The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-06-09

ing UP of talking-to that sent Romano
out of the room crying. "What is there
about you that no man in America, or
Europe either, that l can see, is fit to
marry you, l should like to knowP"
Romaine was dancing that night with
Cousin Nicholssat Mrs. Chances ball.
The delicious waltz music made my feet
! lust tingle. Mamma let me go to a ball
now and then, to show people what she
| had in reserve, Romaine said. But
there was Romaine, so listless, so lovely,
so Indifferent, and Nicholas looking
down at her so eager so intent, and then
lie ading her out into the moonlight. as II
he would take her away from all these
people, and into another world. It's
no use, Cousin Nicholas" / said, when
| he happened to think of me, half an hour
afterward, and brought me an ice;
"she wouldn't marry you If you were
made of gold. She wouldn't marry any
body but soldier anyway" (all at once
Nicholas face lighted up), "and him
only if he had been nearly shot to
pieces; and only one soldier out of all
of them, do believe" | made haste to
add, for l didn't want to encourage
him.
"How much must man do to earn
his caseP" said Nicholas in his slow
lanQuid way, which always did seem to
make him taller and more broad-shoul d
cred than ever. He was handome fel-
low, with his fresh color, his white
orehead, his grizzled curling hair in
tight rings like that of an old Greek
head, his teeth cleaning from under
the dark mustache when he smiled.
didn't see how. she could help being at
tracted to him, being-being in love
with him, yon know. "How many scars
| II, lo 1oI
she want you to wear your uniform and
your bandages all the timer" And then
his eyes flashed, he thrust his fingers
through the gray rings, and l saw
where a bullet had plowed its way
among them. "That was my ticket to
four months of Inconsistencies in a
hospital" =" he cried. And then he pulled
up the cuff from his right wrist, and
drew his fingers across an indentation
there. "That lost me my sword-arm, !"
he said. "What more does she wantP
Shall tell her ball made this dimple
in my chimp that l carry the five
f wounds about mep | suppose if took
off both arms and both legs every night,
, she would have me out of hand"
"No. she wouldn't" / said. "She
wouldn't have you unless you were tall
] slender fellow whose eyelashes were
burned off, whose face was covered to
the eyes by torn visor above and by
: a brown beard below, who kissed her
. hand. and wore an odd silver-set dia-
, mond crest on his-I saw it-and whom
{ she has set up in her shrine for ever and
3 ever. Why, Cousin Nicholas. what is
) the matter with youP" For he had sud
5 denly burst into the gayest, and most
uproarious laugh. You had better
, tell me, so that can laugh too" said,
| oh n al
! but deciding that l could not be vexet /
! with Cousin Nicholas. "I've no doubt
: she'll think better of you when tell her
a about your scars" l said.
. "When you tell her about my scars =
| he exclaimed, so that l started and
4 trembled. "Open your lips to her about
o them, you blessed little chatterboX, and
. I'll kill you! If she won't care for me
, without scars, she sha'n't care for me
: at ALI"
I "Well. declare, never" began
o "Just take me to mamma, if you please
G If Paul heard you speaking so to his
a "Hang Paul! Hush hushW he said
: drawing my hand through his arm anc
It holding it. " You have made me hap
= pier tonight than you ever can again.
e 81 think everybody has gone crazy! J
! l cried. And then, instead of his tax
b ing me to mamma, Cousin Nicholas
: arm slid round my waist and he was
1 whirling me roun d the room to the mad
n dening waltz music in a way tha
y mamma asserted atterward was utterly
l. inexcusable, and that Romaine declared
; took her breath away. 81 should neve
/, have thought it of you," she said.
l. Dear meW l answered; "you don
s suppose he's going to go signing like
n furnace for you forever, when you"
,e "When / whatP"
3, "HaVe refused him twenty times"
&c "I've never had the chance to refus
l. him once. don't want to have it
i You're afraid you'd accept him
le miss, exclaimed.
N " don't want to accept him."
v, "You'd accept him quickly enough
ID he was slender young officer with
s, face hidden by bright brown bear
e, and smooches and smirches of powder
te driving his soldiers out of the house
of the first man thatever kissed your hanC
ut Miss Romaine, with an old silver-set di,
mond ring on his. You needn't think
l's hadn't any eyes, if wasn't but six yeal
,d old, or any memory, or any faculty
H. putting two and two together"
as Oh, how can you be so cruel!" 81
IL cried, hiding her face in her hands.
cd "Pm not cruel" / said. It's yC
s.: that are cruel, and silly too. Cous
nd Nicholas is worth a dozen of that te
he low that you set up for yourself to bO
II down to- Don't you suppose Cous
Of Nicholas would have driven the soldie
We out, and have kissed your hand tOoP"
m Nicholas, where bullets were fl
". ing"
IN. "Yes, where bullets were flying, al
no riddled with them, besides. And "
lly don't deserve him, that you don't,
ess YOU are beautiful. But, oh do q
rs, clare, Romaine, when you are so pt
yu- fectly lovely, and he does love you
for you to-"
l. "How do you know he loves me s
nd He never said it."
Did AS if there were no other spec
us than Just so many words | can't $
ith how you can be so unieeling."
sh- - never said was unteeling."