The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1906-06-21
Uncle BertraIn's
Curate

By SHIRLIANA


Tue parish. which all told. only mus
sers 500 souls. did not really want one.
and we-motner, Constance. George
and certainly did not want one. But
II was no use. Uncle mad made up his
mind To Il and nothing would have
stopped him. II was one OF his new
fads-
must tell YOU tina, mother Is
widow. ana. with us, keeps house for
our bachelor uncle As long as can
the rectory had been our
home.
We ail-except Constance, who Is
Just IL aud sentimentai-ttied the
usual amount of arguments. and We ALL
OF course, failed. ms We usually did
when Uncle Bertram was bent upon
some new scheme. But the shadow OF
this latest fad hung over our heads
with unusual hesvtness; and when the
following advertisement appeared IN
the leading church paper We felt that
the new trouble was indeed upon us;
Wanted. by country rector.
young curate. No objection TO one
fresh from the university TO whom
title might be given. Broad-mindeu
preferred offered: board aud rest
dence in charming old rectory. with
small salary. Dry. braeing climate
Plenty OF spare time could be guaran.
teed Tennis. golf. boating. bathing.
hockey, bicycling. riding. driving. mo-
toring, and the use OF stables
"a
his advertisement Oh! those replies!
Some OF them were worth keeping.
After much consideration uncle weed
ed them down to ave. And then the
fun began.
The I'VE selected candidates were
each requested to come. In turn, 20
have a personal interview. and as we
are ten miles from the neares, railway
station. we had to put each OF them up
for the night.
The frat. Mr.. Loveiace, delicate.
poeticai looking man. arrived on n Bit
terly cold day. After the ten miles In
our pony cart, with Nebuchadnezxar In
a stubborn mood. Mr., Loyelace pre-
sented a fcrlorn appearance indeed.
was sure that Uncle Bertram had
tried his best TO be CHEEKY and equally
sure that ne failed signally all ATOMS
the way.
"Ah'" ne said, as he brought his
drenched victim into the hall. now
that we're home at last. Mr.. Ioselaee
all the trials OF the journey will be for
gotten"
We were all in the hall and Con
stance looked compassionately at the
haif-drowned man. who rolled his eyes
towards hers as though he deserted IN
them the only kindred spirit MotheI
said she hoped he had not taken cold
that she had ordered IRE in his bed
room. and that tea would be read,
soon.
1 After he had become few degrees
| less cold and few shades less blue
| at given signal-a cough from I'm
cle Bertram-~we all left the drawing
room. that the rector and his select
ed candidate might be alone.
never heard exactly what passe,
1 between them, but after about AN hou
/ and half uncle came out Of the draw
ing room. excited and rather cross
| and said 20 mother In the dining room
I Mr. Lovsiace has taken n chill AM
will retire 10 his room at once. III
| would like a small quantity OF quake
oats. some sweet spirits OF nitre. an
hot water bottle.
Then he returned 30 the drawinI
/ room, left the door open and said q
Mr. Lopslace: There Is Il very goo
express train early Ia the morning. an
no doubt. with this chill. you will b
glad to get back TO your aunt In Lon
don as soon as possible"
Uncle, nothing daunted. speedily ar
ranged for the next man. MIR. Robi
from Nottingham, TO come on approval
The fates were kinder To him. mas
much as he arrived on q fine war;
day: and Nebuchadnezzar. driven b
George-the only person who can max
Uncle, who hates monotony. had thi
time arranged quite a different plan q
campaign.
Tea was sent IN for them In tn
study and Constance Though FOR tha
matter all OF us. but Constance esps
eiallyD, for obvious reasons was keI
out of the way as much as possible,
However. we CLEANED good del
about Mr. Robin from George. who ha
not wasted the opportunities afords
by a ten miles drive.
He's bounder." said George. IAN
can't possibly DO. His chief reason Il
replying TO the advertisement was thu
he might 1--we In a rectnry."
Mother poog mother said ~
hoped he had been yaecinAted an
: wished she had no; given him the be-
spare room.
The atmosphere seemed ehargs
. with possibilities. and we wonders
!, how long Uncle Bsrtram would kss
!, him bottled up In the study After
:, time our patience and curiosity We
relieved. fer when uncle came 10 us
2 naw by bis face that the msns IA
was decreed. end although we We
sorry for him st FIRST. all pity left
when, ~ the evening meal. be said
:, wonder n I might have drop
Irish ," Visions OF temperance NEE
inEs came 20 our minds aud We kick
= each other under the table There
nothing more 10 chronicle about
= Robin. lie. too. left By the early nor
ing train. after squeezing Constance