The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-08-04
UnC1e's Revenge 3
Bx OWEN OLIVER.
Copyright, 1906, by Joseph B. Bowles)

Joseph Is. BoW1eS) = 20
They're too pretty, uncle" she an:
.swered, with sigh. II won't play fol
and grapes. There's a ball-dress IL
pink silk, Without you wouldn't un'
:lerstand."s
Not from the pictures, perhaps NJ
owned; but l know pretty dress
when ! see it on a pretty girl-like
you, for example. Youth be wanting
dress for the ball, suppose, my
dear?"
eyes," she said, turning her heai
away Il shall be wanting one" Ma
rian had particular reason for wish.
ing to go to the ball at the squire's; but
the dress seemed an insuperable diff.
| 1culty.
Suppose we were to run up t.
town next week. uncle suggested
| and have look around the shops
you and II"
He wfnked meaningly, and Marian
jumped right out of her chair and
kissed him.
You are really and truly kind
uncle!' she said. "You don't know
how l wanted to go to that ball.
Uncle rubbed of the kiss as soon
as she had left the room.
He fixed up date for carrying out
what he called his "little surprises y
He meant them to be one big surprise
the announcement that he had over
heard their conversation, and had
seen through their mercenary motives
all along; and that they should never
have a penny from him, alive or
dead.
Just before the day, however, he hit
upon refinement Of his. revenge
which he called "retribution." He
would not tell them what he had heard
but merely that he had received news
OF the total loss of his fortune: Then
they would change their attitude to-
ward him, and convict themselves.
When they had convicted themselves
sufficiently, and insulted him, and
practically driven him from the house.
he would tell them the facts; and
leave them with the assurance that
they might have had all the things
he had promised, and more, if they
had behaved uprightly to him. It
would be an extra refinement of the
retr1bution to send couple of
dresses to Marian. She was naturally
affectionate, and she probably did like
him little for himself, though she
did not know it; and she was not
without conscience.
He made the preliminary announce
ment on the morning of the day which
had been appointed for his benefi-
cence; standing up at the breakfast
table and hourishing a large blue en-.
velope, and blowing his nose furious
ly. He had lost every farthing, he
declared, and couldn't even pay for his
keep. If they turned him away, he
must earn his living as laborer-or
go and shoot tigers and lions for their
skins-and he didn't suppose they be.
lieved that he had ever shot a tiger
or lion!
He stamped out of the room, growl-
ing to himself as If he were both. and
took refuge in the little study.
"They won't trouble me with much
of their society to-day" he told him
self "To-morrow they'll ask me When
I'm going" Then he heard fathers
step in the passage. "He isn't going to
wait till tomorrow" he calculated.
This impression was confirmed when
father sat down and fidgeted with his
mustache and hesitated; but he did not
begin as uncle expected.
1--WE want you to understand that
our house is your home, uncle" ne
said, and there's to be no talk of your
leaving us. We should be ungrateful
wretches if We thought of such a
thing. 1t isn't only that, either;
though I'm as grateful to you for the
intention as if you'd done it. It's
yon see, we've got used to having yon
here, and we should miss you out of
our-our happy little family circle
Uncle wiped his forehead when faith
er had gone.
He'll soon change his tune" he OBJ
served; but he has, at any rate, a
sense of decency. It's his wife who's
at the bottom Of 1T, l suppose
A few minutes later mother ap-
peared. She brought tray with an
omelet and toast and coffee. She could
quite understand his not wanting
breakfast, she said; but it would wor-
ry her if he didn't eat it. So she was
sure he would try