The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-04-19

ii. lie ulun I ldu-H 60 "a ,,,t
our fears, as we thought ne "ou'u,
ba said that he and Ned Mlehhaln
on1 Loren Tompkins would spehu 'ne
dav investigating the matter ana "ou'a
telenhone Belle rs soon as tne! "e"
anything. ,,,,od
@Its mighty queer, commence
Laura Bamwell as she threaueu NC
needle. ....t,r
Mrs Smith went out to the Kitchen
and began preparations for dinner
The dressmaker sewed and snipie'
and ripped and stitched busily IN.
Several hours passed unevehtiul's'
II was 2 O'Clock when Belle Wickhahi
stalked Up the path. her saIst irail'e
clothed in black mourning garments
II guess it's all over Annie Siie
said sadly. Il just got IA telephone
message from Gideon. lie said tne!
had found Uncle Henry ana would
bring the body back with 'em tonight
I'VE better 20 over to the house 10 pe
there Ii needs fixing up-sohe nIeS
made and so forth" said Mrs. Smith
gravcly. So after awhile the two couS-
ms departed. leaving the dressliiaher
with her hands full of moursng gar
ments. You'll have 10 come tom"r-
row. Laura" said Mrs Smith as she
wenC out.
Il wouldn't miss it for farm, NUT
i Tered Laura 10 herself. Il expect
/ thrrell be the greatest kind of Jealousy
over Hcnrys will. Each one of those
/ three women will expect the lions
share They've been watching each
/ other for years, afraid one might ret
I the inside track with Uncle Henry and
( his money"
/ In the Popham homestead, on the
/ Hollow road. there VAS "A scene oil
7 great activity. although the three cOus
/ ins found the house remarkably neat
and clean for "a bachelor abode Blach
Hannah. who came once fortnight 10
clean and wash and iron. declared thar
+ Uncle Henry must have cleaned II
/ himself since her last visit. and the
grief stricken uicces admitted that
Uncle ucnry's suicide had been pre-
meditated
Fires were made III the seldom used
front parlor and in empty bedrooms.
and the beds were aired and remade.
Perhaps the nieccs 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 back dresses, they sat down in
the best parlor to await Uncle Henry :
homecoming.
In her mind each woman was plan
ming how she would refurnish the room
when she came to live there.
II their grief was soothed by GER
tain complacency in the recollection of
Uncle Henry's comfortable thousands
they made no utterance to one anot her.
At o'clock there was the sound N
wheels along the Hollow road
The three cousins turned pale and
shivered little. \ sudden pity for
Uncle Hcnry's last homecoming swept
over them. and they advanced TO the
front han and threw wide the door
They stood there blinking out into
the darkness OF the winter night BE
lore the gate was Ma son Winship's
best hack. the one with silver lamps.
and aliShting from it were several
people.
1t was not until they had crowded
into the hall and parlor that the three
cousins received sudden. stunning
surprise.
Uncle Henry they screamed in
unison
And 1t was not Uncle Henrys corpse
that confronted them. but a rejuvenat.
ed Uncle Henry. with crisp. gray curls
combed over his ears and a sparkle n
his eyes and smile on his rudy face
He was dressed in brand new pepper
and salt suit and fur lined overcoat
his gloved hand.
On Uncle Ilenry's arm leaned a veI1
small lady, his junior 10y dozen year,
perhaps. brown haired sweet faced
with quick. hirdlike movements ane
appealing brown eyes. She wore gray
too. with scarlet wing in her era,
velvet hat
Uncle Henry" repeated the niece.
more family
My dear nieces, replied Henri
Popham soothingly. don't be frighten
ed IL 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 bee
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 wit
the bride and groom. had fetched /
large wedding cake the relative
. spread wedding feast In the dinin
room. while Uncle Henry took hi
!, wife on tour OF the house. And
Uncle Henry's eyes twinkled at sigh
|, of the many preparations which ha