The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-03-02
QUEER VALENTINE.
=" Plishkin, plushkin, pelican gee,
We think no birds 30 fluffy as we,
Plishkin, plushkin, pelican gill,
We think SO them wa ahou0ht, a,

| fHshk1n, pluBhk1n, pelican gee,
| We think no birds 30 fluffy as we,
| Plishkin, plushkin, pelican gill,
| We think so then we thought so still. ,
Gertrude Winthrop looked rather be-
| wildered as these sounds issued from the
door which the servant opened for her.
| !" They're rum ones" whispered the
girl.
Two children were hopping about
the room rs they sang The strange glib
bellsh given above. One was q keen,
sallow-faced boy of nine; the other q
| pretty, fair-haired girl of seven. The
boy had hat on with bunch of di-
lapidated cocks feathers in it. The girl
wore long ostrich plume, and various
scraps of red flannel pinned here and
there on her dress.
On, hallol we're pelicans," cried
the boy, in no way abashed; "that's
the pelican chorus."
You're precious pickles, that's wot
| you are. said Jane. "Ifever see sich
| limbs Of the -"
She hesitated out of respect for the
stranger.
Gertrude surveyed her charges, and they
IN tnrn bestowed on her an unfinching
store.
What are your namesp" she asked,
and teach you, you know"
Golly said the boy, wouldn't it
be larks if you never found outl-then
| you couldn't call us, you know. And
II you cidn't call us we wouldn't have
to come"
+" but can easily find out" !" said Ger
trude, with laugh; $50 you had better
be gentlemanly and answer my ques-
| tom
my names Roderick, but they call
me Rod. Her names Nina, but call
her Ninny, COS she's a mbskuIl-all
girls are numbskulls.
=, Ilis is your room, ma'am," ex-
clains d Jane. opening door and going
Ia When Gertrude stood at her side
size turned the key.
Seel you kin do this when you want
! TO be alone; and you'll bless themin-
I'm goin' to leave to-morrer
-as give waEnen regular-an' my life
wore out with them two young imps--
savin' your presense-which you'll tind
EN- out, soon enough; and | wouldn't
prejudice you agin 'em beforehand; and
that cantankerous old cat, either, down
below-oh, they're a sweet lot"
Hush l'' said Gertrude. 81 cannot
listen TO such"
Well, I'll say good word for Master
Eric" said turning to go; 'he
knows how to treat :. poor girl. He's a
gentleman-more the pity he's to be
thrown away on that fiibberty gibbet
Miss Francia, as is no better nor a."
There, there ]" cried Gertrude, as
the children were pummeling at the
door, you may go now-thank you"
There were two or three scratched up
Tor he oil n oil,
over which strange maps had been
smeared with ink and red paint.
= Well. koderick." she said, turning
to her little subjects, who had most mu-
tinous faces, 4" Whist do you studyPn
Obi when / feel like study, / like
Roman history best. I'm goin' to be a
heather and worship Jupiter / built
an altar to him the other day; got one
Of trancia Dormeres white boxes, and
printed Jupiter Ave lmperatore' on it.
and made Pile of sticks and matches,
and poured cologne over 1t for incense,
and, golly how it burned That was
saorltice, you see; and Irancia says
she II sacrifice me the next time med
die with her things. said TO her:
trancia you've got no feeling Tor Ro-
man hiatory.''
am heather, too, cried Nina.
cried Rod, as If he were hurlipg at hera
most opprobrious epithet.
III won't bea Christian all aloner'
cried Nina, with roar.
" Hnlloi What's tberumpusP What's
the rowP" cried good-natured voice,
and a very handsome young man en-
tered rather hurriedly, ana stopped
short at the sight of Gertrude
They want to be heathens," said
Gertr de, with an embarrassed smile.
Well, venture TO say it would be
hard to lind two greater young heathens
in our enlightened country. Excuse me
for bursting in so upeermoniously. l
wanted TO quench tnese y ungsters'
noise. My mother"
"Oh, / forgot" answered Gertrude,
nervously; she especially spoke of her
dislike to noise. In little time shall
iearn-"
Uric was forgetting eVerything-eye
the two young savages W no WeresWarm-
ing up on bim-in looking at the won
derful beauty o. this young girls face.
Surely. If Mrs. Chumleigh had seen that
face IN anything bnt the half darkness
in which she delighted, she would never
have brought Gertrude Winthrop into
he house.