Newspapers / Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.) / June 2, 1843, edition 1 / Page 1
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A Weeklf Family Newspapcii - derotcd to Religion, Morality, PolWc Science, Agricnltnre and General Intelligence, f - - ; VOL. im.NUMBER 45. WHOLE NUMBER 149. 1 PnWlhc4 weekly, , , j BY J H. CHRISTY & Col Thii paper pnbliahcd at Two Dollas a rear , in dTnce Two Dollam and Fifty Grata fn ait monthaor, Thrra .Dollan at the end of lhe . year. (8e pKwpactuj.) AdrertwemcnU inacrted at One Dollar per aquare for tka hnt, and Twonly-r ire t-cnu ror each - centinaaMce. Court Urdora will be charged twea(-nre per cent, extra. -f , j .. (i t . From the London Metropolitan. ' DEAF UNCLE JEFFRY, , the Little Old .Haiti. -v't;. Bt ABBOTT U8f Never was such a commotion known in .U jDoals of domestic moppcry and brxim ery nd "crubbery and dustiEry.- AH good bouse-wivcs unovy novr o turn a house up. ido dowll, Snd tlio dwelling into wlilch we arc abont to Introduce our readers was just in this agreeable predicament I ho cur. tains were down and the carpets wero up ; the fires were out and tho sweeps were in ; the floors wero wet and the cisterns .were dry ; every thing was ut of its place in the endeavor to put every thing into it ; and tho whole household was in disorder while being put in order ; and all because an old uncle was coming. . ",. ('. , ' All tho little and tho great Pukenhams wero mustered, and marshalled and drilled. Mrs. Pokcnham took upon herself tho of. fico of drill scrjeant. " Now girls, no quarrelling, nor contra, diction, no buflipg, no scowling, no scuf. fling your uncle's coming. Now, boys, no fighting, and frolicking, and gamcmak. making mind and put the best si Jo out, an j behave decently your old uncle's com. ing. And now, where 's Fanny Curr T She is always out of tho way when sho ought to bo in it, and i'a it when sho ought to t j out of it Can't any of you find Fanny Carr X 1 want to give her soma hints and orders, because my old uncle's coming." A liulc, plain undcr-sized old maid, some wkcro about bur feci four inches and a half ia height, about six stone six ounces in weight, ssd a complexion something be. twoen saffron and stono-blue, and dressed in a garb, of' forgotton date, was presently nuked &ut of a corner by the young Poken itams. , - 41 Fanny Carr," said Mrs. Pokenham, 41 have you dono those few trifling things tliat I desired T llavo you seen fresh linen put upon tho best bed V ; 44 Yes, ma'am." 41 And have you cured tho chimney board of its rattling 1 44 Yes, ma'am." 41 And tho windows from shaking T" 44 Yes, ma'am." . 44 And did you sco that the boot-jack and tho slippers wero placed ready to his foct T" 44 Yes, ma'am . 41 And Mr. Pokonham's last new dress, ing-gown into his hands!" 44 Yes, ma'om." 44 And did you sco that the eofloo was properly cleared ?" 44 Yes, ma'am." 44 And tho chicken and the bottlo of wine all ready to be brought up 1" 44 Yes, ma'am." 44 You know my uncle's coming T" 44 Has any body told any body that my uncle's coming ?" asked Mrs. Pokcnham. 44 Not a soul of us t V exclaimed omnes.- 44 That's right ; Why, if it were once known, we should have all the world and his wife here in less than no time Tho Scudamores would be ricketing and frolick ing here, and Christopher and Cato mine, ing, and carncying, and blarneying, and they'd try with a witness, to get my old uncle from me." 44 They'd get a troublesome customer," said Miss Pokenham the first. 44 Yes, but one that I hope will pay well. Now, girls, if you dare to show any of your quizzing and huttings, and black looks, you'll spoil all, and we shall Jose all my old uncle's sharo in the Bank of England. As for you Jane, if you fall into, that old trick you have got of turning up your noso at every body nod you, Margaret, of curling up your lip at every thing and you, boys, of badgering, and bantering. and worrying, why. we shall just be throw- iog away all undo Jcff'a Bank 9tockajdl landed estates ; nnd we may as well nave them, for we have as much right to them as any body clso." . , 44 1 wish you may gat them," said Mast. er Daniel. 44 Most rare lJanieTTTaTu,Ma8Tef ilurnphcry;-4- i wish-f rnnfP- Thanks to tho little sister of tho primi. tive old maids, Fanny Carr, every thing was it length in perfect readiness ; the Car. -pets were all down, and the curtains were all up, tho floors were dry, and the fires were Tit, the covers wero stripped from the best chairs, tho sofa wheeled to tho best place, the fire was blazing in all the beauty of concavity, convexity, and contiguity, and every faco arranged so as to look de lighted at tho arrival of tiresome, trouble, some, cross, snappish uncle JefT. There came a sound of very brilliant blowing of horns ; every body strained their eyes the RoyaLIlluefIew pait iograodstyler the horses prancing and capering, and the guard making melody with a buglo horn ; on it whirled and whirled, never stopping for any body, and of course no undo JefT could bo there, and so two tedious hours were spent in fidgettings and gucssings ; and then the slow-coach was heard coming lumbering and trailing along, and it stop, ped at the steps of the respectable house where had been all the dustings, and mop. ping, and brushing, and brooming, and a great masculine head, with, thick, heavy features and bushy eye-brows, and lacge lips, poked itself out of the window, and looked up to the house in question, survey, ing its well hcarth-stoned step, and its clean windows, and tne scarlet moreen curtains through them, and the bright blaze of the chceriul fire glowing and flickering over tne window frames, with a morose, unplea. sant - look , whereupon Mrs. Pokenham and all the tribe of Pokcnhams, little and big, rushed out of the parlor into the hall. and out of tne nail on to tne door steps. and Mrs. Pokenham begad to delight her own benovolent heart by ossurinz bciself and bcr uncle, and congratulating herself upon tho information, that hef dear, kind. good uncle Jeltrcy was really., looking full twenty years younger than when she last saw himT . . 44 Dear uncle Joflrey t how kind of you to come and see us! how -delighted I am to receive you in tho bosom of my affoc tionate family I - My dear Mr. Pokenham will be as much rejoiced to find you amoog us, and all my darling children nave been so anxious to welcome you, that they .could neither eat, drink nor sleep, for thinking and talking about you. JJul pray take care of the steps they are so Blaming, and sliDoerv. and danirorous "at you are in tho least inti.m but 1 mr5" ,,Ba n ward alio from thona ono Cay. Why, how well you are looking I you must be growing younger everjr day. I declare you look more juvfodo than any of us. Daniel Iurophrey call tho servant to tako your nele s luggago. My dear uncle, 1 cannot link of such a thing as you carrying your own luggage. Daniel! Humphrey! call somebody. There, can't you take it your- selves 7 My dear uncle Jvttrey, pray wait till a servant can come. : Daniel! Hum. phrey t why don't you move T" . - Daniel and Humphrey stood wan their hands in' their pockets, staring very coo. tempt uously as the cross-grained old gen. tleman took up a small hair trunk and hat box in his hands, and, under the running cannonade of Mrs. Pokennams speech, proceeded to ascend the flight of steps, taking as little notice of the lady propri etress of the- mansion as though he heard her not, which suppositious case appeared to bo pretty nearly the (ruo one, as on their entrance into'tho parlor, the morose old gentleman,- laying lis luggage very delibe rately on tho floor, proceeded to draw from the depths of his capacious pocket a very sorious-looking ear horn which having ad justed to his ear he turned a sour look upon Mrs. Pokenham ,ind for the first time open cd Iiis lips. , 44 Well ma'am, I told you I'd come some time or other, and I'm here." Had all Mrs. Pokonham's energy and eloquence gone for nothing 7 Had -it all been wasted on a deaf old man, who had not been able to hear a sylable of her mel. I i 11 nous accents T Was it all to do over again, and that too to tbo detriment ot her lungs, at the top of her breath?' Yes, seemingly so, and accordingly the poor hard. worked lady began agaia shouting as loud as pos sible. 44 My dear uncle Jeffrey, we are all de. lighted to see you, and looking so well younger than ever. ' ' Ilflvt uhnll" ' 44 We are all so clad to see you ! You arc looking so well!" shouted Mrs. Poken ham, growing very red in tho face. 44 Do yon think I look well, then T" said tho old gentleman. "" 44 Oh charmingly I Twenty yoars young, or than when I last saw you." 44 Hey! WhatTV 44 You aro looking so much better than you did some timo back. Nobody would believe that you were the same person. I am sorry however, to see that you are rath-' er dull of hearing." - 44 Dull of what 7" asked uncle Jeff. 4 ' A little deaf," shouted Mrs. Pokenham. 44 Deaf! who says I'm deaf? a set of stupid people. I should like to know who told you I wa deaf! a parcel of ignorant people !" 44 Oh, I sec that it was all a mistake ! only I thought that perhaps you had got a little-cold -nothing-more, nothing morel shouted Mrs. Pokenham. .' ' 44 I'm no more deaf than you are !" said the old gentleman.-1 - 44 No, no, uncle, I see that you aro hot. Idaa'jr know whakl could he t tanking of" said poor Mrs. Pokenham, whose lungs be-1 gan 10 compiain ui ucing put inio buck ae vera requisition. 44 But now, uncle, take tho easy chair it is such an easy one we got it on purposo for you." 44 1 dont want your cosy chairs ! any chair is easy to a hcahhy man like me. What! I supposo you think I'm getting old?" ' 41 O, no, deaf uuelo Jeffrey ; you look full 20 years youngsr than when I saw you last. Here, Fanny Carr, do take these slippers and this dressing-gown away. I donYknow who could have thought of treat ing myTdcar uncle, Jeffrey as if he were old or an invalid. " Pray, Fanny, do move this fooLstool, and whceljbis great unwieldly I chair away. The littlo old maid drew near much as if she had been a mouse approaching a lion, and proceeded to do as she was bid with one of the most frightened airs in the world. Tho great cross man looked down liko a colossal statue ou tho diminutivo littlo. thing who was thus called upon to wait upon his 44 Won't you go near the fire, uncle lef. frey T it was made on purpose for you t we tnougnt you might be cold," shouted Mrs. rokenham. ' ;i r J 44 Cold !'l sneered uncle JefT, unbutton tog his coat. . . 44 Do open, the window,' Fanny Carr. my Panel Jeffrey will be suffocated.1' ' M wish you'd let the window be end me too, growled uncle Jeff. , ' 4 And now,-uncle Jeffrey, will you take tea or coUoe I we have them both ready.' ' Do yon think I'm a tee totallerf I hate SIOpS !' " . ' Uncle Jeffrey shall have rump steak ana oyster sauce, w ouid you like that 7 shrieked Mrs. rokenham. ' 4 1 don't like to be plagued,' growled un- cle Jeff. , ,. Poor Mrs. Pokenham sat down in her chair,' pretty considerably exhausted with shouting, and proceeded to lament herself and console herself in a low voice, perfect ly comfortable in undo Jeff 's not being able to hear ber, in spite of his assurance that he was by no manner of means deaf. 4 Well, and so he's deaf! and how In the world I am to go on making myself agree able, I don't know I shall soon be perfect ly exhausted, And yet there is one little comfort in it we noed not be so very par. ticular what wo say. One may be able to express our sentiments without beine- 4on stantlyin danger of 6tumS over some allroDl H MMr, 4 Mamma,' said Miss Pokenham the eld. est. 4 1 suppose we may speak, too, as un do Jell is too deaf to hear a word we can say.' ' : ;' 4 Say what vou will, only don t look to. ward him, lest he suspect that we are speak ing of him.' 4 1 wa only going to give you my opin. ton or this new relation ot ours; wny, mamma, he is amazingly ugly. 4 What of that!' said Mrs. l'okcnham, he is as rich as a Jew. Did you ever see such thick lips such a thick nose and such a thick, head 7 - said Miss Pokenham the second. - Don't make me Taugh," said Miss Po kenham the first, ' or else our 'deaf uncle Jeff will think I am laughing at him.' ' What are you talking about 7' asked un. cle Jeff, placing his ear horn readily for the answer." They were talking girl-like, undo Jef- fref. shouted noor Mrs. Pokenhham, of you." You know that it is so natural ; and they were saying but you must excuse them what a fine looking man you are.' La, ma, how can you say: I never saw any body much uglier m my life, and thon for expression ! why, he would cer tainly make vinegar with a look.' 4 Hey 7 what 7 said uncle Jelf. Margaret was-only saying that you lave such a powerful expression.. Now, boy if you fog t nut? m turn yu out of the room. How mamma is sweetening up acat uncle Jeff! Mamma, I had better help you to a little more, since it answers so well. Look how he is staring at us with his goggle eyes. Hey! what 7' said uncle Jell turning again to Mrs. Pokenham. , Jane was only saying that you had sucn peculiarly fine eyes. Girls will you have done. ----- -. 4 No, mamma, it is too good. fun we must have a littlo more of it. Don't you see how deaf uncle Jeff is looking at us, and how red he is getting in the face 7 His complexion and visago would do very well or a sign-post at some village inn. 4 Hey ! what 7' interrogated uncle Jetl. 4 Margaret was observing how fresh com- plexioncd you are, uncle Jeffrey, and what a f fino portrait you would make. Hum. phrey go out of the room. Daniel be quicL UiTU. guru ! . how dare you toy tuck tlungt before his face ! I declare, I tit in fear and trembling. La, mamma, one may say what he likes it's all safe enough. Undo Jeff is too leaf to hear, never fear. Besides, it does him good l hear you interpret for us. You turn our sour into sweet, and he seems to ike tho flavor. Better give . him a little more. Feeding time is not over- Give hint a itlle more,' said Humphrey - - - u How can 1 keep my countenance, it you. go on! Boys, be quiet' - - 4 It in so amusing to see ma obliged, to ook pleasant when she is in such a passion Dear ma wouldn't you like to box ourearsT" M ley f rhat r said uncle Jeff. 4 Tho girls were say icgr that they never saw mo look half so delighted as I am now doing, for the pleasure of seeing you here. utrls . if you mil provoke meboyt, 1 torn punish you for this. You behave shameful. 4 O, mamma, it is so amusing to see you trying to look sweet and calm and pleasant at cross, deaf uncle Jeff, and yet all the while in such a passion with us." 1.1 tell you what has just come into my ead, mamma.' said Miss Pokenham the first 4 now don't let any body laugh have you all got your listening faces ready T are hey all screwed up not to laugn 7 Hold your tongue, Jane, said Mrs. ro kenham, ' Ready ! ready !' exclaimed omnet. Why this is my project,' resumed Miss 'okenham ; 4 to make up a match between our Tittle minkin finkin Fanny Carr and our great deaf uncle Jeff. . Mrs. Pokenham half screamed with fear tho rest laughed outright - iuammn, mcy wouia no sucn a Dice couple. Our deaf uncle Jeff, and .little nunrun hnkin Jranny Carr. : Such an over grown giant and such an undererown doll, It's of no use blushing so, Fanny Carr you. maice uncle jca look at you. your h.. C. IT-HI . ,... moo w su ua uro. no n wonaer wnat in the world you are blushing about. Don you see how he is staring V ' Little Fanny Carr liAed un her eves and saw those of their formidable visilsr fixed full upon her face, whereupon she rose from her seat and got out of the room as quick as possible. V ' V M Pray who is that little old thine P ask- ed uncle Jeffrey of Mrs. Pokenham, as they were left together one evenins 44 pray who is that little thing who has just gone out of the room V 1 44 Do you meat Fanny Carr T O, sho is little creature that lias seen better days. and we let her be here, because my feelings woni let mo send her away. Sho is sc lappy,- and so attached to us. poor thine, and she just makes herself useful by doing any trifle that falls inter way. She keeps tne Keys or the store room, nnd the tea caddy, and the wine cellar- and the beer, and the cel'T,ina a'14 UP nci-iim. with sewing for tne girls, and she has the . . i - i: I .u . I it .i care of m uucu, uu uianc, un mo pntry, and does the prescrvr j but what I most prize Fanny Carr for is, that she is 4n a good rjurso8he nursed the children through all their maladies, and never left them when wo had the scarlet fever ; every ooay saiu mat she would catch it, but sho never did though sho was with them dav and night. Yes, Fanny Carr is a most excellent nurse." 44 So sho is your Iwusekcepcr, and your cook, and your plain sower, and your nurse.' O no, uncle, I donl givo her any wages." , 4 A servant without wages! - ' Uncle, I see that you don't liko to have arny Carr sitting at the same table with you l am sure 1 beg your pardon, but 1 did aot think of it. I don t much think that she would like to eat with the servants, but II tee. At all events, I can send her her dinrer up to her own room. 4 Jbt the little thing stay !' said uncle Jeff i . 4 But. imr dear uncle., 1 confess it was ven thoughVess of me to scat her at the sam 'table with you, and I can very well maks her go." The I shall go too,' said deaf uncle ' Mr.-, I'okenham of courso immediately withdew her proffer. She could only re; gret flat she had been so inadvertent as to place her highly respectable, and highly endowed, and fortunately rich uncle Jef frey, at tho same table with n poor little minikh finikin old maid. Fanny CaW was still tobrated, and uncle Jeffrey seemed so far to tvercome his aversion to hor as to permit various little offices which she was constanly performing for him in character of general usefulness. She arranged the cushions in his easy chair for, after the first fit of suuennessp-wcle-Jetircy per mitted limself to bo installed into its com fortabtciicss sho fetched him his slippers, and reached him his foot stool, and got him the newspapers, and handed him his hat and his stick whon he went out, and took them from, him when he came in, and always met him with a smilo ; and, somo way or another, deaf uncle Jeff could hear Fanny Carr's gentle voice almost without the help of his ear horn, better than he could under. stand othor people with it w . 4 1 wish I had deaf uncle Jeff's money,1 said Master. Daniel. ' How I would make it fly r Ho has not the heart to do any lung with it but keep it to get mom eaten and rusty.' 4 There he is under the window,' said Iumphrcy. - 4 No matter what one says, he can t hear m a it l. us. it is sucn lun to iook mm in mc lace nd hoax him telling him what an old curmudgeon he is, and all the while making hun think that you are paying tne greatest compliments. Mamma docs that in fine ityle. Now 1 11 show you her honey, milk, and sugar way.' - And so saying, Master Daniel walked up to his deaf uncle Jeff, and and with an in. sinuating look and a soft smile, said, 4 it gives mo tho greatest pleasure to assure yoinhat I thintyou have not sense enough j to enjoy either your life or your money.' Hey ! What do you say V said deaf uncle Jeff, applying his ear-horn. O fie !' exclaimed the little old maid: turning very red 4 how can you mock his infirmities in that manner ! . IH tciryou what,' said Master Daniel, a ' : a turning sharply round upon the poor dc. pendent 4 I'll tell you what mamma or dered you to make tho amiable to old deaf uncle Jeff here for our sake, but sho begins to think you ore doing it for your own. 4 O master Daniel ! exclaimed little r an- ny Carr, 4 you know that I try to bo kind to every body indeed I ought, for I feel what it is to wish for kindness myself; and when I see how you all play upon this poor gentleman, because he happened to be deaf, can i neip leenng mo mora imiiui orsr him ; Dili it wouiu oe just me same n no were poor.' Hey t hey t What does she say V ask. ed uncwJelfrey. 4 She says that she is quite exhausted with the trouble of speaking to you, sir, you arc q very deaf.' Deaf! doaf !' exclaimed the old gentle man 4 I am not deaf I told you all before tharl was not deaf.' v O Daniel P exclaimed Fanny Carr, with tears in her eyes 4 how can you misrepre sent me?' " : ' -; ;'! ' Hey T hey t What does she say?' ask ed uncle Jeffrey. - - ' She says, sir, that she ia quite worn out with the trouble of shouting and running errands.' ' - O Daniel !' ejaculated the little old maid. ' And she says that If you don't go away very soon, she must' But mamma is Very angry with her for grumbling, and I should not wonder if she were to show her the way I to the door. r The little old maid bunt into tear. 4 Hey? hey? What's all thisreiacu- lated the deaf "gentleman. O mamma, you are here, and it's high time,' said Master Daniel, as Mrs. poken ham entered. 4 If I had not been bero to meddle, Fanny Carr was managing deaf uncle JefT in fine style. ' Fanny Carr,' said Mrs. Pokenham, your conduct has been more and more ex traordinary every day.' 4 What have I done 7' exclaimed fhe little old maid. . , ' 4 You have been trying to manage my poor silly uncle that has been plain enough in my eyes for a lono- timo. Tnn tnntlo after him, and go about fetching, asd car rying, -and coaxins. and looking likn & lamb, and you know that you have your own private end in it II. 4 VV hat ends can I have!' exclaimed Fanny. - 4 Why, Miss Carr, if I must speak the plain truth nnd I am a plain spoken person, jou know, not much given to flattery I must nay .that I see clearly-enough what you are aiming at. When one party is foolish and the other is artful, it docs not need much discernment to see what is in the wind.' 4 What do you mean, ma'am?' exclaimed tho little old maid in agony. 4 Why, I mean, Miss Carr, just this: you 3 that my uncle is a silly old man, and rich, and you being clever and poor, you think that you may bo able to catch him in a match. You think that it would bo a better thing to be Mrs. Jeffrey, and keep your carriage, than even to live the idle ufe which you are now doing. - 4 Tho idle life which I now lead !' ex. claimod the little old maid. .! I, who toil labors which have no end, through all the weary days, without cither thanks or wages! and now to be accused of this!': You see that my uncde is half a fool, and you think that you can juggfa him into marrying you. But I tell you once more that I will not stand by and see such things done in my house ; so just have the good ness to tie up your things, and. take your departure in half an hourand very glad shall I bo when you are fairly gone, for I see how artful you are. and there is po nowing where the mischief may end.1 r anny Carr burst into an agony or tears. 4 Mr. Jeffrey is not the weak man you take him, but clear-headed nad strong. J minded enough to detect me lPiwerethe arful creature you accuse me -ofL-being. But I will go. I will not stay to be accused of eating the bread of idleness, or prac tising subterfuges no, I will go and beg my bread rather than that ! any tiling is better than that ; only only-i-don't laugh nt him any more, poor gentleman, for if he were to find it out he would lccl it, tor no is not so simple as you think, dear, poor gen- oman. Hey ? hey ? what docs she say V asked uncle Jeff, r 4 O, my dear uncle Jeffrey, don t mind r. She is an ungrateful creature, after all the kindness which we have shown her, to be weary of paying you a few little at tentions which I had enjoined upon hor. But, my dear uncle, I have sent her away. Nobody shall slight you in my house, so I have sent her away,' . 4 Humph !' said uncle Jeff The little old maid's eyes were almost drowned with tears and, whatever poets may say in rhyme, on the suncrlativeness of the beauty of bloodshot oros, and th'cir red curtains, and all that, we have always been accustomed to consider those sort of thiogs amazingly unbecoming. But it hap pened that our little heroino forgot to con sult her looking glass upon the occasion, and consequently her eyes became some- thing like ihe red seaThe poor iittle body however, proceeded ; na expeditiously as might be to la her scanty -wardrobe as straightly as possible jo a wooden box, which was both small enough and large enough : to Collect her needles andTicr -knitlingi-a few . Jetterst carefully tied up with a piece of faded blue riDDon, tne dates of which proved chronologically that the paper had been made full twenty years ago all of them written - in a neat masculine hand, like that of a school usher, and dated as many years back ; to look very particu larly at and sigh over a little morsel of san dy hair ; to stroke her favorite pussy for the last time: and then to take her clogs, hor reticule, and her umbrella ; to look at an old summer house to gather two or three leaves from an old tree ; and to pass through ; those inhospitable doors into the wide, bleak cold world, alone alone. There are some hearts like some vegeta bles they take root any where, no matter tewuhfavorablenhesoii, or lww blighting tho atmosphere. Thus it was with the little old maid. In spito of derision and scorn, and buffeting her feelings hed grown to the inanimate stone walls that surrounded ber simply because they had nothing else Jo cling to ; and if the mere impulses of a lov ing nature could thus attach her to repel), ing and repulslvo objects, how tenderly might she have loved what was really love, able! . , Poor Fanny Carr, with the liberal, large and-irjcxhaustable sum of somewhere about five shillings in her pocket, looked mental, ly round for a shelter for her head, and hav. ing bethought herself of one of Mrs. Poken ham's discarded servants, Who had married and settled, determined upon seeking shcl ter there. , , r-i: In a little cottago by (Ho road side,, as" dean as those dear cottages , f , England ever arc, with a neatly ifimmud garden without, luxuriant in summer blossoms, and with the whitest of white curtains within, and me reddest of red floors," and the bright, est of round tables, and tho most resplen dent of fire-places, sat the little old maid, dressed as neatly as if fairy hand had been her tire-woman, and working nt her needle as, blithely as birds perform their daily task of singing. What though her five shillings were nearly exhausted, she could earn al. most sixpence a day, and that was indepen dence, and independence was happiness. ; I here came a great dust whilst the little old maid was thus delving for happiness and sixponce a day, and a noise of. carriage wheels ; and looking up to see what might be coming, sho saw a plain, respectable, grave, steady, brown-visaged carriage and pair, with a coachman in a brown livery oeiore, and a servant in a brown livery seated in the box behind, and lo and behold it stopped at the very cottage door where she was working and so the little old maid jumped up, and threw down her cottori and her scissors, and hastened to tell them that it was all a mistake, when to her particular astonishment, she saw deaf uncle Jeflery , getting down the steps, and walking across the cottago garden, and coming in at the door. And having gone thus far, the deaf gentleman took hold of her dimunitive hand in his great gigantic . paw, and gave it a squeeze, which almost made the little old maid cry out, which, however, she did not do, for ladies of all sizes very seldom cry out at a squeeze of the hand, cenernllv bearing that sort of pain very philosophical fy,and then uncle Jeffrey proceeded to draw one of the bright rubbed wooden bottom chairs to himself, for his own particular use and to sit down upon it close to the littlo old maid. . 1 1 hope you are well. Mr. Jeffrey.' shout. cd tha little old maid ' it is very kind of you to come and ace me. 1 hope you are well.' ' 4 Quito well, thank you,' replied uncle Jeffrey, 4 and now tell me what you think has Drought me to seo you 7 Y eiiiaps, said the little old maid, color ing slightly with tho remains of a well whip ped, well-worn down well subdued pride, perhaps you wanted me to do some plain work for you Mr. Jeffrey. I am taking in plain work.' 4 i on need not speak so loud, my dear. said doaf uncle Jeff : 4 you know you will tire yoursclt, you will cxhaubt yourself.1 Uh, Mr Jeffrey 'V said the little old maid, ihe tears rushing in her eyes. 44 O Mr. Jeffrey, pray believe that I nevcr.com- plained nor even felt it a trouWc to talk to you. Indeed, 1 did not ! I don't know how soon I may be afflicted myself.' Uncle Jeffrey took r anny hand, nnd gave it another squeeze that almost threat ened it with compression.. 4 1 know you did not. Yet nevertheless, you must not speak so loud.' 4 Butrou have not vour ear-horn.' said Fanny Carr, persisting in shouting, lest her Visiter should think the. sho grudged tho trouble ; 4 but you '(iave not your oar horn.' 4 Bufyou know that I always told you that I was not deaf.' The littlo old maid lookod perplexed. ' But you never believed me was that it?' The little old maid colored crimson, but she could not der.y it. f " , . 4 Well then if I was deaf 1 am better. 4 1 am glad of it with all my heart,' said the little old maid, 'for, it must be a miser able thing not to hear a word that is said to ' us.' 4 Yet sometimes it Is better not to hear what is said of us,1 replied uncle JeTi-ey. The little old maid colored deeply. Slio remembered too well all that had been said 6f him, before him. 4 But did you know that I had, even wlicn I was at theorst, quite hearing enough to know how kind you were to me, and how amiable tojeyery body else.' 4 Oh, you arefoO good to IhtfikTso, said " the little old maid with ablush. nWwTettmo your ptans, and if there1 is any thing I can help you in, and really you nced hof spc"ako foudT YotTfcho w 1 could always understand you, even wlien I was very hard of'hcaring. Now tell mo your plans.' 4 On,' said the little old, maii, 1 they aro soon told. The people who live here wero Mrs. Pokcndm's servants and they are very kind to mo, and I have got plenty of money , and 1 am quite happy and contented Only if you want any shirts made . ' I certainly would not let Vou do them.' ' Oh T exclaimed poor Faony Carr. 'No, that I would not; fyr your gentk. ness, your kindness, your simplicity ,-ys"tfr! J dUintereslcdncsorcha racier deserve some thing better. Now you have told me your plans, aUall 1 tell you mn J 4 Yes, if you please.' said the little oM maid. ' Well, thenrtobegin with myself,' said uncle Je frey, 4Thate a few thousand a year, I have a carriage and horses, and sort van la, and a very good house, aud gardens
Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 2, 1843, edition 1
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