The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-10-24


horse SHE'D in the moonlight and
threw him with his head against a
stone; he left no legacy but the home
stead and debt to his wife and chill
dren. There was gap of twenty
years between Charlotte and the twin
babies, and she really had third in
FAINT on her hands, for the mother was
nothing more useful than that after
her husbands death. She was not
feeble-minded exactly, but painfully
gentle-strange and unaccountable.
Charlotte shouldered her burdens
with brave heart. Her French ac-
cent-for Grandfather Brantome's
blood had never filtered through Can
a-brought her employment in a
school in the town near by. The long
walks back and forth kept the roses
blooming in her cheeks, the boys were
good-sometimes-and she, being busy,
was happy. 1t requires leisure to be
successfully miserable.
The burying-ground typified to her
the " daily martyrdom of private life"
And now looking at it, her heart grew
light. The new hat would cost but a
trife. Surely there were more straw
berries ripe in the garden, the canary
would lay more eggs, the jacket could
be mended, and old Speckle had proved
superior to the fish-hook.
But what could the boys be scream
ing about2
"The bug-man the bug-man !" they
were shouting, trotting toward her
with all their might on their sandy
little feet. 1t was certainly strange.
Why should stranger call twice? !?
That he should come once was not sur
prising-but twice?
owe showed him your photograph"
said Popsey, "and he said you didn't
look like old maid bit"
"And he said" went on the other
terrible infant without pause, wasn't
we proud to have such nice sister he
wished he had and he had such lot
of bugs he puts them to sleep with
medicine and sticks pins through 'em
and he has a gold watch and he let us
wind it up and we told him to come
again some more and here he is? ?"
Charlotte was speechless, but in
some way she found herself rising to
her feet to greet gentleman who was
taking off his hat to her and bowling
with grace which even Grandfather
Brantome would have approved.
Miss Brantome, | believe"
She acquiesced in silence.
al am gathering materials for an
historical work, and was directed to
you for information concerning the
antiquities of this region. And [
might as well say now that l have
references and all that sort of thing"
"Then you are not" She stopped;
he smiled.
"No, [ am not exactly bug-man,
as these little fellows have called me,
although l must plead guilty to a slight
leaning in that direction. Yet just
now l would ioyfully part with the
biggest bugs Of my collection if in ex-
change 1 might examine your grand
fathers papers"
He was so gracefully genial that one
could no more be absurdly dignifed
with him than with the golden robin
singing on the Indian cross.
"Will you walk in?"
81 will sit out here instead if you
will permit me-"
So Popsey and Wopsey dragged
chair and then stood motionles and
wonder-eyed, listening to the talk of
discovery and adventure. They did
not understand it very well until the
conversation turned to Indian lore.
Indians and bears they could compre-
hend. Then the mother, attracted by
Il strange voice, drew near the door in
her melancholy, wavering way.
"The postmaster's wife thought that
La Sale was an Indian chief" Char
lotte was saying, "and she had heard
of Father Marquette, but supposed
him the priest down at La Paz.'
81 met woman the other day who
thought herbarium was a bug" re-
marked Mr.. Duncan. Then they
laughed.
But everything comes to an end,
The boys began dumb show behind
the strangers back to indicate to their
sister that they were perishing of
hunger so she let the conversation
lag in order to end the call. "Come to-
morrow ana see Jne papers IL you ike,
she said at will be Saturday, and l
shall be at home to answer questions.
He thanked her and withdrew,
jumping over the rail fence which
skirted the field of rye in order to get
a near view of the cross, on which not
one, but a dozen, golden robins were
holding a vesper conclave. And the
tea-kette was soon singing in the
BrantOme kitchen a song as gay as
that Of the robins, and Charlotte was
not her usual careful self as she picked
the strawberries for tea
"Half of them green" said the dis
gusted Wopsey. "'Spect She think
ing Of the bug-man."
Y 4
1t certainly was astonishing how
much consulting the Brantome manu-