2
UNCLE HENRY'S RETURN.
OR
NOT AT HOME.
AN elderly man shabily, attired was
seen walking through one of the
fashionable streets in a large city one cold
December day. His coat was coarse gray
and had evidently seen hard service,
though still whole and neat. The trav
eler walked slowly along, as I have said,
examining carefully as ho passed, the
names on the door plates, lie finally
paused before a dwelling of showy exteri
or, which if we may credit the testimony
of the plate upon the door, was occupied
by Alexander Beaumont.
"Alexander Beaumont?" Yes that's
the house." murmured the traveler to
himself, as he ascended the steps and rang
the door bell ?
Ills summons was answered by a ser
vant who, after a moment's . scrutiny,
which was not apparently of a favorable
character, said roughly.
' Well sir what do you want ?'!
"Is Mr. Beaumont at homo?" asked
tho old man : without heeding the inten
tional rudeness.
" No, sir, he is not."
" Then perhaps I can see his wife ?"
" I think it is very doubtful, but I will
go and see."
The servant withdrew without asking
the old man to enter, though the day
was very cold, and his clothing seemed
to be hardly sufficient to protect him
from its inclemency.
Mrs. Beaumont was reclining on a fan
teule in a room handsomely furnished.
Tho last new magazine was in her hand
and her eyes were listlessly glancing over
its pages. She was interrupted in her
reading by the entrance of her servant.
" Well, what now, Betty ?" she in
quired. " There is a man down stairs wants to
ee yon ma,am."
" Man 1 a gentleman you mean !"
" No, ma'am," said Betty, stoutly, for
she well understood what made up a gen
tleman in the conventional sense of the
term it isn't a gentleman at all, for
he's got an old gray coat and he has not
got any gloves on;"
" What can he want of me ?"
" I don't know ; ho inquired after Mr.
Beaumont first."
" You didn't bring him into the parlor
did you?"
The girl shook her head.
" You did right, and you'd better tell
him I'm not at home."
" Mrs. Beaumont is not at home," said
Betty, reappearing at the door.
"I supposo she's engaged," said the
the old man ; " I think she will see me
when she learns who I am. Tell her I am
her husband's uncle, and my name is
Henry Beaumont."
" That old rag-tag master's uncle," said
Betty ; wondering as she ascended the
stairs.
"Good heavens !" said her mistress,
" it ain't that old veteran who strolled off
years ago nobody knows where. I did
hope he never would come back again.
And now I suppose he is as poor as a rat
and wants help. Well, he won't get it if
I can help it; but I supposo I must see
him."
The lady descended, fully prepared to
give tho visitor a frigid reception.
" I am not mistaken," said the old man
with feeling, "it's Alexander's wife."
You are right, sir, I am tho wife of
Mr. Alexander Beaumont, and I suppose
from your language you are
44 His uncle Harry. Ah me II have
been gone so many years, and it does
me good to return to my kindred."
The old man leaned upon his staff, and
his features worked convulsively as
thoughts of tho past came over his mind.
Mrs. Beaumont stood holding the door
as if waiting for him to depart. She
did not give him any invitation to
enter.
" Is 3'our husband well?" inquired the
visitor, looking in as if ho expected an
invitation to enter and refresh himself
after his walk by uu interval of rest
, " If you have any message for him you
may leave it with me, and I will deliver
it," said Mrs. Beaumont, desirous of
ridding herself of the intruders as speedily
h possible.
" You may tell him I have called," said
the visitor in a disappointed tone, " and
that I would like to see him."
"I will tell him," and Mm. Beaumout
was about to shut tho door."
" Hold I there ia one question more :
What has become of Alexander's lister
Anna?".
" I don't know much about her," was
the other's disdainful reply; " but I think
jihfl married a clerk, mechiaic, or some
such person His name is Lowe, and ho
lives in Norton street. Is tliat all?"
That is all."
The old man turned his steps towards
the street iudicated,with many forebodings
lest his second visit might bo as unwel
come as the first appeared to be.
" Betty, said Mrs. JJeaumont, as sue
closed tho door, " if that old fool comes
again be sure and not forget to tell him
1 am not at home."
Norton street was not a fashionable
street, nor was tho two-story dwelling oc
cupied by William Lowe either hand
some or costly. It was marked, however,
by an air of neatness, which indicated
that its tenants were not regardless of
outward appearance.
We will take tho liberty of introdu
cing you into a little sitting room, where
Mrs. Lowe and her three children were
even now seated. A plain serviceable
carpet covered the floor, and the remain
der of the furniture, though a kind which
would hardly be selected lor a drawing
room, had a comfortable home-like ap
pearance, which simply satisfied the de
sire of those who derived their happi
ness from a higher and less mutable suurce
than outside show. Mrs. Lowe was seat
ed in a rocking chair, engaged in an em
ployment that I am aware is tabooed in
all fashiouable society, 1 mean darning
stockings.
Emma, a girl of ten, was brushing up
the hearth, which the ashes lrom the
grate, in which a blazing lire was burning,
had somewhat disordered, while Mary,
who was two years younger, was reading.
Charley, a little boy of live, with a smil
ing face that could not help looking
roguish, was stroking the old cat the
wrong way, much to the disturbance of
poor Tabby, who had quietly settled her
self down to pleasant dreams upon the
hearth-rug.
All at ouce a loud knock wa3 heard at
the door.
" Emma," said tho mother, " you may
go to the door and see who it is, and in
vite them in, for it is a cold day."
Emma immediately obeyed her moth
er's direction.
" Is Mrs. Lowe at home?" inquired
Henry Beaumont for it was he.
" Yes, sir," said Emma, li please walk
in, and you may see her."
" She ushered the old man into the
comfortable sitting-room.
Mrs. Lowe arose to receive him.
" I believe," ho said, " I'm not mista
ken in thinking that your name before
marriage was Anna Beaumont ?"
" You are right, sir, that was my
name."
" And you have no recollection of an
uuclc that wandered away from home and
friends1, and from whom no tidings have
come for many a long year ?"
"Yes, sir, I remember him well my
uncle Henry, and I have many times
wished I could hear something from him.
Can you give mo any information V
" I can, for 1 am he."
" You my uncle ?" said Mrs. Lowe, in
surprise, " then you are indeed welcome.
Emma, bring your uncle the arm chair
and place it closo to the firo; and, Mary
bring your father's slippers, for I am sure
your dear uncle must long to get off those
heavy boots. And now uncle, when you
are rested, 1 must demand a recital of
your adventure."
" But your brother Alexander," inter
rupted Mr. Beaumont, " let me first in
quro about him. Ho lives in the city
wow, does he not ?"
A light cloud came over Mrs. Lowe's
face.
" Yes," she said, 14 ho does livo in the
city, yet, strange as it may appear, I sel
dom or ncvor see him. lie lias succeed
ed well and is wealthy; but ever since ho
married a wifo with a small property and
greater pride, he has kept aloof from us.
1 do not blame him so muoh as his wife,
who is said to have great influence over
him. I have called once, but she treated
me so coldly that I have not felt disposed
to renew my visit."
" I can easily believe it," was the reply,
" for I too, have been repulsed."
" You repulsed ? Did you give your
name and inform her of your relation to
her husband ?"
" I did but she did not invite me to en
ter ; and sho was evidently impatient for
mo to bo gone; I took the hint, and here,
1 am."
"At least, uncle," said Mrs. Lowe,
smilingly, "you need not bo afraid of any
repulso here."
" Of that I am sure," said the old gen
tleman, looking affectionately into the
face of his niece. " But you have not
told of your husband. Let me know
whether you have a good match," ho ad
ded playfully.
" That depends upon what 1b meant by
the term. If it implies a rich husband,
then I failed most certainly, for Wil
liam's salary is only eight hundred dollars
a year, and that is all that we have
to depend upon. But for all this I care
not, for a kind affectionate husband is of
far more worth than a magnificent house
and costly furniture."
" You are right," said her uncle warm
ly, " And I infer that your husband is of
such a character."
After sonic other pleasant conversation,
Uncle Henry accepted tho earnest invita
tion of his niece to make her house his
homo after the lapse of a week or two.
" But you mast call here every day
and mnke yourself perfectly at home,
even before you come here to stay," per
sisted his niece.
" Be assured of that."
"In accordance with his promise, Mr.
Beaumont made his appearance next day
at eleven o'clock, and was recived as cor
dially as before. He had hardly beeu at
the liou.:e a quarter of an hour when a
loud rap was heard at the door. She be
held two men who had just driven up in
a wagon. '
" Where is the piano to be put ?" they
inquired.
"Piano! You have made n mistake;
we have not purchased a piano."
" Isn't your name Lowe ?"
" Yes."
" Then it is all right. Jim bear a hand
for it is confounded heavy."
She turned around in amazement.
" You know," continued tho uncle,
" that I am going to come and live with
you and L thought I would pay my board
in advance, that is all. As you express
ed a wish yesterday for a piano. I
thought it would be as acceptable as
any.
" You uncle ! Why excuse mo but
I thought from
i
'' You mean," said he smiling, " that
you thought from any appearance that I
could not afford it. And I confess," said
he, casting a glance at himself in the
glass that my dress is not in the extreme
of tho fashion, and in fact I was obliged
to look sometime, when I called at the
second hand clothing store the other day,
before I could get these. However, as I
have got all the service I wished out of
thorn, I shall throw them aside to-morrow,
and appear more respectably clad."
"What! are you wealthy, uncle !"
" Depend upon it, Anna, I didn't spend
ten years in tho East Indies for nothing,"
was the reply. " I had a mind, however,
to put on the appearance of a poor
man and so test the affection and disinter
estedness of my relations. Oneofthom,
however, I. found not at home ; I am hap
py to find myself at home with the other."
Let us now return to the aristocratic
Mrs. Beaumont, who a few evenings suc
ceeding the events hero recorded, was in
tho drawing room receiving calls.
" By the way," said a fashionable visi
tor, " I am to have your relatives. tho
Lowe's for my next door neighbors."
"Next door neighbors!" exclaimed
Mrs. Beaumont in amazement. " What
do you mean '("
" Is it possible you have not heard of
their good fortune ? Mrs. Lowe's uncle
has just returned from the East Indies
with an imnicnso fortune. He has taken
a house in the same block with ours, and
wheu they have moved into it, he will
take up his residenco with them. Mean
while ho is stopping at tho II
House."
"What! Henry Beaumont?"
" The very same ; but. I thought you
knew it."
When tho visitor withdrew Mrs. Beau
mont ordered a carriage, and immediately
drove to the hotel where her husband's
undo was stopping. She sent up a card
and requested an interview.
The servant Boon returned with anoth
er card on which was traced tho signifi
cant words: " Not at IIomk."
Anecdote of Sam Houston Gen
eral B had been financial agent
to the Penitentiary for many years.
Warmly opposing General Houston's last
election us Governor of Texas, and not
wishing to loso his pluco, ho in duo time
presented a petition, asking to bo retained
his long and faithful services being urged
as a reason for granting tho prayer of the
petitioners.
4 It appears from this petition. Gener
alsaid Houston, ' that you havo been in
tho Penitentiary eight years.'
' Yes sir.'
4 And you say you havo performed
faithfully every duty imposed upon you
during that time ?"
4 Yes sir."
1 Then, sir, I pardon you out.'
A Remarkable Prisoner.
IN 1831-2 there lived in Monroe coun
ty, Misissippi a planter named Wool
ey. He was a half-breed at least there
was a good deal of Cherokee Indian in
him. lie owned about two hundred,
slaves, and had all the worst habits of the
old-time planter ; drinking, gambling and
horse-racing. These pursuits, alternated,
formed his occupation, the plantation be
ing managed by an overseer. He had
the sole virtue of possessing an Indian
veneration for the sacrcdncssof his word.
He would not execute a note for any pur
pose whatever, nnd held all men in su
preme contempt who violated their pledg
ed word. He had no compunction in
killing a man in what ho deemed a just
quarrel ; but his word was his bond.
This was his well-known character, and
ho could have got credit for thousands on
his word, easier than other men could
have got hundreds. At the time we speak
of, he had killed several persons in gam
bling quarrels, and was looked upon as
a man not to be crossed except at the risk
of life.
One night while playing cards at, Co
lumbus, a quarrel arose about the game.
His opponent was a well-known despera
do, and he gave the lie to Wooley's state
ment. Bowies flashed out simultaneously
both were slightly wounded, when a
luuky blow laid Wooley's opponent dead
upon the floor. Next morning, Wooley
was arrested arrested because he did not
care that it should be otherwise. Wooley
had carried his killing so far that the
judge felt bound to commit him in order
to avoid the imputation of being affected
either by the fear of his desperation or
wealth. Accordingly to jail went Wool
ey. The jailor was a weak man weak
in courage and weak to resist the influ
ence of a douceur. After bearing his
confinement for a day or two, Wooley
sent for the jailor.
" See here, Jim," said ho, " you know
mo ; you know I never break my word.
Now I want to have a social game with
the boys. You can just leave me the key,
and when it gets time, I will come and
lock myselt in and it will be all right.
The argument was enforced by materi
al considerations; and night after night,
Wooley used to come out and enjoy his
noctural liberty. The court sitting soon,
he got the case put off, and giving bail in
the sum of $10,000 was released.
At the next term of the court, Wooley
was put upou trial ; the jury returned a
verdict of guilty and the judge sentenced
him to oue year in tho penitentiary at
Jackson. The papers were duly made
out, and the sheriff proposed to start
with him for Jackson but Wooley de
murred. " You know, Sheriff," said he, " that
the county is poor can't afford the trip
and so I'll just let my boy Caeser drive
me down to Jackson, and save all the ex
pense. Got the papers ?"
The Sheriff produced them, and, ere ho
was aware, Wooley seized them and put
them in his pocket.
" All right," said ho ; I shall be off to
morrow morning."
The Sheriff knew that he had a desper
ate man to deal with, but when ho reflect
ed that Wooley never broke his word, and
had besides over $100,000 worth of prop
erty ho could not move, he made a virtue
of necessity, aud left things to take their
turn.
True to his word, Wooley, left for
Jackson, and in duo time arrived. Put
ting up at the Mansion House, he sallied
out, visted tho gambling hells, with which
that town then abouuded, and the next
morning drove up to tho penitentiary.
Entering the ward room ho inquired:
" Where shall I find the warden ?"
" I am the man," said Col. Dickinson.
" Well, I've brought you a prisoner.
" Where is he t" inquired the warden.
" Here I am tho man," and Wooley
handed over tho Sheriff's mittimus.
The waiden was amazed. Had ho a
lunatic to deal with, or had the man kill
ed tho Sheriff and then come to the pris
on to defy him ? Ho could uot tell; but
ho determined quickly to keep tho
man, since he had offered himself.
" Now," said Wooley,"" let's go through
this place and see how it looks," aud so
through they went. As they returned to
the guard room, Yooley had talked so
pleasantly that tho warden felt reassured
and said jocosely :
44 Now, Mr. Wooley, what branch of
tho business do you like best ?"
" To tell the truth, Colonel," said Wool
ey, " I never did a day's work in my life,
and I don't think I'd like any of your
cussed trades. I'll tell you how we can
fix it I'll clerk for you just for the name
of tho thing, and we'll livo jolily together
till tho year's up."
The warden saw he had a character to
deal with, and concluded that a man who
would go into prison of his own accord,
would not ru n away, so ho acquiesced
Wooley staid his year accordingly; nom
inal clerk or companion by day, and a
gambler by night. He kept the ward
room supplied with llavanas, and a (ly
nook in the oflico always contained the
best of liquors. II is year up he left uu
rcgrctting but regretted, for at heart he
was a good fellow and made the warden a
jovial companion.
Such was justice in Misissippi forty
years ago, but such an incident as this,
could hardly have occurred elsewhere.
Selling the Loafers.
MANY years ago, before the advent
of railroads in Eastern Maine, it
was tho custom of country clergymen, in
addition to their pastoral duties, to take
occasional missionary tours, preaching the
gospel in destitute places. They usually
traveled with their own teams, stopping
wherever night overtook them, gathering
such congregations as could hastily be
called together, to whom they preached
the gospel every evening. Among these
occasional itinerants was a Baptist minis
ter of decidedly original character, well
acquainted with human nature, and fruit
ful expedients to accomplish his purpose.
On one of his tours in the dead of win
ter he drove up to a country tavern,where
refreshment for man and beast were kept
about the middle of the day. The weath
er was intensely cold and a blazing firo
was burning in the fire-place, but it was
completely surrounded by a party of town
loafers, who showed no disposition to make
room for the half-frozen man, who had
just entered. The minister stood a mo
ment and looked around so us to take in
the situatiou, then turning to the tavern
keeper said :
' Landlord, I want you to put my horse
in the barn and give him half a peck of
oysters in the shell."
" Oysters in the shell for a horse?"
asked the astonished landlord.
" Yes, sir, oysters in the shell."
" But he won't eat them," said tho
landlord, still hesitating.
" You give them to him and see," re
plied the minister.
Tho landlord started to obey the strange
order, and all the loal'ers in the room fol
lowed him to see the result of the ex
periment of feeding a horse on oysters in
the shell. Meanwhile the minister qui
etly seated himself by the fire and began
warming himself. After about five min
utes the tavernkeeper returned, saying :
" Your horse won't eat the oysters, and
I knew he wouldn't."
" Well, I will, then," quietly returned
the clergyman, " bring them in here and
roast them. and givo my horse somo oats."
Just at this time the point of the joke
was apparent, but the minister kept his
seat by the fire till he was warm when ho
made a hearty meal on the oysters and
departed.
BSF" A gentleman in Vicksburg men
tions to the Drawer tho fact that Dr.
D , long connected with the I'reed-
man's Bureau there, during a conversa
with his friend J , remarked :
4 1 say, J , where's that jolly
John Ogilvic we used to know, years
ago?'
4 The poor fellow is dead, Doc, killed
at Chattanooga.'
4 Dead ! you don't say so ! then of
course no letter can reach him.'
' I don't know,' replied J ' 'per
haps a dead letter might.' Harper' $
Magazine.
J5S?A Convenient loss of Memory.
A gentleman who was very zealous on the
subject of horses, but not according to
knowledge, bought a niaro at auction and
rodo her homo. " Well, Caesar," said ho
to his sablo coachman, "what do you
think of her? She cost mo five hundred
dollars." " Dunno, master " 44 Yes, bu t
what do you think ?" 14 Well, massa, i t
makes me tink of what tho preacher said
yesterday something about his money is
soon parted. I di&remember de fut
part !
flgy At the time the money was being
raised to build the present Parker House,
in Boston, Judge Hoar subscribed ten
thousand dollars, with the understanding
that he was to name the house. When
the money was all subscribed, the Judge
was called on for his amount, and for the
name. It was then fouud that he had
determined to name the house after him
self, and the stockholders therefore de
clined to receive his subscription, and
Eaid him a handsome sum to relinquish
is right to furnish the name.