The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-04-30


ready; the impression came.
The candidates for confirmation were
requested to come forward to the chan
eel. The last to appear was a young
girl, whose dress brushed Philips sleeve
as she went by. He was conscious of a
fragrance of lilies, and his eyes followed
with vague interest as she knelt or stood
among the rest; but he could see only a
slender figure dressed in gray, and a
great knot of hair, like FURNISHED red
gold, at the back of a small head. The
service over, she turned, and what
seemed to him the sweetest face that
ever mortal possessed was suddenly re-
vealed to his eyes-pure in outline,
softly tinted, shy, tender, with long
downcast lashes dropping over cheek
like wild rose. No color relieved her
dress, but below the fair arched throat a
single lily was fastened with knot of
white ribbon.
To fall in love instantaneously with a
stranger is foolish thing enough, no
doubt; still, young men have done 1t
from time to time in all ages, and Philip
Greer did it now. A sort of wave of
surprise, JOY. recognition, swept over
and lifted him as on a tide as this sweet
vision neared him, passed, vanished.
Only decorum kept him in his place an
other moment. He longed to turn, to
follow, to see that face again. With the
final "Amen" he caught at his hat and
made a bolt for the door. Alas! his
charmer had disappeared. He sought
with his eyes this way, that, but in vain.
At last glimpse of a gray cloak sur
mounted by little gray hat rewarded
his search, and making what haste he
could through the crowd, he gained the
door in time to see her drive away in
farm wagon with two or three other peo-
! pie. 1t was like the evanishment of
| Cinderella, and, as in that case, only one
! tangible trace remained behind of the
! fair departed. On the ground, close to
where the wagon had stood, lay, broken
| from its stalk, an Easter lily. Phil had
! lust time to secure this treasure and
cram it into his pocket when he was
Joined by his friend and his friends
mother.
"What made you hurry out SOP" de-
manded Robert. " / saw you streaking
through the crowd like a lamp-lighter,
and couldn't imagine what was to pay.
Was it fit coming on, or nose-bleedP''
Neither. IL wanted to get out" "
replied Phil. incoherently.
"Oh, that was it, was itP" rejoined
Robert, with chuckle. He looked so
ripe for mischief that Phil dared not al
lude to the gray charmer, about whom
he was dying to inquire. He gave the
conversation turn to Indifferent sub
iects till he thought his friends suspi-
cions were allayed. Then:
Mrs. Ashe, who was that young lady
who was confirmed-in grayP" he asked,
in u Would-be Indifferent tone.
I'm grayP Let me see. With blue
scarf on, you meanP"
"No, all in gray-with lily"
"Oh, that was your distant cousin,
Azalea Greer. / am glad you noticed
her. Is she not prettypn
Rather" answered Philip, hypocrit-
ically.
HEMP put in Rob, maliciously
Didn't notice female in gray. blythe
way, lust in front of you as you fled from
the church in that remarkable fashion
Was she the oneP Was it the tie o1
blood asserting itselfp Come, Phil, con
fess. Did you experience drawing q
conviction that she belonged to youl
folksp Or was it general curiosityp"
General curiosity" asserted Philip
mendaciously. But he pleased and sur
prised Mrs. Ashe later in the day by
some remarks-wonderful sensible anC
iudicious for so young man, they seem
ed to heron the subject of family quar-
rels, their folly and absurdity, and th
, sweets of peace and goodwill.
| "Now there is that absurd feud o
} ours" he added. 1.-The Greers alway
f have been fighting race, l imagine
. They enjoy battle. suppose hav
4 the combative element somewhere abou
/ me too, but every generation is bound t
2 be an improvement on the last if it can
l and | mean to make it the business of m
t life to bring about more Christian stat
Y of things"
e THAT is a good and blessed resolve 70
Easter-day," said Mrs Ashe, looking q
. him with kindly eyes full of approba
1 ton.
+, Poor Philip! 1t is easy to resolve, bu
t the ViS inertia is strong, and 1T was les
: easy to accomplish his purpose. II
Q made divers efforts during the long vacf
{ ton to convince his mother of the imprc
: priety of disputes, and the desirability {
~ reconciliations where there had been dis
e putes. She agreed with him in theor!
but always it ended with: but W
~ amt called on to have anything to d
with those Hollow Greers, so far as | ca
:. see 'Tisn't as if we wished to act il
o iuriously to them in any way; we dom
l. and we never have; but they're the
rs and we're here, and we'd better stay s.
is 1t don't seem quite respectful to yoI
i father, either, to be extending the rigl
N hand of fellowship to folks he couldr
"a abide the mention of. It's like gOiI
E. against his convictions; and, besides,
D. don't see any good to be gained by it,"
As for the girls, they thought Ph
n downright absurd TO be making such
z. fuss about nothing. How did he knO
re that the other Greers wanted to be +
I'd conciled?
of He didn't. That was the worst of
ne What between mother and sisters al
s, his own doubts, the poor fellows coura
n might have failed many a time had
ri not been for that uncOnsciously Civ,
S; talisman of peace, Azalea's Easter Ill
he Over its dry and odorless petals Phil
ne vowed perseverance. He kept the Ii
nv i'm his pocketbook as a sort of fetic
ay and fortified by frequent glances at it /
waning resolution.