The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 158: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

350 UNCLE BENJAMIN’S PAST. and Butler preceded you, you know. We only lived together a couple of months, or maybe three, I don’t remember exactly. Then he got miffed at some little thing and ran away. I got a divorce on the ground of abandon- ment, and never saw or heard of him since until now.’’ ‘“T beg your pardon,’’ interpolated a voice at the door; ‘‘ I’m looking for my uncle.’’ ‘“Oh! Come in, Lawrence. You followed his trail, I suppose.’’ Vés.”" Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, while talking, had tried to revive the little man, but unsuccessfully, and it was deemed best to take him home.’ When Uncle Benjamin recovered his senses, he was lying upon a sofa in his own’parlor, with Aurelia Ann holding an ammonia bottle to his nose, an unknown but very pretty girl dabbling cologne on his brow, Larry fanning him, and a tall, imposing blonde woman looking on sympathetically. ‘What on earth is the matter with you, brother Benjamin ?’’ demanded Aurelia Ann. ‘‘ What possessed you to go rampaging over the roof to Rob- erts’ at this time in the morning !”’ ‘I did go to Roberts’, eh?’’ he responded feebly. ‘‘I thought I did, but the impression seemed to run into asort of nightmare toward the end. I thought I saw > he stopped abruptly. ‘You saw Mrs. Roberts,’’ said Larry. ‘‘ I was introduced toher. Mr. Roberts only got home with her last night, from Chicago, where they were married.”’ * Uncle Benjamin sat up, with a bewildered but happier look on his face, exclaiming, ‘‘ She’s Jack’s wife now? ‘Then why did she come to the store yesterday and call herself Mrs. Dobley?’’ ‘“ Excuse me,’’ interposed the strange lady. ‘‘ It was I who called. I am Mrs. Dobley, the wife of your brother David, come all the way from Iowa to visit you, only to have you flee from me as if I were a pestilence.”’ ‘“Oh! My dear sister! Do not think so, I implore you. You are very welcome, but there were certain circumstances—I cannot explain—but I ° thought you were quite another person. And this morning, when I caught a glimpse only of you, entering the parlor with my sister, I——’’ ‘“VYou caught no such glimpse, Benjamin,’’ interrupted Aurelia Ann. ‘““You were already sprinting over the roofs when Mrs. Dobley arrived. The lady you saw with me was Miss McBride,’’ and she waved her hand toward the pretty girl, as a sort of informal introduction. ‘‘Nelly,’’ said Larry in a meaning undertone, close to his uncle’s ear. ‘““Oh!’’ exclaimed Uncle Benjamin comprehendingly. He looked sharply at her, hesitated, and then with a little half smile, drawing Larry down to him, whispered : ‘‘T will give my consent on one condition.’’ ‘* Name. it.”’ “That you don’t let this story get out on the street.”’ ‘“ Agreed.’’ ‘‘Then—God bless you, my children.’’ © J. Hf. Connelly. (EO Kal NOVO KS