The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-12-01

saw her take key from her pocket and
enter.
''She boards there" he thought.
What can have happenedF'
That evening the servant announced
to Laura that ga gentle1nan-an old
friend-was in the parlor, and would like
TO see her" Laura went down. wonder
ing who it could be, and was little
abashed when she met Gerald.
"You are no doubt surprised to see
me-" he said, as he greeted her cor
daily and asked her to be seated.
And then he told of seeing her that
afternoon, and how anxious he was to
meet her. care you staying with friends
here~ he inquired.
And Laura explained all the changes
that had taken place, and told him that
now she was teaching music.
cit was the only thing that could do;
and would not burden Aunt Bel with
the care of me, although she wished me
to remain with her"
Gerald listened with surprise to the
recital, and conld scarcely make himself
believe that the quiet, lsdy-like girl be-
fore him was the same young miss, full
OF petulant willfulness, that he knew a
few months before
"I take it that you are very fond of
musicy he said, after she had finished
telling her story.
'1 love it dearly"
''Will you allow me to accompany you
to the opera of LES Huguenots' next
Thursday EVENING"" he asked.
Laura assented gladly, and on that
night was treated to the greatest pleasure
of her life. Gerald enjoyed the music,
but he enjoyed her delight more.
"Oh, it is grander than anything that
J. ever conceived Of" she said, when, be-
tween the. acts, she could bring herself
to speak.
During the remainder of the winter,
Gerald was frequently in her company;
and the admiration that he felt for her
the first evening that he saw her in the
city constantly increased.
The last quarter was just begun, when,
one evening, he sat again with her in
the parlor. She had been speaking of
the great pleasure she anticipated from
the coming vacation, when Gerald said,
in half-laughing way:
Laura, do you remember a remark
you made the last time visited your
Aunt Bel?"
Instantly the hot blood erimsoned
her face, and tears filed her eyes, as she
said:
"Oh, Gerald, how could you! I did
not think you would ever speak of it
again"
'Laura, forgive me. I wouldn't, if I
thought you cared so much" and then,
taking both her hands within his own,
and, with all the laughing light gone
from his face, he said Laura, then 1
did not care; smiled when 1 heard
your remark that morning. But L do
care now more than. 1 could ever tell.
Would you say the same thing againY
1t was very happy face, but one on
which there were still traces of tears,
that looked into his few moments
later. But there was mischief in her
tones, as she said:
81 thought you did not think of
marrying any one just yet?"
Laura, the first night that 1 met you
here, could not help thinking how the
wheel of fortune moves around. About
the same time that you lost your prop
erty, rich relative of mind died, and
left me all his money, which was con-
siderable. And 1 am now junior part
ner in the firm where for years had
been bookkeeper."
Laura taught to the end of the quar-
ter, and then went home. But when
she returned in the fall, it was to take
possession of pleasant house all her
own, as Mrs Gerald Brown, and Aunt
Bel came with her. The little house
at Springville was improved and beauti-
fed, and there every summer they spend
some months.