The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-08-27
Uncle Jake's Best
Joke
4.
BY JANE OSBORN


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
her eyes, Of all masculine charms and
virtues-ROdney Blaine.
II think you are a mean old thing, ;
she announced with some heat. ITO
nave to have him along with us. He'll
Just spOi! everything. 1t isn't that |
1on't like him. but he IS such dread
ful .toker!"
The joker referred to was none Otli
er than ROdney's uncle, Jacob Blaine
slightly built but erect old gentle
nan. who at three score and five had
given up business and determined to
cad the rest Of his days in the Open
II he had none Of the crotchets which
are sometimes ascribed to those of adj
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
all she took Rodney, amazingly seri-
,usly. Now that summer had come.
the Rodney Blaines had made arranc
ments to depart from the city for the
woods, where Rodney owned a small
mountain cabin.
He had just announced his inten.
tion Of encouraging Uncle Jake to oc.
cupy 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
TOu 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
if he does pull off practical joke
once in a while? l rather like his
joking"
Like his joking!" echoed Maud.
and her eyes snapped fire as much as
eyes as blue as hers ever could snap
lire.
'And besides" said Rodney, as he
went on inspecting the fishing para
phernalia that he had recently pur-
chased as preliminary to the VEGA
ton in the woods. besides. uncle has
wil!ed 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 size
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 ami
that she was sorry that she had shown
such prejudice and would try t. f",t
as strong Attachment for Uncle Jake
MS did her husband
Then she regretted her good nature.
First he disguised as possible game
warden and called at the cabin one
DAY VIXEN Rodney was not at home
and informed Maud that her husband
had been violating the game law and
would have to serve 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
false-bearded person. she had offered
him her entire worldly wealth if he
would go 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
the brook and which proved. after
Maud had excitedly angled for FIVE
minutes, to contain a can of sardineS
"a delicacy for which she had de-
cided aversion and of which Rodney
and Uncle Jake. not knowing this. had
NJ III large supply.
Mild and even stupid jokes both of
these-yet Maud allowed herself to be
annoyed by them.
Hes a dear in many ways" she
told Rodney, the evening after the sar-
dine episode. "but so long as he jokes
! cannot stand him."
4 wasn't going to tell YOU" Rod
ney replied. but you see 1t Is just be-
cause Uncle Jake does joke that I'm
so attached to him. If he hadn't been
joker. you'd now be Mrs. Somebody
else and I'd be 4 disconsolate old
bachelor"
1t was In midsummer and Maud
TIE eighteen-year-old Maud who pout-
ed very archly then and still wore her
curls merely tied at the back of her
neck instead of in the present psyche
was four or five hundred miles
away from Rodney. who was working
IN the city in the Office Of the Uncle
Jake who had not yet found occasion
to retire.
Rodney had danced with Maud and |
sent flowers to Maud on occasions.