At first, the job he had undertaken proved almost too much for Lev Smith's constitution, but the great object in view consoled him, and the more he saw of the old man's meanness, the more and more he took it for granted that his uncle had necessarily hoarded up treasure; but, after three years' drudgery, Lev's courage was on the point of breaking down; the only stay left seemed the fact that now he had served so long a time, so patiently and lovingly, and the old man apparently upon his very last legs--it seemed a ruthless waste of his golden dreams to give out, so he made up his mind to--wait a little longer. Another year rolled on; Uncle Gunter got indeed low, and the lower he got the more assiduous got nephew Smith, and even the neighbors wondered how a young man _could_ stick on, and put up with such a miserly, mean, selfish and penurious old curmudgeon as old Joe Gunter. Gunter himself was apprized of the great indulgence and wonderful patience of his nephew, and not unfrequently said, in a groaning voice: "Ah, my dear Levi, you're a good boy; I wish to the Lord it was in your poor, miserable, wretched old uncle's distressed power to--" "Never mind, never mind, Uncle Joe," Lev would most deceitfully respond; "I ask nothing for myself; what I do, I _do_ willingly!" "I know, I know you do, poor boy, but your poor, old, miserable, wretched uncle don't deserve it." "Don't mind that, dear uncle," says Lev. "It's my duty, and I'll do it." "Good boy, good boy; your poor, old, miserable uncle will be grateful--we'll see." "I know that--I feel sure he will, dear Uncle Joe--and that's enough, _all_ I ask." "And if he don't--poor, miserable old creature,--if he don't pay you, the Lord will, Levi!" "And that will be all that's needed, Uncle Joe," says the humbugging nephew. And so they went, Lev not only waiting on the old man with the tender and faithful care of a good Samaritan, but out of his own slender resources ministering to the old man's especial comfort in many ways and matters which Uncle Joe would have seen him hanged and quartered before he would in a like manner done likewise. But the end came--the old fellow held on toughly; he never died until Lev's patience, hope and slender income were quite threadbare; so he at last went off the handle--Lev buried him and mourned the dispensation in true Kilkenny fashion.