The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1908-04-22
II FL
Uncle Eben'S Mistake s
FL By Clara H. Holmes III
Copyright. by Daily Story Pub. Co..

kAAJ 0tOSy *0O. WI
way?" Presently she added:
"'Twouldn't be no use; couldn't cal
whole chicken, an'-'twouldn't taste
good, no howl"
She was out cutting kindling for the
night, and stick flew as she struck
it. and gave her blow in the face
"Oh, fly, If it suits We BETTER" she
grumbled. 81 ulster think didn't need
any mans help, but now"
Here. here! Give me that ak afore
We kill yerself; never did see a woman
that could chop wood" said old 10
siah White.
wall, don't want to Farm" said
'Cinda, handing him the ak.
There" he remarked, "that'll last
We nigh on to week. I'll cut some
more for We by the time that's gone;
it's shame there's no one to look
arter ye."
81 don't need no one" resenting the
implied censure.
Uncle Eben, watching behind his
window blind, muttered wrathfully:
AoIcoC lid OAACLy
The following week 'Cinda was up
in the garnet sorting rags for a new
carpet. Might as well come to it,;
it's all I'll ever git now" she NUT
tered disconsolately, as she picked up
an old coat. Land sakes! If faint
Eben's weddin' coat! Morn so year, i"
she unused. "He did look nice, an how
lovin' he was! All the rest of our
lives he whispered to me. Oh, men
forget" she sighed.
Sunday came, and Eben saw Josiah
White walk up the little path to where
'Cinda sat Smelling peas. After a few
words he sat down beside her and
commenced helping her.
Uncle Eben, half buried in a hay
stack across the road, watched
him angrily. He had taken to strange
habits of late, hiding around to see
what Aunt 'Cinda was doing, and lis
tening eagerly to every remark con.
corning her. "Now, what's that old
wretch dom there ag'in? He's mighty
spruced up. He kin just keep hisself
away from Lucinda or I'll lick the hide
off'n him. l did it when we was boys,
an kin agin," he muttered.
That night the children were unusu-
ally annoying, and when Uncle Eben
made faint protest Melinda flew into
a passion.
Il don't suppose you ever was a boy!
You are so cantankerous that it's no
wonder 'Cinda couldn't live with you,"
she threw at him as parting taunt.
II guess you're about right as to
'Cinda," answered the old man totter.
ing from the room.
Her husband laughed: well, you
put your foot in it that time" said he
II don't care; I'm sick of him, and
there's no more to be got out of the
stingy old wretch"
Unclu Eben had turned back for his
handkerchief and overheard this.
"She's right about that, too; she won't
get any more out o. me-"
Tho very next day about noon as
Aunt 'Cinda was feeding her chick
ems van drove up to the house.
"Wherell you have these things un.
loaded, ma'am?"
Them don't belong here" cycling
the shining brass bedsteads and the
plump-looking mattresses longingly,
and a glimpse of roll of bright-hued
carpeting filled her eyes with tears.
She shook her head. mo, no! There
is some mistake!"
mo, ma'am; l was told to leave
them with Uncle Eben's wife. That's
you, T reckon?"
Uncle Eben laid his hand on 'Cinda's
shoulder.
"Land-o'-massy, where'd you come
from, Eben?"
up the barn lot way. guess l amt
fit to come in the front door," He
tried bravely to make a joke of it,
but his voice was tremulous with emo.
ton.
'Cinda laid her withered hand ON
his arm. 1T was awful lonesome
without you, Eben. We jest mustn't
be so techy. We know each others
ways an we don't need no third per,
son to tell us, do we?"
mo, no! l mustn't be so techy. |
give M'lindy the house an ten-acre lot
to find out some things, but the knowl,
edge is dirt cheap at that Now let
lis take this stuff into the house an
see how it looks" said he.
Goodness! l never thought I'd have
things so NICE" answered Aunt 'Cinda
gratefully.
Uncle Eben uut his arm around her.
Together we armed the money, an
together We'll hev' the good of it. We
won't leave it for others to squander,