The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-05

no said that he and Ned Wickham
and Loren Tompkins would spend the
day investigating the matter and would
telephone Belle as soon as they heard
Its mighty queer" commented
Laura Bamwell as she threaded her
needle.
Mrs. Smith went out to the kitchen
and began preparations for dinner.
The dressmaker sewed and shipped
and ripped and stitched busily.
Several hours passed uneventfully.
II was 8 o'clock when Belle Wickham
stalked up the path, her gaunt frame
clothed in black mourning garments.
II guess it's all over. Annie" she
said sadly. Il just got telephone
message from Gideon. He said they
had found Uncle Henry and would
bring the body back with 'em tonight
I'VE better go over to the house to be
there. 1t needs fixing up-some fires
made and so FORTH" said Mrs. Smith
gravely. So after awhile the two cous-
ms departed. leaving the dressmaker
with her hands full of mourning gar
ments. You'll have to come tomor-
row, Laura" said Mrs. Smith as she
went out
II wouldn't miss it for farm, NUT
tered Laura to herself. 81 expect
there'll be the greatest kind of jealousy
over Henry's will. Each one OF those
three women will expect the lions
share. They've been watching each
other for years, afraid one might get
the inside track with Uncle Henry and
his money"
In the Popham homestead, on the
Hollow road, there was a scene OF
great activity, although the three cous,
ms found the house remarkably neat
and clean for bachelor abode. Black
Hannah, who came once fortnight to
clean and wash and iron, declared that
Uncle Henry must have cleaned 1t
himself since her last visit, and the
grief stricken nieces admitted that
Uncle Henry's suicide had been pre-
meditated.
Fires were made in the seldom used
front parlor and in empty bedrooms,
and the beds were aired and remade
Perhaps the nieces found comfort in
hard work. for they drudged uncom
plainingly.
At dusk they prepared from the sup
plies in the pantry, and then, gowned
in deep black dresses, they sat down In
the best parlor to await Uncle Henry's
homecoming.
In her mind each woman was plan
ming how she would refurnish the room
when she came to live there.
IL their grief was soothed by a GER
tain complacency in the recollection Of
Uncle Henry's comfortable thousands
they made no utterance to one another
AT 6 o'clock there was the sound Of
wheels along the Hollow road.
The three cousins turned pale and
shivered little. A sudden pity fol
Uncle Henry's last homecoming swept
over them. and they advanced to the
front hall and threw wide the door.
They stood there blinking out into
the darkness of the winter night Be
fore the gate was Mason Winship's
best hack. the one with silver lamps
and alighting from it were severa
people.
1t was not until they had crowded
into the hall and parlor that the thre,
cousins received q sudden, stunning
surprise.
Uncle Henryr' they screamed ii
unison.
And it was not Uncle Henry's corps
that confronted them, but a rejuvenat
ed Uncle Henry, with crisp, gray curl
combed over his ears and a sparkle ii
his eyes and smile ON his ruddy face
He was dressed In brand new peppe
and salt suit and fur lined overcoai
and he carried a new sealskin cap II
his gloved hand.
On Uncle Henry's arm leaned a yer.
small lady, his Junior by dozen year
perhaps, brown haired, sweet faced
with quick, birdlike movements ant
appealing brown eyes. She wore gray
too, with scarlet wing in her gra.
velvet hat
Uncle Henryr repeated the niece
more family.
MY dear nieces," replied Henri.
Popham soothingly, don't be brighten
ed II vague rumors of my death b,
drowning have reached you. Man.
people have spoken of the matrimonial
sea, you know, and er-well, I've beer
getting married today, that's all. LIE
me introduce you to my wife, Mrs
Hester Popham, formerly Miss Heste
Weed of Redbridge Now, Annie
Belle, Sarah, kiss your Aunt Hester."
And they did with the best grac
they could muster, and when thei
three husbands, who had entered witt
the bride and groom. had fetched Il
a large wedding cake the relative
spread wedding feast in the dinini
room, while Uncle Henry took hi
wife on n tour of the house. And /
Uncle, Henry's eyes twinkled at sigh
OF the many preparations which ha
been made for different homecomin
he did not breathe word of the jok
to his wife. and she praised tn
thoughtfuness of his nieces and sal
that surely she was going to be fon
of all three of them. for had they nc
made her warmly welcome?
And Annie and Belle and Sarah, ha1
ing decided that they must make tn
best of it, went on with the prepar;
tons for the feast, but it must be col
fessed that the three husbands, wh
had been in Redbridge that day I
witness Uncle Henry's marriage an
who had jollingly telephoned a fct
tious message to Belle Wickhau
came in for hours of stern reproC
from the deluded women. But it en-,