Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-02-22

cred him q fool. but the proposal to
renovate the fall 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-
nounced his intention, If permitted by
his brother. Of restoring the church
Of Holdenhurst Major, an ancient edi-
flee much decayed. The necessary
permission being Mt once given, uncle
Sam said he would have the church
examined by an ecclesiastical archi-
tect. and order the restoration to be
made at once. II don't suppose the
job will cost more than $1,000 or
f15O0," said he. whereat Mr.. Fuller
dropped his lower jaw on his white
tie, aghast at the presence of a man
who could talk so arily Of such large
sums of money.
The moment of our departure having
arrived our comfortable old carriage,
drawn by pair Of greys, stood ready
Mt the door, old John-among whose
duties was numbered that of coach
man-sitting ON the box. AS uncle
Sam, aunt Gertrude, my father and
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
vitation. Hastily giving two sover-
eigns to each Of the women and half
sovereign to the boy he stayed not to
hear their thanks, but handed his wife
into the carriage. Uncle Sam and
followed, the driver cracked his whip
and the horses walked slowly down
the path as we waved our hands to
my father, who stood outside the
house in the porch.
It 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,
"to think that it was mere accident
Il womans feeble will-that saved
me from spending my life In that
place..
was surprised and not altogether
pleased at hearing my homc-where
no effort had been spared to make our
guests fortable-spokcn Of in this
contcmptuous manner but concluded
from my unc,es munifcencc that he
was an extraordinarily rich man, ac-
custOmCd to the best of everything
the world could supply, and conse-
qucntly quite out of his element in q
Suffolk village.
Don't you think, Sam. the anti.
quated appearance of the old hall will
suffer from the repairs you are going
to maker" asked aunt Gertrude.
"Not bit in the world. The main
structure won't be interfered with"
Il think l would prefer 1t as it Is, If
it were NINE"
"All old places have to be repaired
some Of them pretty much and often"
said uncle Sam, selecting cigar from
his case. II don't doubt but Queen
Anne would have some difficulty in
recognizing Windsor Castle IL that
lady could come to life again to look
at it; it is continually being patched.
AS for Westminster Abbey, question
If handful of the original structure
remains. A small snuff box would
contain the dust of all the Pharaohs.
Everything substantial Is transient
and passes away. Human nature
alone Is unaltered and unalterable.
Consider that parson Fuller. Two
days ago he could hardly disguise his
horror of me; yet when offered to re-
store Holdenhurst Church did you no.
tice how his tongue fell out Of his
mouth as IL he wanted to lick my
boots ON the spot? l suppose the poor
chap hopes for commission from the
contractor. Well. I'll see that he's not
disappointed"
''Sam, Sam, how you Go talk" said
his wife reprovingly; then turning to
me as I sat silent with folded arms
II am 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"
forget what answer l made, but
certainly l was not disposed to con-
verse much. The novel experiences of
the last few days, and specuations 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 school at Bury st. Edmund's, with
the exception of the 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 to the seaside-Lowcstoft, Var
mouth, Aldborough, or some other Of
the summer resorts on the east coast
and occasionally to London. My ac-
quaintance with the world being
comprised within these narrow limits,
and the present being the first 0cca-
sion on which, in the ordinary sense Of
the phrase, 1 had left home, 1 was
moved to contemplation. Particularly
did l regret my defective education
defective because of the idleness of
my nature and my love of reading poe.
try and fiction. had been well and
f.,IIx en- hut 81,