The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-03-06

OF one year.
Would you have thought he would
have grown so strengthening and hand
some, Grace9"
"Y Yes, should, as soon as he got out
OF leading strings. 1 never believed he
was in decline any more than was. ("
He's coming home to visit u.s. said
Irene, with the least little flush on her
fair cheek. He says he has sent this
picture as a forerunner."
&c shouldn't wonder If you fell in
love with him when he comes," said
Grace, mischievously. "You're half in
love with that picture now, and could
see that he liked you before he went
away. He must be intended for you, for
you've given all your beaux the mitten,
which l guess you must be doing to
leave the coast clear for him."
I" have loved you, Irene, ever since
you and Grace visited me at the old
farm, after mothers death"
81 liked and pitied you then," said
Irene, "bUt never Thought of love, at
least I don't think did,"
"I don't know as 1 should, indeed I
don't think I should, have been living
while you were there"
"What was it ?" questioned Irene,
eagerly.
DO you remember talk you aud
Grace had on Valentine eve about trying
experiments to find out who was your
true lover2"
"I think do-about walking down
cellar at dead of night with looking
glass. We were sitting by the freight.
Yes, that evening is distinct in my
memory"
"Well, you know how morbid and
fanciful was, / thought it over after
you went to bed, and at midnight took a
lamp and glass and went down cellar. I
expected to see my coffin. What de you
think L saw instead ?"
"What ?" asked Irene, breathlessly.
"Your face looked over my shoulder
in the glass. 1t was so unexpected that
it frightened me so had Just strength
enough left to get back to my room
"Why, that was singular, Paul said
Irene, with her blue eyes fixed on his
handsome face. "Of course I was in
bed asleep. 1t seems foolish to attribute
such things to any cause but our own
imaginations, and yet a belief in the
supernatural clings to me. though Grace
is always laughing at me about it.
"Just in time to explain that mys-
terious supernatural affair."" said the
lovely Grace, walking in upon them
through the folding doors of the porlor.
"I've just been an unintentional listner
to your thrilling account of your mid
night exploit four years ago"
Why, what do you know about it ?"
both asked.
You sew your lovely cousins face in
the glass and thought it was her spirit
which your influence had called away
from her body" said Grace in O tone of
playful banter. "Well, I'm sorry to
spoil your spiritual theories, but the
truth is, Irene was in the habit of walk
in her sleep occasionally, and on that
night she chose the cellar as the scene
of her pedestrian feat"
"Why, Grace, you never told me
that, said Irene in a surprised tone.
You said I was in the sitting-room,
but never dreamed"
ST did not intend you should, inter-
rupted Grace. 81 knew it would fright
en- you half to death, it was such a large,
caveruous, horribly suggestive old cell
lar, and you were always 80 afraid
of doing something dreadful in your
walking fits. woke and missed you.
1 concluded you were at your usual
tricks. couldn't find the lamp, SO sup
posed you had taken it to light your
path. stole down stairs softly. What
was my surprise when / opened the
chamber door into the kitchen to see our
invalid cousin hurrying from the direc-
tion of the cellar door like one pursued.
He dropped the glass in hishaste, which
Mary found the next morning and told
us about in a stage whisper. As soon
as he went out of sight opened the cell
lar door. You, Irene, were just ascend
ing the steps serenely with the lamp in
your hand. did not speak, but made
way for you and you passed up stairs. l
! followed. l supposed that Paul had
seen you and been half frightened to
death, butNWhen he began to improve
so fast it seemed that his fright had
operated benefcially."
Well" said Irene, "to think you
never told me of this before !"
81 bided my time. Don't you ever
say, Paul, that woman cannot keep
secret. always thoughty you were made
| for each other. When you began to
correspond knew pretty well how it
would end" Then the comical aspect
of the affair presented itself to the fertile
fancy of Grace, and she laughed hearth
| ly. The others joined her, too happy
to feel anything but amused over it.
"Then it seems, Irene, that the pleas
! ant little fancy of mine which L have
cherished 80 long has been rudely swept
away by this terribly matter-of-fact
cousin of ours, said Paul.
eyes. said she, "and l feel sort of
sorry"
81 m glad the illusion lasted till now.
1t doesn't alter the fact that we were
made for each other, said Paul, drawing
her fondly toward him and kissing her.
THAT night / began to live, and you
were the Unconscious instrument of my
: ..nIurnAa..u.