The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-03-13

other bank stopped and looked visit
fully down side path leading into the
denser forest away from her direct ryad.
I" 1 really believe the checkerberries
must have started, It is 80 springy," she
thought; "I've mind to go down and
look in what Jake calls Bear-berry
Pasture, though I told him they were
not bear berries, but real checkerber-
ries." So, Saying to herself, Roxie ran a
few steps down the little path, stopped,
stood still for a minute, then slowly
TUNED back, saying:
"No, 1 won't, either, for may be
wouldn't get to the camp with the nut
cakes before noon, and then they would
have eaten all their cheese. No, I'll go
right on, and not stay there any time at
all, but come back and get the checker
berries; besides, mother said she'd be
lonesome without me, so I'd better not
stay, any way"
So Roxie, flattering herself like many
an older person with the fancy that she
was giving up her selfish pleasure for
that of another, while really she was
carrying out her own fancy, went sing
ing on her way, and reached the camp
Just as her father struck his axe deep
for an hour, and Jake, her handsome
elder brother, took off his cap, pushed
the curls back from Ri, heated brow, and
shook out the hay and grain before old
Rob, whose whinny had already pro-
claimed dinner-time.
81" Why. if here isn't sis with tin ket-
tie, and I'll be bound some of ma'am's
cakes in it !" exclaimed Jake, who had
rather mourned at the said cakes not
being ready before he left home, and
then he caught the little girl up in his
arms, kissed her heartily, and put her
| ON Rob's back, whence she slid down,
saying gTavely:
Jake, ma says Tn getting too old
for rough play. I'll be twelve years old
next june"
Gan right, old lady; I'll get you a
pair of specs and new cap or two for a
birthday present." laughed jake, un-
covering the tin kettle, while his father
eaid:
1--WE won't have You an old woman
| before you're young one, will we, Tib
| Come, sit down by me and have some
dinner. You're good to bring us the
nut cakes and get here in such good
season.
The three were very happy and merry
over their dinner, although Roxie de-
clined to cat anything except out of her
| until Mr.. Beamish glanced up at the
sun. rose, took his AK out of the cleft in
the log, and, swinging it over his head,
said:
"Come, Jake, incoming is over. Get
to work."
"All right, sir. You can sit i'll as
long as you like, sis, and by and by I'll
take you home on Rob"
"I'm going now, jake" said Roxie,
hesitating little, and finally concluding
not to mention the checkerberries, lest
her father or brother should object to
her going alone into the wilder part of
the forest. " Ma said she'd be lone
some" added she hurriedly, and then
her cheeks began to burn as if she had
really told lie instead of suggesting
one.
"Well, you're right down good girl
20 come so far and then to think OF ma
instead of yourself, and next day we're
working about home I'll give you good
ride to pay for it,"
And Jake kissed his little sister ten.
derly, her father nodded good-by with
some pleasant word of thanks, and
Roxie with the empty tin pail III her
hand set out upon her hCmeward jour
ney, little excitement in her heart as
she thought of her contemplated excur-
sion, little sting in her conscience as
she reflected that she had not been quite
hone et about any part of it.
| Npnn q
troubled and agitated, how quickly You
seemed to pass over the ground, and
how speedily you arrived at the point
whittier You had not fairly decided to
go?
1t was 80 with Roxie, and while she
was still considering whether after all
she would go straight home, she was
already at the entrance of the sunny
northern glade where lay the patch OF
bright red berries whose faint, whole
some perfume told of their vicinity even
before they could be seen. Throwing
herself upon her knees, the little girl
pushed aside the glossy dark-green
leaves, aud with low cry of delight
stopped down and kissed the clusters
of fragrant berries as they lay fresh and
bright before her.
40 you dear, darling little things l''
cried she, How 1 love to see you
again, and know that all the rest of the
pretty things are coming right along!"
Then she began to pluck, and put
them sometimes in her mouth, some
times in her pail, and so long did she
linger over her pleasant task that the
sun was already in the tops of the pine
trees, when, returning from little ex-
cursion into the woods to get sprig
from =" shad- bush, Roxie halted just
within the border of the little glade,
and stood for moment trans6xed with
horror. Beside the pail she had left
brim-full of berries, sat a bear-cub,
scooping out the treasure with his paw,
and greedily devouring it, apparently
unite deliRhted that come one had saved