'How did he lose it?'I enquired.
'Wall ye know that Ow Barker - runs a hardware store in Migleyville - he sold him a patent right. Figgered an'argued night an'day fer more n three weeks. It was a new fangled wash biler.
David he thought he see a chance if put out agents an'make a great deal o'money. It did look jest as easy as slidin'downhill but when we come slide - wall, we found out we was at the bottom o the hill 'stid o'the top an'it wan t reel good slidin . He paid five thousan'dollars fer the right o'ten counties. Then bym bye Barker he wanted him t'go security fer fifteen hunderd bilers thet he was hevin'made. I to!'David he hedn t better go in no deeper but Barker, he promised big things an'seemed if be sech a nice man 'at fln ly David he up 'n done it. Wall he's hed 'em t'pay fer an'the fact is it costs s'much if sell 'em it eats up all the profits.
'Looks like a swindle,'I said indignantly.
'No,'said Uncle El, "tain't no swindle. Barker thought he hed a gran'good thing. He got fooled an'the fool complaint is very ketchin . Got it myself years ago an'I've been doctorin'fer it ever sence.
The story of David's undoing hurt us sorely. He had gone the way of most men who left the farm late in life with unsatisfied ambition.
'They shall never want for anything, so long as I have my health,'I said.
'I have four hundred dollars in the bank,'said Hope, 'and shall give them every cent of it.
'Tam'nuthin'if worry over,'said Uncle Eb. 'If I don'never lose more n a little money I shan t feel terrible bad. We re all young yit.
Got more n a million dollars wuth o'good health right here 'n this room. So well, I m 'shamed uv it! Man's more decent if he's a leetle bit sickly. An'thet there girl Bill's agreed t'marry ye! Why!
'Druther hey her 'n this hull cityo'New York.
'So had I,'was my answer.
'Wall, you am'no luckier 'n she is - not a bit,'he added. 'A good man's better 'n a gol'mine ev ry time.
'Who knows,'said Hope. 'He may be president someday.
'Ther's one thing I hate,'Uncle El continued. 'That's the idee o hevin'the woodshed an'barn an'garret full o'them infernal wash bilers. Ye can't take no decent care uv a hoss there 'n the stable' they re so piled up. One uv 'em tumbled down top o'me t other day. 'Druther 'twould a been a panther. Made me s'mad I took a club an'knocked that biler into a cocked hat. 'Tain't right! I m sick o'the sight uv 'em.
'They ll make a good bonfire someday,'said Hope.
'Don't believe they d burn,'he answered sorrowfully, 'they re tin.
'Couldn't we bury 'em?'I suggested.
'Be a purty costly funeral,'he answered thoughtfully. 'Ye d hey if dig a hole deeper n Tupper's dingle.
'Couldn't you give them away?'I enquired.
'Wall,'said he, helping himself to a chew of tobacco, 'we ve tried thet. Gin 'em t'everybody we know but there ain't folks enough' there's such a slew o'them bilers. We could give one if ev ry man, woman an'child in Faraway an'hex enough left t'fill an acre lot.
Dan Perry druv in t other day with a double buggy. We gin him one fer his own fam ly. It was heavy t'carry an'he didn t seem t like the looks uv it someway. Then I asked him if he wouldn t like one fer his girl. "She ain't married," says he. "She will be some time," says I, "take it along," so he put in another. "You ve got a sister over on the turnpike hain't ye?" says I. "Yes," says he.
"Wall," I says, "don'want a hex her feel slighted." "She won't know 'bout my hevin''em," says he, lookin''s if he d hed enough.
"Yis she will," I says, 'she ll hear uv it an'mebbe make a fuss."
Then we piled in another. "Look here," I says after that, "there s yer brother Bill up there 'bove you. Take one along fer him." "No," says he, "I don'tell ev ry body, but Bill an'I ain't on good terms.
We ain't spoke fer more n a year."
'Knew he was lyin,'Uncle Eb added with a laugh, 'I d seen him talkin'with Bill a day er two before.
'Whew!'he whistled as he looked at his big silver watch. 'I declare it's mos'one o clock They's jes'one other piece o'business if come before this meetin . Double or single, want ye if both promise me t'be. hum Crissmus.
We promised.
'Now childern,'said he.''S time if go if bed. B lieve ye d stan there swappin'kisses 'till ye was knee sprung if I didn t tell yet quit.
Hope came and put her arms about his neck, fondly, and kissed him good-night.
