Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
"
The Major smiled grimly.
"That's Europe, right enough," he said. "And I don't object, John, to
your going there whenever you please. You're disgracefully countryfied
and uninformed for a man of means, and Europe'll open your eyes and
prove to you how insignificant you really are. I advise you to visit
Ireland, sor, which I'm reliably informed is the centhral jewel in
Europe's crown of beauty. Go; and go whinever you please, sor; but
forbear the wickedness of putting foolish thoughts into our Patsy's
sweet head. She can't go a step, and you know it. It's positive cruelty
to her, sir, to suggest such a thing!"
The Major's speech had a touch of the brogue when he became excited, but
recovered when he calmed down.
"Why, you selfish old humbug!" cried Uncle John, indignantly. "Why can't
she go, when there's money and time to spare? Would you keep her here to
cuddle and spoil a vigorous man like yourself, when she can run away and
see the world and be happy?"
"It's a great happiness to cuddle the Major," said Patsy, softly; "and
the poor man needs it as much as he does his slippers or his oatmeal for
breakfast."
"And Patsy has the house to look after," added the Major, complacently.
Uncle John gave a snort of contempt.
"For an unreasonable man, show me an Irishman," he remarked. "Here
you've been telling me how Europe is an education and a delight, and in
the next breath you deliberately deprive your little daughter, whom you
pretend to love, of the advantages she might gain by a trip abroad! And
why? Just because you want her yourself, and might be a bit lonesome
without her. But I'll settle that foolishness, sir, in short order. You
shall go with us."
"Impossible!" ejaculated the Major. "It's the time of year I'm most
needed in the office, and Mr. Marvin has been so kind and considerate
that I won't play him a dirty trick by leaving him in the lurch."
Patsy nodded approval.
"That's right, daddy," she said.
Uncle John lay back in the chair and put the newspaper over his face
again.
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In a village there lived two men who had the self-same name. Both were named Claus. But one of them owned four horses, and the other owned only one horse; so to distinguish between them people called the man who had four horses Big Claus, and the man who had only one horse Little Claus. Now I'll tell you what happened to these two, for this is a true story.
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