The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-12-17

Iutner Happeneu every OaY teW pre-
vent.
Zone cold, stormy evenin' in Decem-
ber--I sha'nt never forgit it the longest
day / live-I was sittin' alone by the
fire. -knittin'-husband had gone down
intew the milk-suller for suthin'-when
heard tap at the door.
l opened it, an there stood Jenny,
with nothin' round her but a thin
shawl, an her face rs white as the snow
at her feet.
Fur the lands saker says I, as
pulled her in tew the fire, what brung
you out such night as thisP'
Twice she tried to speak, but her
voice ended in a sob, 1 rubin her hands
all the time, which were list like ice.
Then she said:
go Polly, haint nowhere to go, an
no friend but you!-father's turned me
out of doors"
"Then she fell tew the floor in dead
faint.
:" l hollered tew yer uncle, an be-
twixt us both we got her ontew the bed
in my bedroom. Then built rousin'
fire, while he went fur the doctor.
-" Jenny was dretful sick all night, an
-all the next day. When the wust was
over, she didn't seem tew rally. 1t
almost seemed as if she was goin' tew
die from pure WEAKNESS and disgust of
life. Arter tryin' everything else l
could thin k on, put her baby in her
arms-as fine boy as ever laid eyes
on. She kissed it, an from that mo-
ment began tsw git better.
Her folks didn't none on 'em come
nigh her, an husband an me both said
she could have home with us as long
as she was mind tew stay.
| 90 Sipb a nom M ~ io,, No q =, d..
berry Green never see yit! The folks
in the village made all sorts of errands
to come in, SOS tew see Jenny Locke's
child
" A body would ha' thought that she'd
sunk tew the floor with shame, tew
meet all them pryin', curious eyes she
was alters sich sensitive thing, color
| ing tew the ears if man looked at her
harder than common. But she didn't
seem tew mind it one speck. but sot like
a marble statoo, an almost as white,
holdin' her baby in her arms as if twas
the most nat'ral thing in the world tew
have it there.
"Of course they was all GURUS tew
know who's twas, though none on 'em
| burst ask her outright, she had sich a
cold, proud way with her. But thev
didn't none on 'em get no satisfaction,
with all their hints an spyin'. Even
tew me, Jenny never mentioned its
fathers name
AS soon as Jenny got strong enough
she went to work sewin' ag'in. She
was so handy in maxim and fixin' over
| that she found plenty tew do.
Mis- Tracy took her sons absence
very hard her health was very poor, so I
heerd. AS fur the squire, folks said he
was more ca'tankerous an harder to get
along with than ever. / didn't sec
neither on 'em tew speak tew
Mis- Tracy never spoke to Jenny but
once. 1t was the summer arter Norman
went off. Jenny an me sot on the
porch sewin' when l see her comm
down the street.
"She sorter hesitated when she
reached the gate and then opened it and
walked in.
81 was settin' little back of Jenny.
| | looked at her, but there was not a bit
OF change in her face 'cept that it might
be a leetle paler than common.
George, the baby, was playin' at
her feet, the very pictur' of what Nor
man was at the same age, as | heerd
Mis- Tracy say arterward.
| - Mis- Tracy looked at the child and
then at its mother, layin' roll of bills
on Jenny's knee.
I
| into Jenny's eyes. She handed 'em
| back, sayin'
80 can't accept charity from you"
Miss Tracy made motion tew 60
on, and then stopped, sayin':
" If my son has wronged you, Jenny,
it is not charity"
"' Your son has not wronged me,
madame
Miss Tracy passed on, though ]
minded that she kept her eyes on the
child so long as it was in sight.
Not long arterward Squire Tracy
dropped down in the street in fit OF
apperplexy, and died afore mornin.'
- Mis- Tracy had the body put in the
tomb, telegraphin' fur Norman tew come
home immeietly.
Il sha'n't never forget the day he
come. Jenny was at the winder when
! he rode by. She never said a word, but
took notice that her cheeks was as red
as the June roses that was growin' out
side.
mot more'n ten minutes arter, II
neighbor rushes in, sayin' that he'd been
throwed from the kerriage onteW heap
of stuns, an taken up fur dead.
Snatchin' up her child, Jenny ran
out inter the street, an ] follered. She
made a straight bee-line fur the squire's,
| where great crowd had cOllected-up
the steps, through the hall, up-stai rs
tew where the dyin' man lay.
" AS she bent over him, he opened his
eyes, an smiled as he saw her.
a. Jenny my wife! my child
Mother, for my sake, be kind to them =
"These were the last words that Nor
man Tracy ever spoke.
When Jenny saw he was gone, she
gave sharp cry an fell tew th9 floor.
An when they loosened her dress. tew
try tew bring her tew, they found her
marriage certificate, close to her heart,
where she alters kept it.
The father an son was buried on
the same day, an a sadder house an
funeral / never went tew,
HowsumeveT, Jenny was righted at
last, an them made ashamed who had
looked down on her, an who now re-
pented of their harsh judgment.
L -