The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-11-21
LOUIE'S SUCCESS.

Z" I can't see whatever we will do with
her. She's delicate, sickly little thing,
and hasn't either the strength or the de-
sire to earn her living as the rest Of us
do-eh, Louie ?"
Motherly old Mrs. Simmonds smiled
slf approvingly, half indulgently down
in the pale, wistful face of the girl who
slkso quietly beside her, listening to the
conversation going on between Mr.. Sim
monds and her guest-Farmer Alwyn's
wife, who had just run over with her
knitting for an afternoons visit and to
g stay to tea"
They were the very ideals of comforta-
ble, contented, well-to-do farmers wives;
they were portly, rosy and bright-eyed-
such contrast, physically, to the slim,
low, hollow-eyed girl who spoke never
word unless specially addressed.
Her name was Louie Harland, and she
had beena member of the thrifty Sim
mends family for years-ever since Bit
ter cold December day, thirteen years
ago, when a forlorn, half-clothed baby
of three years, she had come to the
kitchen door crying, shivering, and in
barely intelligible words t)ld them she
had lost "father," and was so cold and
hungry.
Mrs. Simmonds' big, warm heart had
been stirred to the very depths by the
sight of the forlon little Ns1f, and in
mingled Indignation against the cruel
wretch who would permit such a baby to
become 80 ragged, suffering and neg
lected, and great, tender pity, took the
little one in, resolving TO keep it in
warmth and plenty until "father y
should search for it, and it had now
been fourteen years, and Louie Harland
had come to be almost regarded as a
genuine Simmonds by father and moth
er and the half-dozen rosy, plump chill
dren who loved Louie so dearly.
For she was loveable. and although,
as Mrs. Simmonds tenderly declared, the
child was fit for nothing-not even COM
petent to earn her salt, yet she was (
favorite with them all for her sweet
gentle ways, and her patience and will
ingAess to do what little she could.
Only Louie could not work. 1t seemed
to her that of all terrible things th,
routine of housework was the most ter
rible, and yet she never hesitated an in
slant to Obediently perform whatever la.
within her power, however distastefu
the task was.
But-there was one thing Louie love,
to do, one thing that made the Simmond
girls and boys sometimes laugh, an,
sometimes cry, and sometimes feel awe
struck; that made farmer Smmond
often lay down his pipe in rapt amaze
interest, that made Mrs. Simmonds wip
her eyes and sob audibly-and that wa
when Louie would read aloud of winte
evenings, or recite some exquisite poer
she had memorized, OF render som
side-splitting morceau from some hu
morist.
Then Ionic would seem to lost he
identity. She would flush with excite
ment, and her fresh, sweetly-intone
young voice would fairly vibrate wit
the intensity of the enthusiasm he
fragile form would seem to dilate wit
intensest interest; her dark, intelliger
eyes would shine with inspiration, {
melt with pathos or glow with humol
and from farmer Simmonds down to litt
Nell they all considered Louie's readin
a agenuine treat.
Only that they never dreamed Of al
preciating it as they ought-none Of the
except William Dayton, Mrs. Simmond
younger brother, who, would hang {
Louie's enraptured words with intere
scarcely less intense than her own.