The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-01-18
NEW YEAR CHOICE,

One might think, who saw her life,
that few people led lonelier life than
Nina Prentice did. An orphan with
narrow means, keeping up her dead
fathers house, there was little visible
excitement in such an existence. Yet
hers was temperament that did not
require excitement, and that found hap
piness where others would not dream
of looking for it. Her garden and her
flowers were like household to her;
the poor all over the little hill.t af-
forded her occupation; she visited
somewhat among a few wealthy ac-
quaintances; and, for the rest, il she
had such day dreams as other young
girls are wont to indulge, no one was
any wiser for them.
Nobody knew that her friends father,
the wealthy Mr.. Barnes, had made her
a standing offer Cf marriage any time
within the last three years; nobody
knew from her that Bryce Hanscom
went out TO u Mexican ranch because
she had no smiles 10 give him; nobody
knew whether Harold Hartley's face
sver glanced out Of the windows of her
castles In the air; pobady knew whether
one New Years doy she looked forward
to the next With any wonder as to what
IL. might bring her of sorrow or Joy
She was so sweet, 80 silent, so gentle,
that people in general knew no more
of her emotions than of those of the
statue OF some saint in its churchly
niche.
Yet it was only on the last New Years
evening that. il any one had been able
to look behind her curtains, they would
have seen her on her knees before the
low blaze of her fire., crying ae if her
heart would break, burying her face in
her hands and longing for the night
when " this fever called living . should
be over at last.
"New Years and New ears |" she
sobbed. "Ahl how can l bear an
other so alonel"
Perhaps Mrs. Hartley, her mothers
old intimate, had some faint idea Of the
fire that burned under this crust of
snow. But Mrs. Hartley was not en-
tirely impartial In her Judgment of the
girl, and it was her morning and even
il & prayer that Nina should at some day
stand III closer relation to her than
she did at present. But, as that would
be impossible without her son Harold's
intervention, she left no stone unturned
to that end. Mrs. Hartley thought she
knew a great deal better what was good
for her son then he did; and when she
had made up her mind that he had
better marry Nina Prentice, it was be-
cause she consulted his best welfare
possibly without complete regard to
Nina's. She knew that Harold, although
so affectionate. was of high temper;
and that Nina had inexhaustible stores
Of still patience, and that that still pa
thence would await the time when he
should come back to her, no longer the
knight errant, spurred by restless
nature, but quiet and dignifed gentle.
man, ready to take his fathers honored
place in the community. Her ap.
proaches in the question were exceed
lngly gentle; yet not so gentle that
they did not put Harold on his guard,
80 that he was like the hunted deer,
shutting the gale afar of.
"Well, mother, thank goodness, u
ne said, with light laugh, on detect
ing her meaning, "that we do not live
IN France, and that you can't go and in.
auire Nina's dot and settle the"
sits q very good dot, Hafold. just
a snug little income to keep the wolf
from the door and satisfy reasonable
wants; and it would be vastly better for
any husband than launching out on the
tremendous fortune of Miss Barnes,
with palaces, so to say, and yachts and
racing horses"
"Just give nae the chance to see it il
It is. Go to Miss Barnes, mother, u
cried Harold, gayly. "Ask the amount
OF her dot, and if your scapegrace of 6
son is worth it. Yachts and racing
horses like the idea"
"Oh, Harold p
"But Miss Barnes is beauty, too
mother, and very sweet and gay. The
man that marries her needn't marry fol
her money at all. She would have loY.
ers if she hadn't penny in her OWL
right. Don't ee marry fur money, but
go wheer money be-" quoted Harold
"Excellent advice, that old northern
farmers. And I'll go where money be
tonight" as he drew on his gloves.
"Don't talk 30, Harold, Don't tall
so, even in jest. Miss Barnes may be
we'll enough, for all 1 know, but hel
money would destroy you, who were
not born to money. You would dc
nothing and come to nothing. But a.
for Nina Prentice, as / said, she's {
saint"
Wouldn't do at all for q wife then
Wives mustn't be too good for human
natures daily food Think Of .reproY