The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-10-05
HELEN HYDE's GOOD DEED.

eyes" said the doctor, solemnly,
"she shows every indication of going
into decline. Rest, relaxation, change
OF air and scene-that's what she ought
to havep
Mrs. Dardanel looked perturbed.
"Dear, DEAR" she said, "what a pity.
And she's quite pet of mine, too, dear
little thing. She is very quick with her
needle, and really ingenious-and the
way she puts trimmings on dress posi-
lively reminds one Of Madam Antoine
herself"
"The Seaside cottage would be the
place for her." suggested DIR. Midland.
You are one of the lady patronesses,
/ believe, and"
eyes. bnt the Seaside cottage is full, ,"
said Mrs Durdanel. "Not an inch of
room unoccupied. had note from
the matron yesterday !"
!" All, indeed ?" said the doctor, FUN
bling with his watch-seals. "Unfor
tunate-very."
"But," cried Mrs. Dardanel, an idea
. suddenly occurring to her much be-
puffed and befrizzed head, "there is
Mrs. Daggett's farm, a few miles further
down the shore. Sue takes boarders
for five dollars a week, and j believe il
is very nice place. If you think it ad-
visable will take months board for
the girl there. really feel as If the
dear little thing belonged to me-"
Gan excellent plan, madam, an excel
lent plan" said the doctor, oracularly.
"I have no doubt but that month of
sea air would make quite a different
person of her"
Helen Hyde could scarcely believe
her own ears when Mrs. Dardanel beam
ingly announced her intentions.
"The seashore |" she cried, her pale
face flushing all over, "the real sea |!
Oh, Mrs. Dardanel, have dreamed of
it all my life. And for a whole bright,
long summer month Oh, how shall l
ever thank you'll"
"By getting we'll and strong as fas
as you can," said Mrs. Dardanel, really
touched by the girls innocent enthusi-
asm. "And here is ten dollar bill for
you," she added, with smile. "You
may need some little trifie of dress, or
there may be a drive or picnic or an
excursion going on, in which you will
want to participate. No, you shall not
give it back-it is a present from me,
and 1 choose that you shall keep it."
Helen Hydes heart beat high with
delightGyhen first she saw the Daggett
farmhouse, a long, low, red building,
with an immense stack of chimneys, O
cluster of outrageous maple trees gal
landing it about with shade, and door
yard full of sweet, old-fashioned flowers
while in full sight of the windows the
Atlantic flung its curling crests of foam
along the shingly shore. Mrs. Daggett
welcomed her warmly; she had beer
Mrs. Dardanel's housekeeper once, an6
knew the value of that patronage
"Tve Just one room left, my dear,
said she: "Under the caves of thu
house. It's rather small, but it's fur
nished comfortably, and there's tin'
view of the ocean. l could have givel
you better accommodations if had re
ceived Mrs. DardaneIs letter a da,
earlier. But four young ladies, teacher
in the Ixwood institute, came yesterday
and I'm sleeping on a sofa myself in tn
parlor. But we'll make you as snug a
possible, and the very first good-sizeC
room that is vacated you shall have"
And Helen was very happy in her lit
tie nook, from whose easement sh
could see the sparkling plain OF the sea
all dotted with white sails.
Mrs. Daggett was a driving, enel
getic business woman. Farmer Dagget
vas a vacant, honest-faced man, VIII
invariably fell asleep of an evening
With his chair tipped back against tn
Eall-and every available inch of tn
house was filed with summer boarderi
mostly ladies'. There were only thre
masculine appendages to the house bC
sides its master "a superannuate
clergyman, whose parishioners clubbe
together every summer to treat him
six weeks vacation-a literary man {
large aspirations and small incom
who had come thither for rest and OF
portunity to study up the " skeleton
for his next novel, and old Mr.. Mifflir
1t was some time before Helen HyC
fairly comprehended who old Mr.. Mi
fin was. A bowed, bent over little ma
with silver hair curling over the coll
of his coat, ruffied shirt like the pi
lures of our Revolutionary forefatheI
and dim blue eyes which glistened fro
behind silver spectacles, he shuffied
and oat to his meals after an apologet