The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-02-05
A Flood; and What Came of It.

Once upon time, not very long ago,
there was a yJuog damsel called -.
But perhaps Id better not mention her
name; she's changed it now, in any case,
and to save everybody's feelings, I'll
call her Mollie Muldoon-sweet Mollie
Muldoon. Now more delightful crca-
ture it would be hard to find, for she
hal that incompatible nature that
blends the child with the woman; and
whereas she could romp and play like a
kitten in seasons 81 frivolity, you might
in a"Clire and serious extremity search
the wide world over for a wiser or maturer
Judgment. She had the most wonderful
knack of taking a shabby house, and
going over it from top to bottom, with
touch here aud q brush there, and
little adornment over yonder, so that,
when she was through, the metamor-
phosis would be staItliug, and one would
declare that uoder the kilt plaits of her
house dress she concealed the wand of q
fairy.
Ev ry body knows that poverty and
pride are like oil and water, and won't
go together very well; and it could not
be denied that Mollie's beauty and grace
were sadly suited to the stinted means
of life doIed out to the widow Muldoon
and her two children. When Mr.. Null
doom was living they had all the luxuries
that his handsome salary and generous
heart could devise; but the bountiful
heart became Id in death, and the
handsome salary ceased long before
Mollie was old enough fully to enjoy
either the one or the other. 1t was only
n mercy from heaven that Mrs. Null
doon's father outlived her husband, and
was able to allow her a small income, or
heaven knows what would have become
of sweet little Mollie, with her yearnings
after fashionable furbelows and sur
roundings.
Poor little Mollie Many time I've
seen her beautiful eyes filed with tears
OF rage and mort; ication over an abor.
tive attempt at making dress with
puffs and frills out of small pattern:
but out she came pre- sently with some
old under.skirt of her mothers, or
aunt's or grandmother's and with few
touches of her magic fingers the whole
fabric would fall together, colors aud
all, as gracefully as a ra nbow, and then
her eyes. would shine again, and her
dimpted chin go up in the air with the
true pride Of genius.
"Just look at that Mollie MuldOon, "
said Fanny Sharp, as Mollie went by;
"shes ruipiug her mother, the way
she dresses"
"Pride goeth before fall" croaked
oh Granny Sharp.
It was only week or so after that 1
heard from Mrs. Muldoon's own lips the
confirmation of a rumor that had been
going about for months-that Mollie
was actually engaged to be married to
young Adolphus Dacre. The Dacres
had been given over by our whole little
commuuiy iong since. They had
treated the church scandalously, hiring
the best pew, and never paying penny
on it; the grocer had refused to give
them any further credit; the butchers
cart droveA right by their door; and
Malony, the milkmRn, had been seen
sitting upon the front stoop of the
Dacres', waiting, he said, for one of two
things-his money or the liver of Mr..
Dacre.
sand of course, said Mollie, so
longeas- these miserable tradespeople
neld on, and treated the Dacres with
respect, the whole aristocracy of Bah
bleton followed suit; but now that the
butcher 9pds baker and candlestck-
maker have'gReQ them upP-
"Its a case ot the rotten potato, y
said her seventeen year old brother
Have you too turned against
Dolph ?" said Mollie. -
81 r. replied the lad, with mock
tragedy. "Neverl AS a friend oi
mine, he's A l, and no mistake; but ]
don't take much stock in Dolph as {
brother-in-law. It's. all he can do Il
keep himself IN chuck.
"Mamma, will you make Jack stoI
talking slang ?"
81 beg pardon, said Jack; "what
meant to say was that under existing
circumstances Mr.. Adolphus Dacre find
it exceedingly difficult to supply hi
own individual necessities, and positive
ly declines any inducement to take il
the matrimonial racket"
"Declines me P said Mollie, wit
scornful emphasis.
"Declines the whole feminine genera
tion, said Jack.
That very day, which was a freezin
one in December, Mollie was seen dow
upon the skating pond executing wit
marvellous grace and facility the inir
cate eyOlutions of the outer edge, an