At the Library Serial Story Part 2 "The Truth About One-Eyed Uncle George" by Sally Reighard

The Truth About One-Eyed Uncle George

A serial story

Part II

by Sally Reighard

Suddenly Lila cupped her right ear with her hand, “Shhh, George. What is that sound coming from the mansion? Does it sound like a beating drum to you?”

George cocked his ear toward the mansion. “Why, yes, it does. Why would there be drums?

“Perhaps they are having a party. Maybe we aren’t supposed to be here. We need to check it out,” Lila replied as she jumped down from the wall. “I’m going to sneak over there and see what is going on.” She looked back over her shoulder at him as she plunged into the thick tangle of morning glory vines. “Are you coming?”

George jumped from the wall to follow her, landing on his posterior as his knees buckled upon contact with the ground. It temporarily knocked the wind out of him and he gasped for air as he yelled at Lila to wait for him. He rolled to his knees and was finally on his feet.

“Which way did you go?” he yelled.

He heard her response and started that way. In the meantime, Lila had come to a very small clearing that contained the beginning of several paths through the weedy garden. Oh my! She thought. Which one should I take? Immediately, a very large hare appeared in front of her.

“It depends on where exactly you want to go,” the hare said.

“I am trying to reach the mansion to see what that sound is. Plus my uncle is with me and we have been invited to the mansion, but we don’t know what time or why we were supposed to be here.”

“It’s very simple,” said the hare.” One path takes you to the truth and happiness. The others take you to lies and deception.”

“But which is which?” asked Lila as she turned to face the hare after staring down each of the paths. He was gone!

 Just then, George stepped into the small clearing and Lila told him about the hare and what he had said.

“I’ve heard about such a hare being out here, but I’ve never seen it,” George explained. “The story involves the first couple who settled here and built the mansion. It’s said the lady was very jealous of her husband. He was a handsome man who was witty and charming, and women gravitated to him like flies to honey. At the last great ball the couple had hosted here at the mansion, the mayor’s wife was flirting with the husband as they danced together. The wife did not like it at all and had tried to cut in to end it, but her husband defended the poor woman who was old enough to be his mother. The wife then assumed they were seeing each other. She became very vocal about it all and supposedly cast a spell on him. He would become the hare who roamed the gardens around the house.”