The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-09-19
Uncle Jake's Best
II
BY JANE OSBORN

paper syndioats.)
Maud pouted-not the piquant, arch
pout OF her courtship days but the
spoiled-child pout that she dared to
indulge In now that she was really
truly married to the embodiment, in
her eyes, Of all masculine charms and
virtues-Rodney Blaine.
Il think you are a mean old thing
she announced with some heat. ITO
have to have him along with us. He'll
Just spoil everything. 1t isn't that
don't like him, but he is such q dread
full iokerT"
The joker referred to was none 9TH
or than Rodney's uncle, Jacob Blaine,
a slightly built but erect old gentle
man, who at three score and FIVE had
given up business and determined to
lead the rest Of his days In the open.
If he had none of the crotchets which
are sometimes ascribed to those Of ad-
vancing years he had some of the
foibles that had been characteristic of
his boyhOOd. Nothing pleased him bet
ter than a practical joke, though his
Jokes were always of kindly nature
and. so far as any one knew, they had
never caused any one real discomfort.
But Maud took herself, and above
an she took Rodney, amazingly seri-
ously. Now that summer had come,
the Rodney Blaines had made arrange
ments to depart from the city for the
woods, where Rodney owned a small
mountain cabin.
He had just announced his inten-
ton OF encouraging Uncle Jake to oc.
cupy q smaller cabin not many rods
from theirs which he would make the
headquarters for his fishing and out
Ing trips; and he would share the
company Of his nephew and niece in
many of his hours Of inactivity.
"Well, my DEAR" Rodney assured
his wife, 1T isn't at all as If he were
critical or intended to interfere with
you In any way. There is no one else
he likes so well as yOu-and me. He's
the best sport in the world and what
II he does pull Off q practical joke
once In a while? I rather like his
joking"
"Like his jokingi" echoed Maud,
and her eyes snapped fire as much as
eyes as blue as hers ever could snap
fire.
"And besides" said Rodney, as he
went on inspecting the fishing para
phernalin that he had recently pur-
chased as preliminary to the VEGA
ton In the woods, besides, uncle has
willed everything he has to us. That
shows that he Is devoted to u.s."
Maud at this accused her husband
of being mercenary. though had any
one else made this accusation she
would have ragged indeed.
The result was that Uncle Jake
went with the Rodney Blaines, and
this was not because Rodney acted
contrary to his wife's pleadings, hut
because after having protested and
pouted she assured her husband that
he was right as in all other cases aud
that she was sorry that she had shown
such prejudice and would try to feel
as strong attachment for Uncle Jake
as did her husband.
Then she regretted her good nature.
First he disguised a. possible game
warden and called at the cabin one
day when Rodney was not at home
and informed Maud that her husband
had been violating the game law and
would have to serve q life imprison-
ment. Maud, in spite Of her ardent
suffrage principles, was quite igno-
rant Of the law and before she recog-
nized Uncle Jake In the heavily |
person, she had offered |
him her entire worldly wealth II lie
would 60 away and say nothing to the
authorities concerning Rodney's guilt. |
Then on the day that she went fish,
ing with him he contrived to have
her book attach itself to little pack
age that he had brought with him to |
he brook and which proved, after |
Maud had excitedly angled for five
to contain a can Of sardines |
"a delicacy for which she had de-
.ided aversion and Of which Rodney |
ind Uncle Jake, not knowing this, had
YET In a large supply.
Mild and even stupid jokes both of
hese-yet Maud allowed herself to be
by them.
"He's q dear in many ways" she
old Rodney, the evening after the sar-
line episode, "but so long as he jokes
cannot stand him."
II wasn't going to tell you" Rod
ley replied, "but you see 1t is just be-
ause Uncle Jake does joke that I'm
10 attached to him. If he hadn't been
Joker, you'd now be Mrs. Somebody
Use and I'd be disconsolate old
'achelor."
It was In midsummer and Maud
he eIghteen-year-old Maud who pout-
d very archly then and still wore her
urls merely tied at the back Of her
eek instead Of in the present psyche
was four or five hundred miles
way from Rodney, who was working
D the city in the Office Of the Uncle
axe who had not yet found occasion
o retire.
Rodnev Ind danced with Maud and