Produced by David Garcia, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net UNCLE TERRY A Story of the Maine Coast BY CHARLES CLARK MUNN Author of "Pocket Island" _ILLUSTRATED BY HELENA HIGGINBOTHAM_ BOSTON LEE AND SHEPARD M C M COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY LEE AND SHEPARD _All rights reserved_ Rockwell and Churchill Press BOSTON, U.S.A. To THOSE WHO LOVE TO WANDER OVER GREEN MEADOWS, ALONG MIRTHFUL BROOKS, OR BENEATH FOREST TREES WHERE THE BIRDS DWELL, OR FIND CONTENT ON LONELY SHORES AND MUSIC IN THE OCEAN'S VOICE, This book is respectfully dedicated BY THE AUTHOR [Illustration: THE HOME OF UNCLE TERRY] CONTENTS I. A WAIF OF THE SEA II. UNCLE TERRY III. TWO ORPHANS IV. A SPIDER IN HIS DEN V. WAYS THAT ARE DARK VI. A PUSH DOWNWARD VII. A SERMON VIII. A HELPING HAND IX. SHARP PRACTICE X. AMID THE GREEN MOUNTAINS XI. BY THE FIRESIDE XII. A COUNTRY SCHOOLMA'AM XIII. SOUTHPORT ISLAND XIV. A LEGALIZED PICKPOCKET XV. THE VALUE OF GOOD EXAMPLE XVI. SWEET ALICE XVII. A BY-WAY SCHOOLHOUSE XVIII. VILLAGE GOSSIP XIX. PLOTS AND PLANS XX. A PAIR OF BLUE EYES XXI. A NEW CLIENT XXII. UNCLE TERRY'S GUEST XXIII. A STRANGE STORY XXIV. A WHISPER OF THE OCEAN XXV. THE "GYPSY" RETURNS XXVI. THE MISER IN HIS DEN XXVII. IN SHADY WOODS XXVIII. WHERE THE LILIES GROW XXIX. A FRIEND AT COURT XXX. NEMESIS XXXI. THE GLAD HAND XXXII. THE DEMNITION GRIND XXXIII. OLD AND YOUNG XXXIV. FIRELIGHT FLASHES XXXV. THE "WIDDER" LEACH XXXVI. A NAMELESS COVE XXXVII. AMID FALLING LEAVES XXXVIII. THE OLD SONGS XXXIX. SOCIETY XL. "YES OR NO" XLI. AN HEIRESS XLII. THE PATHOS OF LIFE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS THE HOME OF UNCLE TERRY UNCLE TERRY AND TELLY ALICE THE OLD MILL UNCLE TERRY A STORY OF THE MAINE COAST CHAPTER I A WAIF OF THE SEA "It's goin' to be a nasty night," said Uncle Terry, coming in from the shed and dumping an armful of wood in the box behind the kitchen stove, "an' the combers is just a-humpin' over White Hoss Ledge, an' the spray's flyin' half way up the lighthouse." "The Lord-a-massy help any poor soul that goes ashore to-night," responded a portly, white-haired woman beside the stove, as a monster wave made the little dwelling tremble. Uncle Terry took off his dripping sou'wester and coat, and, hanging them over the wood box, went to the sink and began pumping a basin of water. "Better have some warm, Silas," said the woman, taking the steaming kettle from the stove and following him; "it's more comfortin'."