Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-25

eSSary TO get Aunt Abigail ont of tac
house. | should expect him to make
himself rs diSagreeable rs possible
the more diSagreeable the sooner ms
work would lie done,
Uncle Amos argued against the
move. Sayin. that | would better Dust
my wife'S aunt by turning her out. but
l convinced him that the family peace
would be better preserved by my meth
Oh than by his So at last he promised
to aid ire if would wait awhile.
waited 4 month: then with my uncls'I
. leave announced to my family that the
poor old man would be with us The
next evening for dinner to remain in
definitely.
When on the day of his arrival we
were sitting down to the dinner table |
motioued my uncle TO the seat ut my
right. But he. seeing Aunt Abigail at
the other end of the table, shifted the
air with assumed anger and said;
I've been used to sitting 1T the head
of my own table for forty years, and
see no reason why should take a
back seat now" He glared at Aunt
Abigail. rs much rs TO say. II propose
TO have the same rights as the other
interlopeF."
at once deferred TO the old gentle
man. giving him my seat. thus resign
ing the remaining half of the head of
the house. His SelfiShnesS brought Il
frown to the face of Aunt Abigail. and
am quite sure she had no idea what
ever that her own seliishncss was eX-
actly the equivalent of the disagreea-
bic old man opposite her.
We had not been long dining be
fore Uncle Amos addressed my aunt:
These young people deserve encour-
agement. They're mighty good TO take
us old folks in and give us a home.
presume that you have made them IA
good settlement"
Julia and | looked at each other.
Aunt Abigail, who was well off, had
not even given Julia her rousseau.
The old lady glared at my uncle and
made no reply.
Well resumed the old gentleman,
Il don't propose to be outdone hy any
body. What yen give them. | give"
Still the only reply was Il glare.
What do you say 10 starting a fund
OF $4,000 each? I'm ready to tTn
over ten = per cent first mortgage
bonds worth in the market $4,000 20
$13.o00 if you'll do the same"
Il would have you understand. sir"
Aunt Abigail finally replied. that do
nay giving independently of YOU or any
one else"
oh. well.'' said Uncle Amos. then
I'll do the giving alone. | intended To
leave my nephew that amount in my
will, ard now that he has been so wind
as to give me Il home for the rest Of
my days I'm willing to pay for it. To.
morrow I'll transfer the bonds to him"
And So he did. thus assuming an ad-
vantage over the Old lady that SHE
| could not regain except 10y coming
down with an equal amount This
knew she would not do. nor would my
vie ever get the benefit of any part Of
: her properly. for it was all wi'ied to Il
! ne'cT do-wC,l sen who had Il large fam
| lily of his own A. to Iny Uurlr.S prop
/ erty. ! knew very well that With the
/ death Of his daughter | would. If |
| SHOULD outlive him. inherit all of it
Uncle Amos played his part remark
ably well. Aunt Abigail would have
dominated me through my wife and
/ broken up my game but for his gener-
! GSity Whenever Julia came 10 me 10
/ beg me To get rid of my uncle | had
only 10 say: My dear. hew can | do
that when he has given us $l2,O 900 and
I ] expect 10 be the heir OF all his prop
rrtyF Would you have me offend him
at such COST" That always ended the
argument
Uncle Amos was not slow to discern
those things by which Aunt Abigail
set most store and never failed to
claim them for himself Nevertheless
the old lady hung on. On several Oc-
casonS my uncle would have given mp
the struggle had | not represented to
him that il he deserted me should
have Aunt Abigail on my shoulders
for the rest of my life. rs Sindhad tn"
Sailor carried the Old Man of the Sea
Then he would say. I'm stick to it
awhile longer. my dear boy and
renewed the contest
At last Aunt Abigail told my wife
that If we didn't get rid Of that old
illNiltbil s.ll'' Nf'lih I'HNf if''i SUI.
( limiting ar the same zine that she had
meditated dividing her fortune at her
death between her son and Julia. and
If she left the son would get all
Julia. who believed the old womap's
statement. made final effort in her
aunt's behalf. but | stood firm. and
our household was mt last hereft of its
angel We loved 10 have Uncle Amos
with rs and kept him rs lon- rs posi-
be under the plea that II ne went
away the angel would come back But
after she had settled herself in her
own house the old gentleman departed.
making rs present ~ ten more bonds
IS some token of his gratitude for eur
great kindness to him IN Offering him 4
home
He did rot live long after This and
happily before he died we were 80
ahled 10 show our own gratitude by
nursing him during his last illness and
were thankful for the opportunity.
Aunt Ab!:ail j. now very old won.
an ami hid, fair tn 30. II caufrIlnrian.