tion. And Aunt Mary, too-she kept
talking about her husbands store
about bad debts and the latest rise in
coal oil. while her brother lay dead
in the next room. Poor Uncle Henry!
the one gentle and refined nature
among them all-the only one whose
life had not been given TO sordid
grubbing for cents and dollars.
My mother told me a good many
things last year, before she died. She
was younger than her brother Henry
the youngest Of all. although the
first to go The girl paused and
breathed a little sigh. Henry was
struggling by teaching and in other
ways 10 enter college life long after
his three elder brothers had become
comfortably established In business.
Dry goods. hardware, butchering-
that was the bent Of their minds. And
Aunt Mary. TOO. had married the most
prosperous grocery man of the dis
trict. only Henry and my mother in
clined to other things My mother
taught school before she married, Just
-. -, A,fno nnM 70
Not for long now. sweetheart he
interposed. with gentle hand-touch
of sympathy upon her shoulder.
"Oh. / was not thinking Of myself,
she replied. brightly and resolutely. Il
was thinking OF my dear mother and
of my father. whom can just remem-
Der. and nothing more. But we were
speaking of Uncle Henry weren't We!
Yes he wanted 70 get TO college.
"Wen. net one Of his brothers Of
fered a helping hand and at last MS
health broke down. Al first he was
acutely ill-in a hospital for several
months. Then he was discharged, in
better state able to crawl around but
with the verdict OF 'incurable hanging
over his head His was chronic case
now-one Of those insidious internal
troubles that XIII a man slowly but
surely during year or two Of lncreas'
ing misery and suffering.
But his brothers,
"They we're a handicap to him. The
duty was 50 obviously theirs that
others who might have helped natur-
ally stood aside My mother pleaded
with Ebenezer. Hiram, James-not one
had a single dollar that could be
spared from his business
well. I'm blowed, That was cheer
full for a sick man.
We'll. the doctor, it seems, guess
ing al the truth. mentioned the case
10 Mr.. Boone. Of Booklcvers' corner.
And it was he who sent the invalid TO
Arizona. kept him there for two whole
wears and when he returned cured
and well. gave him a place in the book
store. That is how Uncle Henry came
in time TO be a partner, and at last
the only active member OF the nrm'
MIR. Boone is still aliye?'
yes the dear old gentleman mas
come north from his home IN Florida
TO bury his dead friend. Now you VIII
understand a great deal better what
am going to tell you next Mr.. Boone
Is Uncle Henry's executor. and II was
in accordance with the latters instrue-
lions that an relatives were called To-
getber The day before the funeral
That was how / came 10 meet my
IrncIes Ebenezer. Hiram and James
and Aunt Mary and her husband this
morning in the dining-room above the
book store.
The young man sat up with quick
ened interest a.
but your Uncle Henry didn't die
rich. did he?'
No not as the world counts men
rich nowadays. But he had a little TO
divide. when we we're all assembled
Mr. Roone read the Will There are
leea,cies Of a thousand dollars to each
of my uncles. to Aunt Mary ana y
me As his other sisters child
"and what do these requests
amount to-"