The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-07-23

| past him and fell with prolonged
hiss upon the ground. Then in quick
| succession came another and another.
Then fizzl bang! pop! pop! fizz! bangl
and the pyrotechnic articles were shoot
ing about in every direction, and the
white muslin curtains were in flames.
In moment the strong young fellow
had burst open the door, thrown the
pail OF water upon the cracking fire.
works, torn down the blazing curtains
and stamped out the fire. And in
another moment some one in a long
white robe, her golden hair silvered by
the moonlight, came flying out of the
room just beyond, and, flinging her
arms about him, cried: "Ohl dear
brother Robert, you have come back at
last. ut-but"-looking about her in
bewildered manner" what has hap
| penedP"
I'm not brother Robert" said Dick;
but he didn't loosen the chnging arms,
as it behooved him to do when he made
the declaration. I'm-the-the shay
ings man, and your window has been on
fire. Fortunately, was passing" But
he got no further, for the white-robed
figure uttered q little shrek, and fled
with precipitancy as old Mrs. Pauld-
ing entered the room from the other
door, her best bonnet perched on her
head and her night-cap dangling by its
strings around her neck, silver teapot
in one hand and her favorite cat, grasped
by the throat, in the other, on a queer
little run, totally unlike her usual digni-
fed tread.
To her did Dick explain the cause of
the wet carpet and the ke-begrimed
walls, and, amid her profuse thanks for
his timely help, was taking his leave,
when Mrs. Deming, lamp in hand, again
made her appearance-this time in suit
able evening dress.
"Oh, aunt, what an escapem she be-
gan, setting the lamp on the table; land
to think l never awoke until the very
last, | was so tired; and Eva has slept
through it all. We might have been
burned in our beds" And then, turning
to Dick, she said, her sweet voice trem-
bling in spite of her great effort to main
tain her eompOsure. +" / beg your pardon
for the absurd mistake / made; but |
was so bewildered, and only half awake,
and I'd been dreaming of my brother,
whom you looking him full in the
face" resemble very much" And
breaking off suddenly, her voice trem-
bling still more, "How can we ever
thank you, Mr.. ="
i" Dick Foster, the carpenter" said
Dick, with as much dignity as though he
had said "doctor" or "artist."
Mr.. Foster" her lips quivering and
her fair cheeks flushing red, and she
held out to him her dainty hand.
Dick flushed as rosy red as she, but
made no movement toward her. His
right hand hanging listlessly at his side,
his hat held in his left, he stood in
silence as though uncertain what to do.
Do you refuse to shake hands with
me?" she asked, look of panied sur
prise fitting across her lovely face.
Why, God bless u.s. he can't"
is dreadfully burned And she hastened
away in search of old linen and sweet
oil.
And it was-his working hand-ter-
ribly burned but when Dick went home
that night he scarcely felt the pain for
the memory of two violet eyes shining
through tears, and a sweet voice saying,
ION, I'm so very, very sorry-so very,
very sorrym
The next morning Mrs. Foster had
just cleared away the breakfast things,
and gone into the sitting-room where
Dick sat, installed in the only easy chair
the house possessed, his right hand en-
veloped in bandages, book in his left,
and the vase of wax flowers on the
table before him, when there came a
gentle knock at the street door. The
good mother, opening it, beheld a pretty
blue-eyed little girl, standing upon the
threshold.
"Oh, it's you, Mrs. Deming," said the
old lady, bridling and futtering her cap
ribbons. Good morning, ma'am."
Y our son" said the young widow,
with a hesitation strangely foreign to
her, lis he betterp Has he suffered
much through the nightP"
His sufferings can be of no conse-
quence to you, ma am," returned the
old lady, sharply, in spite Of warning
MotherW from the room she had just
left. He's only mechanic, ma'am."
He's n noble fellowm exclaimed
Mrs. Deming, seizing the wrinkled, toll
rOughened hand that was raised as
though, to wave her away; "and, oh t!
please don't be cross to me. l haven't
slept all night thinking of him."
Mrs. Fosters face began to relax, and
the stern look completely faded away
when little Eva, looking up with pure,
beautiful, beseeching eyes, enheated,
Don't be cross to poor mamma"
"Well, l suppose the fire warn't your
fault" she said though how them
fireworks exploded passes my compre-
] hensiOn. There must have been some
powerful carelessness somewhere; and
it's my opinion that folks that doesn't
understand things should let 'em alone F.;
and his hands very bad indeed; and he
won't be able to work for month, Just
as he had the most industrious fit l ever
! kLow'd him to have-though lazy boy
he never was-and was earning lets of
money. And his hand'll have to be
dressed night and morning, and take
about an hour each time"
"Oh, then can be of use," cried the
pretty widow, a bright smile breaking
over her face. g am capital nurse.
Let me come every day and dress the
wounded hand, Your time, / know, is
precious; and it is the least can do, for
it was in my service-I mean my aunt's
that it was wounded"
"Well, that's clever, and I'm OBLIGED