The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-09

stalked up the pain. HeT "a - h"S
clothed in black mourning garments.
Il 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. It needs fixing up-some fires
made and so forth" said Mrs. Smith
gravely. So after awhile the two cous-
ins departed. leaving the dressmaker
with her hands full of moureng gar
ments. You'll have TO come tomor-
row, Laura" said Mrs. Smith as she
went out.
IL wouldn't miss 1t for farm" NUT
tered Laura to herself. Il expect
there'll be the greatest kind OF Jealousy
over Henrys will Each one of those
three women will expect the Hons
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 vas scene of
great activity. although the three cous
ins 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 it
himself since her last visit, and the
grief stricken nieces admitted that
Uncle Hcnry's suicide had been pre-
meditated.
Fires were made In the seldom used
front paror and in empty bedrooms.
and the beds were aired and remade
Perhaps the nieces found comfort in
hard work, for they drudged uncom.
planncly.
Al 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
III their grief was soothed by n cer-
tain complacency in the recollection OF
Uncle llenry's comfortable thousands
they made no utterance to one another
AT y O'Clock there was the sound f
wheels along the Hollow road
The three cousins turned pale and
shivered little. A sudden pity for
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.
rore the gate was Mason Winsbip's
best hack, the one with silver lamps
and alighdng from it were several
people
IL 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
Ana IL was not Uncle Henry's corpse
mat confronted them. but a reiuvenat.
'u ohcie Henry, with crisp, gray curis
,omDed over his ears and n sparkle in
as eyes and smile on his ruddy face
he was dressed in brand new pepper
ina salt suit and fur lined oyercoat
ina ne carried new sealskin cap in
lis gloved hand.
oh Uncle Henry's arm leaned a very
mail lady. his Junior by dozen wears
perhaps. brown haired. sweet faced
With quick. birdlike movements and
lppealing brown eyes. She wore gray
90 with scarlet wing in her prnv
'elvet hat
Uncle Henryr' repeated tho n,ocos
more family.
My dear nieces." replied Henry
'opham soothingly. don't be frirhtan.
III vague rumors of my death nv
rowning have reached Won MANY
eople have spoken of the matrimonial
ea' You know. and er-well. I've heen
etting married today. that's all Let
ne Introduce you to nv wife Airs
tester fopham. formerly Miss Hester
' eed OF Redbridge Now. Annie.
'eiie. Sarah. kiss your Aunt Hesterr,
Ana they did with the best grace
ney could muster. and when their
lree husbands. who had entered with
ne bride and groom. had fetched IN
large wedding cake the relatives
pread wedding feast In the dining
pom, while Uncle Henry took his
Ire on tour OF the house And n
ncie Henry's eyes twinkled at sight
the many preparations which mad
cen made for different Homecoming
did not breathe a word OF the ,oks
his wife. and she praised tho
'oughtfulness Of his nieces and said
lat surely she was going to be fono
all three of them. for had they NOT
ade her warmly welcome?
And Annie and Belle and sar.h n.
g decided that they must make tho
st OF 1t went on with the prepara
'ns Tor the feast. but It must be con.
ssed that the three husbands. who
10 been In Redbridge that day 70
lmess Uncle Henry's marriage and
no mad jokingly telephoned a ncti.
'us message to Belle wiesham
me In for hours of stern reproof