The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-12-08

as he was leaving. "I want you to
promise me one thing"
"Pl see, said Huldah.
"I want you to give me your sacred
word of honor that if Colonel Lowell and
Miss Caroline ever get married, you'll
marry me the same day"
"Lor, yesl" Huldah laughed, "and
I'll do better than that, Seth. I'll
promise to be your wife the day Colonel
Lowell steps foot into thu Ehouse, or the
day Miss Caroline steps foot in his"
"All right" said Seth, -"but suppose
he is brought in, instead of stepping
IMP"
81 don't care hang how he comes,"
Huldah replied, "but that day shall see
you and me one, and I'm safe enough in
promising it, too, Seth Smith"
Seth walked off still laughing, and
Miss Caroline, as she sat before the
library fire, felt more alone than ever.
Within the past five years her father,
mother and sister had been taken away
by death, and tonight of all nights since
these terrible events, she seemed to her.
self most wretched and lonely.
The next day but one was Thanksgiv-
ing, and Miss Caroline nerved herself to
meet this holiday with all the courage
and philosophy she could bring to her
aid. There used to be great feasting
and me1riment in the Wyndham man.
sion on such occasions, but the mistress
of this beautiful home could not bring
herself yet to open its doors for the old
fashioned hospitalities.
"I was in hopes you wouldn't cry to-
day." said Huldah, Thanksgiving morn
ing, as her mistress entered the dining
room. Goodness me! my mullins are
as light as feathers, and the coffee is
unusual good, and seems to me this last
ham we cut beats the rest all hollerl
Now, I'm going to broil you nice bit
of tenderloin. Say, don't cry-there's
dearie!" and Huldah patted Miss Caro-
lines shoulder and wept herself, as she
got heap to be thankful for, Miss Caro-
line, after ALL" Huldah added, with q
little protest in her voice.
eyes, I know it," replied Mise Caro-
line, wiping her eyes. 'I have mullins
and ham to be thankful for, and little
more money and land than my neigh
bors," she added, bitterly, and then
81 don't mean that I haven't anything,
Huldah, for as long as have you, [
can't be quite desolate."
Good gracious" exclaimed Huldah
GIVE got lump in my throat as big's
loaf of bread!" and, as she left the din
| ing-room, "You know, Miss Caroline,
that when 1 get to shifting there amt
no stopping me-"
Miss Caroline went to church that
morning, and as she walked up the aisle
to the Wyndham pew, there were no
traces of tears on her face, and her bear
ing was as proud and queenly as if, as
many thought, her wealth and position
entirely satisfied her. After the service
was over she greeted her friends and
acquaintances kindly, and then got into
her carriage and was driven quickly
| home.
"Perhaps it would have been better" +"
she moaned to herself, in her great lone
illness, ''to have taken somebody home
to dinner with me. But how could I
make them happy with this heavy heart
! of mine?"
When the carriage stopped at the
front gate, Seth was on hand to open
the door,
"Good sermon, Miss Caroline?" he
asked
"I don't know, Seth," she answered,
'for 1 believe didn't hear a word of
it."
"That's pretty way to go to church,
herTcompanion laughed, land added, care
lessly, "Say, Miss Caroline, you've got
company to dinner to-day"
Chow many?" the lady asked, in an
absent sort of a way
"Only one, Miss Caroline" Seth re-
piled, "and he's making himself easy
afore the library fire. You needn't be
in hurry, if you've got any fixing up
to do"
Just here Seth lodged round the cor
ner of the house, and when Miss Caro-
line called upon him to come back he
didn't reply, and the lady walked into
the house like one in q dream. Very
slowly and deliberately she removed
her things, and then stepped into the
parlor, which room communicated with
the library. The folding-doors were
partly open, and the first thing that
met the lady's longing eyes were a pair
of crutches standing in an angle of the
mantel A little further, and there, in
her favorite lolling g-chair, reclined the
man whom all those long years she had
so faithfully loved. Her step was as
light as a fawns, but Colonel Lowell
heard it, and was prepared for her com,
ing. Stepping behind his chair, Miss
Caroline placed tender hand on each
of his cheeks, and kissing his forehead
said, softly, between a sob and a laugh
"My dear, 1 thank God you have
come at last"
Kneeling beside him with her faiI
head on his breast, and his loving arms
round her, the colonel said: "Seth
brought me to dine with you. Did you
know it, my darling?"