The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1875-02-24

their base tiny lake, where the how-
ers and the ferns seemed most to lux.
urate.
The May day sun broke bright aud
clear, as it always did in this Arcadia.
tinging tie mountain peaks with Grim.
son and filling the valley with amber.
There was an early and unwonted stir
in the village and farm houses troops
of merry children were cougregated
in the streets and lanes, happy as the
birds which gave them greeting. We
hieles of all descriptions were TO be
seen vending their way to the grounds.
Tables had been sp' cad, booths con-
structed, and a Maypole garlanded
with flowers erected. There was to bo
q dinner, q poem, songs and dancing
and some one was to be crowned
"Queen Of the May"
The farmers for miles around the
country had come with their wives and
their little ones; the parson and the
deacon, the lawyer and the DOCTOR
were there there was Steve, the black.
smiths his face. washed clean for the
occasion 4 Briggs, the landlord of the
Golden Swan" with the provcrbial
rotundity Tony, the shoemaker, with
his half dozen children, out at the toes,
as usual Uncle Rogers, who had
crossed the plains with Col. Carlton in
'46, and, ss he said, "was raised in tho
same town and knew sll the Colonel's
kinsfolks. Uncle Billy's talk always
opened or closed with some allusioR
to his departed friend.
Tom Brown, the stage driver, had
taken day off to be present. With
just the proper amount of dash he
drove six horses on the ground, dressed
in characteristic garb-Mexican SOM
brero, immaculate shirt, red sash, high
heeled, close fitting bouts, drawn over
bis pantaloons. After slight excess
of anxiety in the proper disposition OF
his team, with the indescri5able, sa.
souciant air of his calling, he lounged
over to where mine host of the Golden
Swan was standing, gave scarcely
perceptible nod of recognition to Un-
Gle Billy and Tony, and remarked.
Fpatronizingly:
~ say, Briggs, what's all this yere
talk bout the scholmarmf l don'e
see that she's TO blame, she seems to
be kind dispositioned critter, and
has allus done her work we'll. AS for
me, I'm blamed if / don't think she's
got good blood in her-thin in the
nostril, wide between the eyes, and
clean -limbed; you bet your life there's
no mustang in her."
"Yes, Tom," said Briggs, "but you
know women are women, and natural.
ly hate each other If they catch ono
of their own sex out alone, without q
protector, they all go for her; and
this girl seems 70 be in that fix just
now"
"Oh, Tom," with a halfdefned side
motion of the head. at the same time
pointing mysteriously to his pocket
AS Tom would have said, "a wink
to blind man is sufficient" and three
that is, Briggs, Tom, and the flask
went quietly into the shadow of the
trees.
Uncle Billy looked querulously af.-
ter the departing Forthies, and said
sadly to Tony The Colonel wouldn't
=, a done that. 49,"
The servants had erected the Carl
ton tent, but did not know if their
mistress would return in time to bo
present at the festivities.
During the earlier part of the day
Fanny sat alone, or wandered about
) the grounds, meeting cold looks and
averted faces from some; from others
that peculiar recognition 50 fraught
with meaning. Again and again she
wished herself far away, and only re-
NAMED hoping by chance to meet Mrs.
Carlton.
After the ceremonies had concluded
and just as she had determined to
, leave the ground and cross the fields
+ TO her own home, apparently by acci-
dent she happened upon Tom Brown.
The stage-driveT, who had never
spoken to Fanny, touched his hat-s
remarkable exhibition of politeness
for him-and said:
II beg pardon, miss; Tn a plain
man and cant say what | want to, but
. if you should need anybody to speak
> a word for you, or to take your part,
! Tom Brown knows how TO do it"
, Fanny comprehenGe1 the blunt sin.
4 cerity of the man, and as she thanked
! him the tears that had been all day in
/ her eyes dropped upon her cheeks.
. From that moment Tom was her
/ slave. He followed her at respect.
ful and unobserved distance; for her
3 sake he would have charged and rout-
, ed the whole camp. Many high