The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-12-09

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sons chace.
There was some weeks of happiness
followed the engagement-weeks when
Mrs. Creighton and her sou threw much
brightness into the life of the young
betrothed, and then sorrow came, in
separation of the lovers. 1t became
necessary for Max to go to England
to look after some property his father
had owned there, and be was unwill-
ing to have Laura cross the ocean in
winter. A proposal of immediate mar.
riage and European bridal trip had
been made, but Mrs. Hilton and Mrs.
Creighton opposed it, and Max was
not Urgent.
The business that called him to Eng
land would probably .engross all his
time. and he knew that there must
be many dull, lonely days for his
bride, if she was his companion. So
he left her hoping to return in two or
three months, and have happy we'd
ding in the spring.
1t was only natural that, during the
absence of the son ard lover, Mrs.
Creighton and Laura should be often
together. There was a strong, mutual
affection to make the hours of inter
course pass happily, and Mrs. Hilton
and Rosa had a new occupation in pre-
pairing a trousseau for the latter, who
had consented to make Will Fielding
happy man, rather to her mothers
secret disappointment.
Still, as the role of stern parent
could never, by any possibility, be fit
ted to Mrs. Hilton, she had shed few
tears, wondered what the young couple
expected to live upon, as Wills salary
in bank could scracely be called
wealth, and had gone good naturedly
to the duties of mother-in-law elect,
and entered heartily into the prepara-
ton of the trousseaus for the two we'd
dirgs. -.... ----.
In Mrs. Creighton's home, Laura
learned much of the tastes and habits
of her betrothed, and it became an
almost painful certainty to her that
one of the ruling passions of his heart
was love of beauty in all its forms
His mother often spoke of the shud-
dering disgust with which, as boy,
he had shrunk from a repulsive face
or unsightly form. And she said tina.
though he had conquered the outward
expression of such recoling, she was
sure he still felt the same repu'sion in
manhood.
She would show Laura the portfolio
of crayon portraits Max had made of
his fair betrothed, and Laura, half
pleased, half saddened, saw her own
beautiful face in many varied express
sions. Now, sad, it was a Madonna,
now laughing, a nymph, now with in
spired eyes, a st. Cecilia, till it be-
came painfully apparent to Laura
that, for her great beauty, more than
aught else, Max had given her his love.
The second week of Max Creighton's
departure was passing. when his moth.
er was taken sick with a feverish at
tack, that seemed slight. Laura had
been helping Mrs. Hilton in some of
the interminable shopping, and had
not seen her dear old friend for three
days, when, one morning, Rosa burst
into her room, full of bad news.
"Laura!" she cried, "you are GER
tainly the luckiest girl in the world.
To think you should have staid away
from Mrs. Creighton's Of all time"
Laura looked up inquiringly.
"She has got the smallpox p
"Rosa !" cried Laura, turning very
pale, "are you sure ?"
81 saw DIR. Craige this morning. Al
the servants have left the house, and
he is trying to have nurse sent from
B. If she does not come to-day,
they will have to take Mrs. Creighton
to the city, and put her in hospital I"
"Not while | can nurse herp Lau-
ra cried, hastily gathering some arti-
cles Of dress together, and packing a
satchel. II will go. OF course can
not return, Rosa"
"But you will catch it. You will
die - Rosa cried, bursting into tears /;
"and mamma is out, gone to New
York on the nine o'clock train, and
won't be back till evening. Oh, Lau-
ra, don't 60. Wait till mamma comes,
at any rate"
lHuSb ~ hONs Salu LAURA HIlu-
! ly. "Mrs. Creighton may be even now
dying for want Of nurse. / cannot
wait, Rosa. There, don't cry so, dear
have been vaccinated, you know and
may not catch the disease"
eyes, you will, and be all spotted
and Scared, and a perfect fright.
What will Max say to that? You shall
not 60" ts
But Laura had packed her wrapper
and slippers, and what other articles
seemed useful and necessary, and was
rapidly dressing herself for the street