Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1908-08-15

NS"S' aWeStruCk tones.
II never thought of his dying" she
said. Il stayed off upstairs with the
girls all the evening the last time he
wac here because | couldn't bear to
have Margaret Prince see him use
that horrid bandana handkerchief
and know he was our relative"
I'm glad, anyhow" piped Bobby
from q hassock near the fire.
Everybody sat up in horror
Bobby"
"Well" defensively - mothers
often said he wasn't any real relation
Just married fathers aunt. That
isn't much. And everybody was al
ways cross about it when he came"
An embarrassing silence followed.
Burbank looked reproachfully at his
wife, who flushed crimson, but met his
eyes squarely. She was reproaching
him, too.
Barbara and Claribel and Dick
stared at Bobby in stern dlsapproval.
while inwardly each smothered hys-
terical, halffrightened giggle.
For there was no denying that Uncle
Gle Lem-who had been in the habit,
ever since the children could remem-
Der, of making the rounds" among his
relatives once a year, had always In
life been frankly recognized as trial
to be endured. Now, however, even |
Bobby should have known better.
II think l always made him feel well
nopoo cold Nyrc purhonk "hut can't |
help wishing that l had really been
gladder at heart when he walked In
unexpectedly. You see, 1t so often
happened that he came at inconveni- |
ent times. Poor old man! He had a |
lonely life and he hardly ever stayed
more than one night. II l had rea
lied"
wish now I'd listened more to his
tiresome old stories" said Dick.
Il wish hadn't been so mean about
giving up my room to him, since II |
was the last time" Claribel said IL
thought he was going to keep on COM
ing forever"
''Wisht I'd tasted his porridge when
he asked me to-" Bobby put in. taking
his cue at last. 81 didn't like to eat
out of his spoon, that's why"
Burbank shook his head He'll |
never make the rounds again." he |
said, with honest regret. 81 must ad-
NIT that l wasn't always as glad as |
ought to have been when he came |
ambling into my office. Poor old I'M
cle!"
A few days later as Burbank sat at |
his Office desk, his wifes voice came
TO him through the telephone
Max Burbank" it said What did |
you mean by saying that was an |
obituary notice of Uncle Lem? Just |
picked up that paper you brought |
homo last night and it's an account Of /
surprise party his neighbors gave
him on his eighty-flfth birthday. You
didn't read it through"
What! N-no, guess 1 didn't"
Burbank admitted lamely. IL saw his |
name and the two dates, '1823-190s,
and thought l knew the rest Well. |
WE'LL"
This happened at two o'clock Three |
hours later Burbank called his wife
on the telephone.
Mary" he said, his lips close to
the transmitter, we're saved. What
DO you think? Uncle Lem is here now
my outer Office
Max! You don't mean it,"
Eyes; he'll be out with me to spend
e night"
But, Max, to-night's the children's
party"
Mary"
Il know There was pause. IT'S
chance given back to us and we
mustn't miss It.
Tell him-tell him n
we're delighted,
Max" ~
Next morning, TA
as Uncle Lem O. S&
started away from SNfx
!! /. !. :. !. !. !:
the house with VJfIA
his nephew, the Ax.X
Burbank children %A W"
stood around their MT~s
mother in the 4VK
doorway. OsB
BE sure you IN
come TO our next
party, Uncle
Lem" they Choir
used sweetly.
The old man ~
grasped his big
cotton umbrella in Uncle Lem.
one hand and reached the other to
Mrs Burbank
Mary" he said with a CULVER of
his chin, Il want to tell you one thing.
There amt place in the whole rounds