Uncle Jesse surveyed our tears with pleasure shining out through his face like an illuminating lamp . `` I like to make folks cry that way , '' he remarked . `` It 's a compliment . But I ca n't do justice to the things I 've seen and helped do . I 've got 'em all jotted down in my life-book but I have n't got the knack of writing them out properly . If I had , I could make a great book , if I had the knack of hitting on just the right words and stringing everything together proper on paper . But I ca n't . It 's in this poor human critter , '' Uncle Jesse patted his breast sorrowfully , `` but he ca n't get it out . '' When Uncle Jesse went home that evening Mother asked him to come often to see us . `` I wonder if you 'd give that invitation if you knew how likely I 'd be to accept it , '' he remarked whimsically . `` Which is another way of saying you wonder if I meant it , '' smiled Mother . `` I do , most heartily and sincerely . '' `` Then I 'll come . You 'll likely be pestered with me at any hour . And I 'd be proud to have you drop over to visit me now and then too . I live on that point yander . Neither me nor my house is worth coming to see . It 's only got one room and a loft and a stovepipe sticking out of the roof for a chimney . But I 've got a few little things lying around that I picked up in the queer corners I used to be poking my nose into . Mebbe they 'd interest you . ''
Uncle XXXXX 's `` few little things '' turned out to be the most interesting collection of curios I had ever seen .
Jesse Mother chimney everything hour life-book paper right stovepipe yander