Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-23

'lIuh,"
Don't bother about me" VIII was
beginning 10 SEQ his way now "Ol
course. Nellie and should like To
take run oycr to Paris and do Il
few things like that but"
Not with my money!" Uncle Al
vim LToke in angrily
Not now said viii carclcssly:
but later"
mo, SIR; not later. oithcr!" Uncle
Alvin was angry. and truly IL is an
moving to hear man calmly plan
ming what he will do with your money
when you are gone.
"Of course. you won't know"
You shut up!" roared Uncle Al.
win. I'm giving You chance that
You don't deserve, and I'm ashamed
or myself for doing it, You quit spec
ulating. come down to the simple life
ana buckle down To straight away
business. and I'll get you back in the
will all right
II was distressing situation. II
he got back into the will. he was
caught in business deal that would
make trouble for him: IL he put the
business deal through. he could hope
10 secure only as much OF the estate
MS would come To him in profits. He
| mentally called himself II few choice
names; hut only one course seemed
TO he open TO him. He had further
payments to make on the quarry and
! II was necessary that Brockley should
be Kept from talking
"Oh. I've got things going easy
enough now he said
! Easy? Too blame easy, Thnt's
the trouble" cried Uncle Alvin.
| Il never was worried about that
good roads business, anyway" viii
went OH serencly. 81 knew that was
only a bluff"
"A bluff?' exploded Uncle Alvin
IN show you if it's bluff. 1y
thunder! I'll do it,
TOO absurd.'
You shut the door from the ont.
side!' ordered Uncle Alvin.
| VIII gave him reproachful glance
and then departed. satisfied that he
mad had narrow escape from dis
aster Uncle Alvn's obstlnacy and
anger could be relied upon TO bring
the desired result.
| I'VE got him going" Will told his
wife. and now I'll just hurry him a
little with the spurs"
| For this lanhable purpose he wrote
and sent the following letter:
| Dear Uncle Alvin.-Let me urge
you to let your contracts in the My
| II YOU do not care for money consd-
| cra'ions at least have little regard
| Tor the family name. You cannot have
the work done by n local contractor
| without letting everyone know of
your folly. but could be done through
1 .t,r n
you are careful, there is no reason
why the reputation OF our family san.
lily should suffer. Remember that we
have lived long In this vicinity. and
that never before has anyone had oc.
casion to question the mental vieor of
q member OF our family 1t would he
very painful to mo
Uncle Alvin never got beyond this
point; for his Indignation was so erea;
mat ne tore the letter UP ana prompt
~ tolphoned for Brockley to come
out TO sec him.
Then 1t was Uncle Alvin took the
decisive action that gave him the
titlc OF "lierrick of the Highways He
ana not bother about prices. Brocklev
told nm that stone had gone IN. that
labor was higher, that the operation
OF steam rollers was most costly.
that everything conspired to add to
inc expense, and Uncle Alvin merely
told him TO so ahead. Brockley
sighed resretfully, for he had not had
the nerve to add full one hundred
per cent. 70 the price. and he saw now
that he might as well have gone oven
higher
The township went crazy over the
news OF the prospective improve
ments. and "Herrick of the Highways
lived in the world of laudation. one
thing only disturbed him: there was
no further protest from Will. He hal
not expected that Will Would submit
tameiy to this dissipation of the for
tune and he had promised himself the
pleasure OF many sarcastic netorts
when the next protest came: hut
VIII was strangely quiescent. He did
sarcastlcally suggest once that Il man
VINO was anxious 10 demonstrate his
ioily ought not to he content with
improving only one road at n hmc. and
therefore Uncle Alvin promptly order.
cd work begun on another. After that.
VIII became most annoyingly com
placent
Z This was aggravating. If he could
not make VIII show any anxiety half
INC JOY ol inc tnlng was lost, and
} That Will should so entirely change
, his view was incomprehensble. I'm.
Gle Alvin decided that he was "playing
OFF, In order to bring it home to
nm the more strongly. the old man
increased the outward evidence of his
interest in the work by taking a moro
} personal part in it: he spent his days
inspecting. suggesting, and helping.
even getting his coat off and mixing
with The men.
Finding him thus engaged. Will SAT
on fence for half n day and criiized.