The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-04-05
Caring for
Horace

discouragingly rich.
There is q point where ones income
becomes SO great that people pass
from common, ordinarily covetous
envy to a resignedly helpless state Of
mind. They write down the figures Of
that income, stare at them and then.
say: ooh. shucks! There amt no
such income!" That was the delight
full kind Of income Uncle Horace had.
Mrs. Stebbins and Mrs. Cromp, his
two nieces, were so devoted to him
and said they counted it such a JOY
to have the dear old mans presence
glorify their homes that they lost
good sleep planning how to'entice Him
away from each other.
Moreover, each was firmly con.
WINGED that the other was a designing
person. - u
Since he had come TO stay with
Mrs Stebbins for q few months she
had felt that something was wrong
with Uncle Horace. II it had not
been for his income Uncle Horace:
would have been'a small, insignificant
individual with pale eyes. and an. un,-
pleasant habit of wanting the best
chair. and Of sitting in.athe next. room
and coughing when his niece had CALI
ers. Under the circumstances he was
a reserved, original man with ideas Of;
his own, which his relatives delighted
to hu1nor. .. 49,
What worried Mrs. Stebbins espe..
cially was Uncle Horace's air Of .,ab.
%straction and his unwonted helpfuk,
ness. Usually he was under feet, In!
vestigating everything tha. wen on
and getting in the"way tremendously.
On these occasions Mrs. Stebbins was
wont to say. through her teeth. that
1t was perfectly wonderful the way
Uncle Robert kept up. s,
- ~
This time he paid no attention. to-
what was going on in the. house, but.
would sit deep in meditation or stars
out Of the window: Mrs: Stebbfns'
mind. N*i =. %2.* =. .,:*, ,i4
: She said she would, feel perfectly.
terrible If anything like: that hap
pened to the dear old E.a1r While he
was under her. care. 'sfin' said she
never would be ab1c To- i33ryive her:
self, never:'." pm" =: -
"Mebbe it's rheumatism." Stebbins
suggested, hopefully. THAT is" liable
to make a man do almost a%nything!''
Don't you want some more blanks
cts on your bed, Uncle Horace?" his
niece asked him after this suggestion.
"Are you perfectly comfortable?"
"Thank you, Tilda, I'm perfectly
comfortable" Uncle Horace had re-
sponded. Il guess Ill go after the
mail!."S
This was really u double blow, for
Uncle Horace normally was not po-
lite, and he always wanted anything
that was offered him. no matter what
It was, and also it was a long walk to
the post ONCE.
Mrs. Stebbins had begged him to let
little Johnny, go and ave his "
strength, but Uncle Horace had per
sisted. 1le:said he felt that he ought
do something instead OF sitting
around and letting the family wear
themselves out waiting on him, and
that hs wal glad to be Of service. .
mot In this rain, Uncle Horace!"
Surely not when the wind is blowing
80. Uncle Horace!" or Don't worry
me by going out in this snowstorm.,
Uncle Horace" :had.not the reasotest
effect upon him whom no started to-:
climb into his galoshes and wrappings
to go after the mail.
Mrs. Stebbins said to her husband,
d~olefully, that she feared 1t was the
beginning of the end.
The week that Uncle Horace took
to starting at q sound and to flush
at q word or IN unexpected look. filed
Mrs. stebbins with alarm. That
something awful vas the matter with
Uncle Horace she was convinced and.
she hesought him" tossee a.doctor:" Sho
made him Jelly and fed him beef tea
despite HIS protests and tried in vain
to get some Ineligible conversation
out Of him.
Then one day he went after the
mail and did not come back.
Mrs. Stebbins had the whole town
out searching for him. Shs wept as
she looked on closet shelves and up
trees and In other impossible places
and said that, nobody could know
how her heart blsd at the. idea that
darling old Uncle Horace might be in
terrible danger that very moment.
I2|H r.N.E r.s a-Na fArNrE| q Ff-'