Aunt Jane's Nieces
Between his teeth was a
black brier pipe, which he puffed lazily.
Beth was for drawing back, but Louise took her arm and drew her
forward.
"Isn't this Uncle John?" she asked.
The little man turned his eyes upon them, withdrew his hands from his
pockets and his pipe from his mouth, and then bowed profoundly.
"If you are my nieces, then I am Uncle John," he said, affably. "Sit
down, my dears, and let us get acquainted."
Louise smiled, and her rapid survey took in the man's crumpled and
somewhat soiled shirt-front, the frayed black necktie that seemed to
have done years of faithful service, and the thick and dusty cow-hide
boots. His clothing was old and much worn, and the thought crossed
her mind that Oscar the groom was far neater in appearance than this
newly-found relative.
Beth merely noticed that Uncle John was neither dignified nor imposing
in appearance. She sat down beside him--leaving a wide space between
them--with a feeling of disappointment that he was "like all the rest
of the Merricks."
"You have just arrived, we hear," remarked Louise.
"Yes. Walked up from the station this forenoon," said Uncle John.
"Come to see Jane, you know, but hadn't any idea I'd find two nieces.
Hadn't any idea I possessed two nieces, to be honest about it."
"I believe you have three," said Louise, in an, amused tone.
"Three? Who's the other?"
"Why, Patricia Doyle."
"Doyle? Doyle? Don't remember the name."
"I believe your sister Violet married a man named Doyle."
"So she did. Captain Doyle--or Major Doyle--or some such fellow. But
what is your name?"
"I am Louise Merrick, your brother Will's daughter."
"Oh! And you?" turning to Beth.
"My mother was Julia Merrick," said Beth, not very graciously. "She
married Professor DeGraf. I am Elizabeth DeGraf."
"Yes, yes," observed Uncle John, nodding his head. "I remember Julia
very well, as a girl. She used to put on a lot of airs, and jaw father
because he wouldn't have the old top-buggy painted every spring. Same
now as ever, I s'pose?
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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