The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-04-23
E u
RI Uncle Eben'S Mistake 81
III By Clara II. Holmes III
Copyright. by Daily Story Pub. co.,
By Clara II. Holmes

~ ShSAS
way?" Presently she added:
"'Twouldn't pc no use; couldn't eat
whole chicken, an-'twouldn't taste
good, no how"
She was out cutting kindling for the
night, and a stick flew as she struck
it, and gave her a blow in the face.
"Oh, fly, If it suits ye better" she
grumbled. Il uster think didn't need
any mans help, but now"
Here, here! Give me that ak afore
ye kill yerself; / never did see woman
that could chop wood" said old Jo-
siah White
wall, don't want to Farm" said
'Cinda, handing him the ak.
There" he remarked, "that'll last
ye nigh on to a week. I'll cut some
more for ye by the time that's gone;
it's a 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:
Blast his ornery hide!"
The following week 'Cinda was up
in the garret sorting rags for a new
carpet. Might as we'll 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 'tain't
Ebens weddin' coat Morn so year.
she mused. 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 shelling peas. After a few
words he sat down beside her and
commenced helping her.
Uncle Eben, half buried in 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
cerning her. Now, what's that ole
wretch doin' there ag'in? He's mighty
spruced up He kin just keep hissel
away from Lucinda or I'll lick the hide
off'n him. did it when we was boys
an kin ag'in," he muttered.
That night the children were unusu
ally annoying, and when Uncle Eber
made faint protest Melinda flew int
a passion.
Il don't suppose you ever was boy
You are so cantankerous that it's NJ
wonder 'Cinda couldn't live with you,
she threw at him as a parting taunt.
Il guess you're about right as tt
'Cinda," answered the old man totter
ing from the room.
Her husband laughed: "Well, yo1
put your foot in it that time, said he
81 don't care; I'm sick of him, ant
there's no more to be got out of tn
stingy old wretch
Uncle Eben had turned back for hi
handkerchief and overheard this
shes right about THAI, too; she won
get any more out O me-"
The very next day about noon a
Aunt 'Cinda was feeding her chick
ems a van drove up to the house
"Wherell you have these things III
loaded, ma'am"'
Them don't belong here" eyein
the shining brass bedsteads and tn
plump-looking mattresses longingly
and a glimpse of roll of bright-hue
carpeting filled her eyes with tears
She shook her head. mo, no! Their
is some mistake!'
: mo, maam; l was told to leav
them with Uncle Eben's wife That
you, reckon?'
Uncle Eben laid his hand on 'Cinda'
shoulder.
'Land-o'-massy. whered you com
from, Eben?"
: ''Up the barn lot way. guess | ain
fit to come in the front door" H
tried bravely to make joke of i
: but his voice was tremulous with emit
} ton.
'Cinda laid her withered hand O
r his arm. 1T was awful loneson
without you, Eben. We jest mustn
? be so techy. We know each other
l ways an we don't need no third pc
son to tell us, do we?"
mo, no! l mustn't be so techy.
. give M'lindy the house an ten-acre Ii
t to find out some things, but the know
: edge is dirt cheap at that. Now Il
: us take this stuff into the house a
| SEQ how II lOOks" said he
t Goodness! | never thought I'd hay
things so nice" answered Aunt Cine
/. gratefully.
!, Uncle Eben r'ut his arm around he
u Together we armed the money, a
- together we'll hev' the good of it. v
won't leave it for others to squande
!