The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-09-18
and he never stopped. Indeed, he grew

His wife could not help knowing that
he had begun to drink, for eggs, butter,
pork, potatoes, oil went TO the store, and
very little came back in their place.
One May night she woke up suddenly
to hear somebody pushing and swearing
ut "that gate"
She had fallen asleep, conscious that
Sam was not at home. 1t was early,
but the children had been out after
greens, and she had washed. They were
all tired, and nobody was afraid of bur-
glars in Scranton, 80 mother went to
bed.
When she heard the fumbling and
tugg1ng, and angry oaths, she woke up
fully, in q woman's instructive way, and
at that instant the clock struck two.
She was on her feet directly, and find
ing herself alone, threw up the window,
and called out
who's there, an what ye want?"
The voice was the voice of Sam that
answered her, but the speech was mix
ture of folly and profanity that demon
strated his condition.
Quickly as she could she got to the
bhck door and fastened it. Then she
put her head out again, and exhorted
Sam.
"You no need to come in here, and
you sha'n't The barns good enough
for beasts, and that's the hull ont"
With which she slammed down the
window, secured it with a handy nail,
and went back into bed, where she lay
awake till she heard Sam at last get the
gate open, stumble up to the door, try
the latch, and muttering feebly, betake
himself to the barn, after which she
philosophically went to sleep.
The next morning Sam sneaked in to
his breakfast, both ashamed and sulky.
The girls bad gone to school when he
appeared. Mother let him eat what he
could before she said word; then she
"spoke up" and like the young brides
mother in the delectable ballad of Lord
Bateman,-
''She never vos heard to speak so free."
"Look here, Samwell Blackman, this
has gone as fur as I'm goin' to hev it! /
didn't talk to ye 80 longs ye drinkt n
little in the cold weather, for know ye
real we'll by this time, and knowed you
want a-goin' to be uncomfortable, what
ever come ont But it's likely weather
now; you amt sufferin' and there's lots
to do in the garden. So give ye warn
in that if you git drunk the way ye was
last night any more, you won't git into
this house agin, nor you won't git no
vittles handed out O. winder eff you
starve, and that's the hull ont |"
'Confound that gatel' muttered Sam,
not inaudibly, as he turned towards the
door.
"Well, if you'd ha' fixed it 'to-morrer,'
as you KEEP saRil' the gate wouldn't hev
told no tales O1Get in my life, I'm
glad you pV shth
In his secret hes Sam resolved to
make that gate righS directly. A spy of
this unconscious sort was intolerable
But the inveterate habit of putting off
things was not cured, and beside, he had
IA half-conscious idea that his wife would
prevent any meddling with it if he tried.
Mrs. Blackman's admonition had done
some good. Sam knew her to be a
woman of her word, and he knew, more
over, that the washing she took in and
her knack at work were the mainstay of
would he do? SO he was careful not to
get very drunk again
But that gate had not yet done all its
mischief for the Blackmans.
Katy left off school this spring, and
went to the academy to "hnish off, as
her mother expressed it; for Katy was
destined-or intended-to keep school.
Katy was very pretty now. Her
sweet, bright face and intelligent ex
preston, the neatness of her simple
dress, and the soft dark eyes that looked
out from under her shady hat, caught
the eye and fancy of many passer on
the other side, as she sped to and from
the academy with her bundle of books.
Katy was attractive, even in calico,
and nobody found her more so than Ja-
bez Crane, the carpenter, who had come
to the village lately, opened a shop near
the academy, and being a good work
man as we'll as good fellow, soon had
all the business of the neighborhood. 1t
was a lovely afternoon in June when
Mother Blackman first began to think it
possible that Katy was really grown up,
and an object of attraction. This time
it was the gate again.
Why it should have stuck that day so
much worse thar usual was perhaps
owing to a thunder storm which had
just rolled away to the eastward.
Katy ordinarily found no trouble in
coaxing the gate to open, but this time
patience and tact were in vain. A youth
had overtaken her as she stood trying
to open the wicket, like sweet Mercy of
old, and now, with smiling salutation,
put pair of strong hands on the re-
fractory portal and showed it open.
"Thank you," said Katy, blushing
like the old-fashioned red rose beside
her; for she recognized pair of admir-
ing eyes she had often noticed before.
"You're very welcome" said Jabez,
and went on, al should like to open it
for myself some evening, if you're
willin.'"
Il guess you can, if you try," said
Katy, half in earnest, half in fun.
And all this colloauY-brief. but