"Beats the world!" said Uncle Eb, as we sat down at the table. "Ye do look gran" if me--ree-markable gran", both uv ye. Tek a premium at any fair--ye would sartin."
"Has he won yer affections?" said David laughing as he looked over at Hope.
"He has," said she solemnly.
"Affections are a sing"lar kind o" prop"ty," said Uncle Eb. "Hain"t good fer nuthin till ye"ve gin em away. Then, like as not, they git very valyble.
"Good deal that way with money too," said Elizabeth Brower.
"I recollec" when Hope was a leetle bit uv a girl" said Uncle Eb, "she used if say "et when she got married she was goin" if hev her husban"
rub my back fer me when it was lame.
"I haven"t forgotten it," said Hope, "and if you will all come you will make us happier.
"Good many mouths if feed!" Uncle Ebb remarked.
"I could take in sewing and help some," said Elizabeth Brower, as she sipped her tea.
There was a little quiver in David"s under lip as he looked over at her.
"You ain"t able t" do hard work any more, mother," said he. "She won"t never hev to nuther," said Uncle Eb. "Don"t never pay if go bookin" fer trouble--it stew easy if find. There ain" no sech thing "s trouble "n this world "less ye look for it. Happiness won"t hey nuthin if dew with a man thet likes trouble. Minnit a man stops lookin" fer trouble happiness "II look fer him. Things came puny nigh"s ye like "em here "n this world--hot er cold er only middlin". Ye can either laugh er cry er fight er fish er go if meetin". If ye don"t like erry one you can fin fault. I"m on the lookout fer happiness--suits me best, someway, an don"t hurt my feelin"s a bit.
"Ev"ry day"s a kind uv a circus day with you, Holden," said David Brower. "Alwuss hevin" a good time. Ye can hev more fun with yerseif "n any man I ever see."
"If I hev as much hereafter es I"ve hed here, I ain"t a goin"if fin" no fault," said Uncle Eb. "S a reel, splendid world. G.o.d"s fixed it up so ev"ry body can hev a good time if they"ll only hev it. Once I heard uv a poor man "at hed a bushel o" corn give tew him. He looked up kind o" sad an" ast if they wouldn"t please sh.e.l.l it. Then they tuk it away. G.o.d"s gin us happiness in the ear, but He ain"t a goin" t" sh.e.l.l it fer us.
You n "Lizabeth oughter be very happy. Look a" them tew childern!
There came a rap at the door then. David put on his cap and went out with Uncle Eb.
"It"s somebody for more money," Elizabeth whispered, her eyes filling.
"I know "tis, or he would have asked him in. We"re goin"t lose our home.
Her lips quivered; she covered her eyes a moment.
"David ain"t well," she continued. "Worries night "n day over money matters. Don"t say much, but I can see it"s alwuss on his mind. Woke up in the middle o" the night awhile ago. Found him sittin" by the stove.
"Mother," he said, "we can"t never go back to farmin". I"ve ploughed furrows enough if go "round the world. Couldn"t never go through it ag"in." "Well," said I, "if you think best we could start over see how we git along. I"m willin" if try it." "No, we re too old," he says.
"Thet"s out o" the question. I"ve been thinkin" what"ll we do there with Bill "n Hope if we go t"live with "em? Don"t suppose they"ll hev any hosses if take care uv er any wood if chop. What we"ll hev if do is more"n I can make out. We can"t do nuthin; we"ve never learnt how."
"We"ve thought that all over," I said. "We may have a place in the country with a big garden.
"Well," said she, "I"m very well if I am over sixty. I can cook an wash an" mend an" iron just as well as I ever could."
Uncle Eb came to the door then.
"Bill," he said, "I want you "n Hope if come out here "n look at this young colt o" mine. He"s playful "s a kitten.
We put on our wraps and went to the stable. Uncle Eb was there alone.
"If ye brought any Cnssmus presents," he whispered, "slip "em into my hands. I"m goin" if run the cirkis t"morrow an" if we don"t hev fun a plenty I"ll miss my guess.
"I"ll lay them out in my room," said Hope.
"Be sure "n put the names on "em," Uncle Eb whispered, as Hope went away.
"What have ye done with the "bilers"?" I enquired.
"Sold "em," said he, laughing. "Barker never kep" his promise. Heard they"d gone over t" the "Burg an" was tryin" t" sell more territory.
I says if Dave, "You let me manage "em an" I"ll put "em out o business here "n this part o" the country." So I writ out an advertis.e.m.e.nt fer the paper. Read about this way: "Fer sale. Twelve hunderd patented suction Wash Bilers. Anyone at can"t stan" prosperity an" is learnin" if swear "ll find "em a great help. If he don"t he"s a bigger fool "n I am.
Nuthin" in "em but tin--that"s wuth somethin". Warranted t" hold water."
"Wall ye know how that editor talks? "Twant a day "fore the head man o"
the biler business come "n bought "em. An" the advertis.e.m.e.nt was never put in. Guess he wan"t hankerin" if hev his business spilt.
Uncle Eb was not at the supper table that evening.
"Where"s Holden?" said Elizabeth Brower.
"Dunno," said David. "Goin" after Santa Claus he tol" me.
"Never see the beat o" that man!" was the remark of Elizabeth, as she poured the tea. "Jes" like a boy ev"ry Crissmus time. Been so excited fer a week couldn"t hardly contain himself."
"Ketched him out "n the barn if other day laffin" like a fool," said David. "Thought he was crazy."
We sat by the fire after the supper dishes were put away, talking of all the Christmas Days we could remember. Hope and I thought our last in Faraway best of all and no wonder, for we had got then the first promise of the great gift that now made us happy. Elizabeth, sitting in her easy-chair, told of Christmas in the olden time when her father had gone to the war with the British.
David sat near me, his face in the firelight--the broad brow wrinkled into furrows and framed in locks of iron-grey. He was looking thoughtfully at the fire. Uncle Eb came soon, stamping and shaking the snow out of his great fur coat.
"Col"night," he said, warming his hands.
Then he carried his coat and cap away, returning shortly, with a little box in his hand.
"Jes" thought I"d buy this fer fun," said he, holding it down to the firelight. "Dummed if I ever see the like uv it. Whoa!" he shouted, as the cover flew open, releasing a jumping-jack. "Quicker n a gra.s.shopper!
D"ye ever see sech a sa.s.sy little critter?
Then he handed it to Elizabeth.
"Wish ye Merry Christmas, Dave Brower!" said he.
"Ain"t as merry as I might be," said David.
"Know what"s the matter with ye," said Uncle Eb. "Searchin" after trouble--thet"s what ye"re doin". Findin" lots uv it right there "n the fire. Trouble "s goiti" t" git mighty scurce "round here this very selfsame night. Ain"t goin" t" be n.o.body lookin" fer it--thet"s why.
Fer years ye ve been takin" care o" somebody et I"ll take care "o you, long"s ye live--sartin sure. Folks they said ye was fools when ye took "em in. Man said I was a fool once. Alwuss hed a purty fair idee o"myself sence then. When some folks call ye a fool "s a ruther good sign ye ain"t. Ye"ve waited a long time fer yer pay--ain"t much longer if wait now."
There was a little quaver in his voice, We all looked at him in silence.
Uncle Eb drew out his wallet with trembling hands, his fine old face lit with a deep emotion. David looked up at him as he wondered what joke was coming, until he saw his excitement.
"Here"s twenty thousan" dollars," said Uncle Eb, "a reel, genuwine bank check! Jist as good as gold. Here "tis! A Crissmus present fer you "n Elizabeth. An" may G.o.d bless ye both!"
David looked up incredulously. Then he took the bit of paper. A big tear rolled down his cheek.