The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-06-23

old mantel lpiece-don't laugh at me,
Elsiel just a week ago / sat here,
thinking of Harry's troubled face when
he left me in the morning, wondering
why he was so late, and listening to the
wind moaning drearily outside, when
suddenly fancied / heard loud, pierre
ing shrek; the windows ratified vio-
lently, the whole house seemed to shake,
and / heard, yes, really did hear, the
ringing, clinking sound of coins. The
noise appeared to come from the man
telpiece. l glanced toward it, and oh
Elsie, every one of those horrible
streaks and spots, instead of being a dull
yellow, was the brightest crimson; they
looked like fresh blood streaming from
wounds.
"Iwould never have believed l could
have been so frightened; if my hair
didn't stand on end, it was only because
my net held it too tight, and for one mo-
ment / fully expected to see the old
mans ghost on the heart-stone, ready
to protect the solitary memento of his
love-for in my annoyance at my last
failure to remodel it / had been heartily
wishing it away. | sprang from my
seat and flew out of the room. There
in the hall stood Harry, who had been
carried on in the train to the next sta
ton, and returned home by another
way. Luckily it was too dark for him
to see my white, scared face, and he in
stantly exclaimed: Come quick, Kate,
there is such a strange effect from the
sunset light We went down to the
hall, and he threw the door wide open.
l saw nothing but the same low gray
clouds, the same wan gray atmosphere
that had depressed my spirits all day
long.
" How strangel' he cried. Just as
/ reached the steps the clouds suddenly
parted in the west, and blood-red
light illumi mated everything; trees,
walls, stones, were crimson in the glow.
rushed in to call you and now it has
van shed as instantly as it came. But
how pale you look, Kate Are you illp'
You may imagine that | felt heartily
ashamed of my folly. And yet, scold
myself as may, never can be at ease
in this room when it begins to grow
dusk. l always have horrible fear Of
seeing those yellow spots and streaks
suddenly tuln blood-red again. OF
course it's absurd; nobody knows that
better than |, but | can't help it."
Elsie sat looking thoughtfuliy at her
sisters's bugbear for a few moments,
then her blue eyes flashed with delight,
and clapping her little hands like a
child, she sprang from her chair, ex-
claiming, 81 have it, Kate dear, have
it, Just the very idea. Well change
the old mantejpiece completely with.
out using anything but little paint,
and, moreover, not anger the old man s
ghost by even driving nail into the
beloved souvenir of his youth"
g Paint!" asked Kate. deubtfully,
" Pm used to being helped out of diff
culties by your bright ideas. Elsie, dear,
but don't see how paint"
Don't youP" interrupted her sister,
quickly. - OF course not, else it would
be your idea, not mine Listen quietly
then, to my superior isdom''-draw
ing up her pretty figure with an air OF
mock dignity as she SPOKE" and I'll
elucidate. You remember the pair ol
Sorrento brackets l brought home, anC
which you admired so much yester-
dayP"
"Yes; but what have they to do with
my bugbearP"
Didn't you say the inlaid-work
looked like paintingp"
Yes"
"Well, then, here is my idea, my
brand-new, bright idea, ever so much
easier to carry out than my wise sis
ter's blistering of fingers and hammer
ing of thumbs. You see the long mar
row panel over the hearthP"
Eyes"
"And the two oblong panels, one or
each side, and the little square panels
above themP"
/ "Well, what in the world have they
to do with Sorrento bracketsP"
"Wait minute. You see, too, how
very deeply sunken they are in tn
woodwork, much deeper than l shoul'
think necessary, but just the thing 10
my idea, I'll get very thin pieces o
wood 20 fit over them exactly, pain
lovely garlands of poppies, corn-t1oW
ers and wheat on the long panels
; charming little bouquets on the squar
+ ones, then you can have the rest of tn
|, wood ebonized, and assure you you
, bugbear' will be far from the leas
pretty thing in your drawing-room
Where's your yard-measure, Kate
! and in a second her white fingers wer
, deftly taking the dimensions of tn
! various panels.
/, "The system of modern humbug ha
begun thirty years ago, Kate. III
. mantelpiece isn't half so substantia
: as the work put into the old mansion
I century before. Why, the central pan,
= is really shaky; the wood has warped
. / suppose; perhaps it ratified a littl
the other evening, and your lively inl
: agination made you fancy you heard I'll
y chink of money"
Perhaps so. I'm ready to adm
. anything in sheer gratitude for beir
q delivered from the sight of those horr
4 BILE streaks and splashes. You're
q Jewel of a sister, Elsie, and Harry
y dear old fellow will be as delightt
= as am. know he has been on Il
! point of telling me to have it tax
o away dozen times; then the recolle
s tion of his uncle's last words stopp,
q him. wouldn't have had it demolishe
70 much as it has tormented me, but yo
n idea will make complete transform
,e tion. Yes, it will be lovely. can s
10 it in 'my minds eye already"
" " And you shall see it in reality in
II days. l sha begin as soon as / {
an home tomorrow, and work like II
or Jan to deliver you from your ghost
Misinns Such q funny thing for W