The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-10-19

quick, Jennie; there's some mistake"
Poor Jennie could only give a little
moan of pain for answer. Her ankle
was beginning to hurt her badly. Lit
tie as her moan was John was near
enough to catch it, for that instant we
heard his anxious voice calling:
"Girls Phoebe, Jennie, are you
thereP There was silence for a min
ute, then I spoke out: eyes, John,
we're here, and we want you"
You want mel What is the mat
ter? What made you run away from
me? got out as fast as l could to
catch up with you"
Dear how troubled, and how kind,
and how full of comfort too, his famil-
lar old voice sounded.
"Pm so glad you've come !" cried.
"Jennie is hurt"
"Jennie-hurt ~
All, you should have heard the tone
of his voice when he said that; almost
felt as if 1 ought not to be there to hear
it; why, there couldn't have been more
feeling in his voice if she had been his
sister and mother and wife and child all
in one
1 guess John was pretty we'll worn
out with what he had gone through at
McCreery's, to say nothing Of having
wanted Jennie's company all the even
ing and missed it. And sometimes to
be tired out and sacrificed in the service
of others softens and opens q persons
heart before he knows it.
He knelt down beside Jennie and lit a
match to look at her. I hope it was not
wrong for me to have taken glance at
the two faces that match lighted up
Johns so troubled and devoted, and
Jennie's scratched and fearful, pitiful,
wistful, questioning.
He spoke right out like q man to the
silent cry of the heart. "My darling"
he said-"my darling, what is the mat
ter ?"
That was more than she could bear
Just then; she wavered as she sat, and
fell back in q dead fsint. John sprang
to raise her head, and ran to the brook
to sop my handkerchief with water to
bathe her face. I begged John to let
me run home at once and send the
wagon. 1t was plain he could not bear
| to leave her, and | ran off as fast as
could.
I was back again before the horse
could be harnessed, bringing with me
cam?hor and cologne. But Jennie had
recovered her senses before arrived.
heard her talking in low voice to John
before l reached them. What he said
to her I do not know, but she was meek
enough now-as humble and grateful as
possible when we lifted her into the
wagon and got her home.
And how heroic she was while the
doctor was setting her ankle. At least
j they all said she was heroic ; but it is
my private belief she did not feel the
least pain for sheer happiness, and
therefore there was no virtue whatever
in her keeping as still as a lamb.
I told her the next day that she die
not deserve her happiness, and she
owned she did not. 1 asked her if she
Was not ashamed that 1, who was only
his friend, had stood up for John more
stanchly, in my mind, than she who wat
his lady-lovc.
1t was only an accident, his appear
ing with Jessie at the choir meeting
A young man from Woodville had beer
over to meet her and detained her unit
it was late. On his way home he hat
brought her in his buggy as far as tn
church, and left her in the vestibule
Right there she had met John, and haC
made as much of the opportunity a
she knew how.
Would you like to hear what els
John did that night? When we hat
brought the doctor and gone again OF
, errands to the druggists, and the
, stayed by till he could learn that Jenni
was made as comfortable as possible TO
/, the night, without saying anything t
anybody he got lantern and went t
search for that unhappy COW. H
,, found her, drove her home, and shu
! her into Mrs. McCreery's yard. TIL
poor woman did not know till Ion
afterward who had done her the kind
I ness. -SprinGfeld Republican.