The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-11
UNCLE BENNY'S CURE.
By Elizabeth A. Moore.

 Uncle Benny was supposed to be asleep. This. however, was merely a supposition, for Uncle Benny was very | wide awake. By his bedside sat his | friend, Sam Knowles. For several weeks Uncle Benny had been i'll, and, having completely exhausted the fam | fly by his peevishness and exactions, | his old friend had been called in to sit up with him. to give his suffering | relatives a rest.
 Uncle Benny opened his eyes stealth | fly to watch Sam. Sam was much | nearer asleep than his patient, and Benny sniffed. What could one ex- pect of a young thing of 6S. anyhow? Uncle Benny was n.
 Want anything, Benny?' asked Sam, starting up guiltily at the slight noise. Yes" snapped Benny. T want to | get out of this
 "oh. you'll soon get out now" re- piled Sam, consolingly. Tn a week or two you can sit out little In the sum- shine. You know you've been real sick. Benny"
 Sam, listen" said Uncle Benny soft ly. The moonlight fell in a sheet through the window, and the odor of the late
 honeysuckle climbing over the. porch below fioated in to the two old men.
 Say, Sam," went on Benny, seduc-
 lively. 'it must be fine down by the bridge tonight. It's so hot in this room, 1t would make anybody sick.
 wonder If the frogs are so lively as they used to be when we were boys.
 Don't seem so long ago. does 1t, Sam my? Do you know, I have such a kind
 O hankerin' to get down there again and throw stones in at 'em to see em
 jump. Wasn't it fun?'
 'fWasn'f if7 And dO Vo11 ren1apnher
 how we used to steal old Farmer
 Grays apples?" continued Sam. But
 I say now. Benny" he broke off, ab-
 ruptly, we mustn't talk any more to- night. You must go to sleep" Uncle Benny was climbing out of
 bed now. to sam's great distress
 Sam" he whispered, Tets go down and have a look at the old bridge. can't sleep, and they'll never find 1t l out"
 Now, Benny" expostulated Sam anxiously. you'll have the whole house up if you go on like this. Go back to
 bed, I say"
 "Oh. don't worry about them wakin'
 up," replied Uncle Benny. grimly. T guess I've got them used up so they'd | be glad to sleep for a week. Come on now, Sam, and help me dress" Of course Sam protested and remon-
 strated, but in the end 1t turned out as
 1t always did. Benny had his way. and l Sam followed. Uncle Benny had serious time find ing his clothes. His stockings went
 on wrong side out, and he couldn't find | shoes that were mates; but he was finally dressed somehow, with the ad- | dition of a comfortable around him, which Sam insisted he should wear or
 he wouldn't go along.
 Then the two old boys stole softly | down the back stairway and out into
 the warm August night. The fresh air seemed to act like a tonic on Uncle Benny. He drew in l long breaths of 1t in delight.
 They soon reached the bridge. and
 for while stood listening quietly to | the soft ripple of the water beneath them. Near by was a dead tree cov-
 cred with brilliant trumpet creeper yet in full bloom. White and pink | altheas grew at the waters edge. and l here and there belated f1ref1y fitted Everything stood out in the moon | light as clear and distinct as day. ex- | cept where the shadows fell in myste- rious blurs. Presently Uncle Benny gathered up | some stones and threw them one by 1 one into the water. watching the cir | cles grow wider and wider. He next | made a desperate attempt to secure some of the trumpet creeper by climb Ing high on the bridge rails. to Sam's
 Wild alarm.
 "Oh. Sam" he murmured at length l how l should like to go in wadin!
 If you want to commit suicide, why
 don't you just jump in and be done
 with 1t? That would be quicker, any how"
 Well, you needn't get mad about 1t. 1 The young fool doctor says I'm goin' | to die anyhow. and I might as well 1 have some fun before I do. Come on' | sam, lets go in '
 Ton won't go wadin' one step, Ben | ny Atkins so you might as well stop | talkin' about 1t. The very idea!' Uncle Benny sulked in silence for while while Sam tried to ease his con science by hitching at the comfortable
 wrapped around him
 Feel bad. Benny?" he asked after a | pause
 Feel bad? No, I don't. I feel we'll | Only Sam" he added, plaintively, I'm
 awful hungry"
 ] We'll let's go home" suggested Sam