The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-05-05
MISS MAHoNEYS LACE.

They we're having a very good time
at the farm, rs pleasant party of gay
girl graduates as could well be put 10.
Rether, when Miss Mahoney arrived
upon the scene Of action, and her an
pearance was certainly Ikea wet blanket
on all pleasure.
The farm was ON a mountain-side.
high up in air; all below 1t a great
amphithealer of lesser hills, mellow wed
IN distance and vapors till they looked
like the waves of a purple sea, with
now and then mighty rainbows SPAN
ming them; and all above IL the lofty
tops of hills, whose woods here featI-
cred off upon the morning sky. and
whose crags there jutted sharply IN the
stars at night. The air was full of the
song of birds, the rustic of leaves, the
hum Of bees and the rushing of water
ialls, and it seemed to the happy young
things that they were somewhere above
the world--in an ideal region from
which no voice could summon them.
But. for all that, a sharp voice called
when Miss Mahoney was heard at the
door, and the cruel common world burst
in behind her.
She came in the noon stage, and she
brought such tons of luggage! That
had to come on another. What did she
mean to do with it at the farm, where
linen lawn was full dressp And she
had a collie dog, and huge cage with
a maggie in it, and the magpie chatte.e ed
like tie confusion of tongues. Miss
Mahoney stopped at the door, opene
the cage, and let the magpie go. "He
comes back at call, said she to Mrs.
Pierson, our landlady, who hardly
looked with kindness on the bird of
vii % ~. "a a., /.
make his nest, and so let him have it
all the summer-city life is so confining.
And Laddie keeps an eyeon him" But
we ali embraced Laddie" at once. as
he put up his pretty nose and tender
brown eyes to our faces, and the collie
became the best friend Of all the youno
girls. that day, particularly of the pref
tier ones, for he had quite a taste in
beauty; he seemed to know that there
was not gallant about the place. and
he might be escort to the whole party if
he would, and he presently attached
himself so pertinaciousIy to Adele
Montrose that Jane Hunt said she
should have toshow him Philips picture
next, and tell Laddie that Philip was
coming in month. a.
Miss Mahoney came down to tea in
regal array. No such garments had
ever - seen at the farm as her pur-
pie striped velvet gauzes, with their
satin under stuff. AS for her string of
pearls, perhaps they were only Roman;
but II they were real, they were worth
more than the farm and then the lace
shawl which she knotted up round her
throat as they sat on the piazza look |
ing at the sunset more underneath than
above them, "as If it had been Shetland
wool, said Jane, when it was price
less Brussels net
But she has oceans of lace" said
Miss Meyer. opened her door by
mistake as she was unpacking, anu !
there 1t was, some in boxes and trays, |
and some over chairs. What with laces |
and Jewels, the room looked like the |
milky way
She'll think we are a set of bar |
barians, said Adele. with her quick |
blush, : with hardly so much as a
tucker"
And we shall think her a vulgar
parvenue, bringing such things to such |
a place, said Jane.
She's not nouVeau richie, at any |
rate, answered Miss Meyer. q For she |
isn't rich at ALL Mrs. Pierson knows |
about her. She inherited all her fine !
things from some relation or other, and |
has only enough money to live on and |
when $40 wants to do something ex-
travagant, like coming to the noun
tains, for instance, she sells pearl or
a bit of lace"
Miss Mahoney, of course, became an |
object of study to the girls, and was al |
ways accompanied in her progress by
some awe and more ridicule-the !
former as the pOssessor of finery that |
somehow went TO their hesrts every |
time they saw it or heard of it, the lat |
ter as woman past forty, tall and an
gular and ugly and ignorant, aping the |
appearance and manners of young girls. |
1 wonder how she came by Ladder" |
said Adele, one day.
She gave a jewel for him, said Miss