The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-06-25

taking one day with Laura BeamlS,
who was growing stronger and more
cheerful, she looked down at her ring
less finger with deep detection, and
Laura, following her eyes, said, sud-
denly:
"Sallie, hoped you would have mar
ried Jack Arnold. knew him in L;
he is such n good fellow! He and
once had little innocent Irritation, be-
fore-before-well, when l first left
Rockdale, and | have always since
thought of him as a friend. You're not
engaged to him?"
mo" replied Sallie, in tone which
forbade inquiry.
$50 that was ALI" she thought. "I
believe | have lost all for nothing-for
nothing! But it is too late" Still her
pride never dreamed of bending.
But further revelations were to come
At last "Pinafore" company visited
Rockdale, and Sallie, seated by rustic
swain, who basked in the cold light of
her rare smiles, heard with languid
pleasure the inimitable opera. Sudden
ly, like the jest of mocking fiend, there
broke upon her ears the fatal words
which had helped to destroy her peace,
the familiar "What! neverp" Hardly
ever" Strange words to be associated
WlJl anu IllStIN! eJs dD-
surd as it may seem, they were, to
Sallie's ears, freighted with a drearier
spell than the ancient cabalistic NUT
terings of witch or wizard, or the fate
full utterances of the oracles. For this,
this mere quotation, this idle joke, she
had wrought herself into state of virtu
GUS indignation and angry suspicion of
the man she loved. And she lost him.
This was the bitterest touch; yet more
was to come.
When she reached home, Auntie Trib
met her with a rueful countenance.
" My grief! Sallie," she exclaimed "I
don't b'lieve you treated Jack Arnold
right. Here's a letter from Free sayin'
Jacks down with typhus fever, or some
thin like it, and he says you've killed
him, and that we must come down to
l. right off. But, law me! what's he
thinkin' of, wantin' you to run your head
into n contiguous diseaseW (Auntie
Trib's words were often changed at birth,
like the captain and Ralph, when she
spoke in haste.) "Why, you might as
well face smallpox as typhus-not but
what I'm sorry for Jack; but of course
we can't CO."
"Gom cried Sallie, who. had snatched
the letter. TRY to keep me, that's all!
l must go toni ght-to-night It's ty-
phoid, not typhus, auntie. Oh, if l could
take it and die! Oh, Jack! Jack!' and
quiet, dignified Sallie broke down, and
walled like child.
They could not go that night; there
was no train till daybreak; but Sallie
made ready for their journey with'fever-
ish energy. Her poor bewildered aunt
demonstrated feebly, but in vain; she
was whirled off in the early morning
light, and sat in dazed condition on
the train, with her best bonnet all awry,
and with Sallie's white inflexible face
beside her, gazing straight forward, like
mournful Fate. How the young proud
heart had been humbled that night in
prayer and tears! Would the journey
ever endP
1t ended at last; and Jack, who was,
| am bound to say, not quite so i'll a.
Free had represented, awoke from sleep
to find bending over him-not the fair
avenging goddess of his late troubled
dreams, but the sweet woman whom he
loved. OF course he forgave her; of
course he recovered. What would you
eXpectp He was tender and vehement,
and grief and perplexity and remorse
had broken him down; but he was Wig
orous, and JOY and confession and for
giveness restored him. OF course you
knew from the first how the story would
end; it is but trihing tale of tempest
in a teacup. But Sallie had learned q
lesson which she never forgot.
How Jack laughed when he heard her
explanation! "As Pinafore' was the
cause of our despair" he said, "let
Pinafore' express our newly recovered
happiness.
And he began to sing, feebly and in
correctly, but still heartily,
"'Oh, joy Oh, rapture unforeseen p"
Free and Auntie Trib stood by like
kindly chorus" smiling benevolently.
I'M never be so foolish again, +" said
poor Sallie, meekly.
what! neverP" hissed Free, in a
stage whisper.
mo, of course she never will, cried
Auntie Trib, failing to recognize the
joke, although it had been explained to
her great many times. With which
exhibition of innocence the old lady
brought down the house" as Captain
Corcoran himself could never do. But
you see her audience was so very happy.
-HGrper'S BGzGr.
-e---s=--