The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-12-08
TIONESTA, PA, DEC. 8, 1873

don't believe the Old Harry himself has
got horse in his stable that'u come up
to Nero for viciousness. If you'd only
held your tongue she'd helped me make
some cake, and been as peaceable as you
please. Now she's all worked up"
"Tm glad of it," said Seth. cts
time somebody was worked up, and if
you could see the colonel you'd think
SO, too"
"But amt the colonel as much to
blame as Miss Caroline ?" Huldah in
quired; "and more, too. Didn't he
break the engagement himself ?"
eyes, said Seth, " of course he did.
'Tisn't likely an honest, square-minded
man like Colonel Lowell, would expect
woman to stick to an engagement with
cripple for life, is it? But I'm just as
sure as if I'd him say so, that he never
thoug t. Miss Caroline would take him
at his word. She thinks he wanted to
get of her, so there's pair of idiots
toget' er."
Seth went out to the stable, saddled
Nero, and brought him round to the
fro of the house. Miss Caroline had
scarlet spot on each cheek, as she
walked down the hawthorn -hedged path
to the gate where Seth waited.
"Johp wasn't anywhere round," said
Seth, apologizing, quite humbly, for
doing the lady kindness; "and so [
brought the horse round myself. Shall
[ give you mount, Miss Caroline ?"
Yes; thank you, Seth," she renlied,
springing at once to the saddle, and
while her companion held the snorting
and impatient Nero, Miss Caroline drew
on and buttoned her gauntlet gloves.
Il don't know but this beast will be
the death of you sometime, Miss Caro-
line !" Seth remarked, as he stepped out
of the way of the dangerous hoofs.
"Oh, well," the lady replied, "if he
is, there's one good thing, there won't
be any one to care very much about it. :"
This was said with child's petu-
lance, but the tender look in the deep,
gray eyes, and round the lips, which
would tremble in spite of all her efforts,
touched her companion to the heart.
"Seth," she broke out again, before
he could collect his wits to reply, "you
are always talking to me or at me, which
means the same thing, only it is vastly
more disagleeable, about Colonel Lowell,
and as if were in some way response
bic for all that has happened to him.
Now, want to tell you one thing, and
I hope you will remember it sufficiently
to spare me in the future, and it is this,
I am no more to blame for Colonel
LovelPs being alone and unhappy either
in the past or in the present time, than
I am for the wounds which have made
him an invalid all these years. If he
had allowed me, I should have been
with him, not as a duty, but because I
couldn't be anywhere else in any COM
fort; but could not force myself upon
Colonel Lowell, Seth. You have heard,
of course, that he broke the engagement.
1 have given everybody to understand
this, because I could not allow my
friends to suppose that would be mean
enough to desert him in his great aff1ic-
tion. Since this cruel letter, Seth, by
means of which he broke his promise
and mine, he has never sent me a mes
sage or written me line. Now, do you
think you understand the case enough,
Seth, to stop speaking of Colonel Lowell
to me p
These last words rang out in such a
wall of anguish, that Seth's eyes filed
with tears. Miss Caroline gave him no
time to reply, for she took up her reins,
and Nero and his rider were off like the
wind. 1t wasn't but q few moments
before she came galloping back over,the
meadows, and through the orchard, and
so up to the kitchen door.
Where's Seth ?" she asked of HUI
dah, refining Nero in with great diff
Guilty.
"He didn't come in again after he
took the horse round" Huldah replied,
and, before she could say any more,
Nero was wheeled around and bounded
off in the direction of Seth's cottage, a
quarter of mile up the hill.
All that day Miss Caroline was rest
less and nervous. She was obliged to
return without finding Seth, and so she
wandered up and down the great house
without any apparent motive except to
kill time, and when Huldah asked her if
she wouldn't help her with the cake, she
replied that there was cake enough in the
house, and half an hour afterward en-
tered the kitchen, with her white cook
ing apron on, to try new rule.
That evening when Seth came round,
Miss Caroline sent for him to come to
the library.
"I never thought this morning, Seth,
to tell you," she began, with averted
face, that what 1 said at that time was
in the stlictest confidence rode back
to try and find you, for began to be
worried five minutes after 1 left you"
"I hope you don't think would ever
do anything to hurt you, Miss Caro-
line ?" Seth replied, deprecatingly.
"I didn't think you would intend to,
Seth" the lady explained, "but 1 didn't
know but your desire to do me a service
might render you indiscreet. You
understand now, Seth, that your lips are
always to be sealed in regard to that
foolishness?"
eyes, Miss Caroline" Seth responded.
"Tll never speak another word about il