The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-06-20
oh, you needn't look at me like that, ma.

Oh, you needn't look at me like that, ma,
dear children, like good manners,
ought to be found at home-hi, you
Tom, Dick, Harry, ETC., etc. :" and
when at last l have packed them in
the wheezy old cart, and we go laugh
ing, scratching and squalling down the
road, feel like the pied piper of Ham
lein, only there's no hill with wide,
greedy jaws waiting at the end of the
trip-more's the pity
When l have impartially divided
their bowling household gods between
the eight sisters who live so uncom-
fortably near, the sun is sinking be-
hind the trees in a blaze of glorious
yellow. There is long road with
many leafy turnings, that Calico
knows as we'll as l, and while she
dawdles along it with a languid ele-
gance that suits us both, sit, tailor
fashion. in the bottom of the cart,
thinking, thinking needless Of whip
or rein.
l read a story once of a devil-fsh
crawling over the roof of pretty cot
tage by some southern sea. l don't
suppose there was word of truth in
it; but, some way, ever since pa made
clean breast of his troubles, l can't
get that shiny black monster out of
my thoughts night and day. l should
say, indeed, that mortgage like ours
was a trihe the worst OF the two, be-
cause there's only one weapon to fight
it, and where in the world is pa to get
the first red cent Of that terrible
$4,000.
Echo anSwerS-where
If pa had only told me in time, per-
haps 1 might have done something
heroic with my poultry-a flock Of
gray geese did grand things for his
tory once on time--.but no, he kept
as dumb as Cheops, until 1 found it all
out for myself, and no thanks to ally
body.
The way of it was ma started me
down to the meadow one evening last
week to see what pa meant by keeping
supper waiting, and when | found him
leaning against the barn there as quiet
and gray us the shadows, l think the
One who doeth all things well must
have put il into my heart to wake
him up and tell me the matter.
There is no woman in all this big,
glorious world so weak as Samson
with his head shaved, and so he told
me between sobs-I don't ever want
to see my father cry again-how the
big family had gobbled up the small
earnings, how at last there was moth
ing TO do but to borrow money on the
dear, shabby, old place, and now viii
famous bill Of some sort was coming
due
"Never mind. dad" 1 said, come
along to supper; I'll get you out OF
your fix"
l don't think pa realized at the min
ute-and 1 am sure l did not-that ]
had never seen so much as hundred
dollars in all my life together, for he
! followed me home contentedly, put
his head undec the spout while
pumped, and then, with his hand on
my shoulder, went into the house and
eat supper enough for two.
The next day pa was out of his heac
with fever, and now to see hin
prodding about the farm with sticl
in his hand and pain in his back
poor, dear pa! Of course, the frs
thing that suggested itself at his bed
side was blood, and plenty of it-anC
l did saddle Calico and race off t.
murder the mortgage man-but
might have saved myself the trouble
for the vile creature wasn't at home
then l turned the old mares hea(
| toward the family sons-in-law, bu
! there wasn't a husband among then
who had the cash to spare-tbey dom
seem to spare anything quite so con
veniently as children even decide,
| to
"Say, young woman p
am not a coward, but the creatur
who has brought the cart and m,
thoughts to such a sudden halt look
so like some great famished wolf
standing there at Calco's head, that
! shiVer from head to foot, and he sees il
"You needn't be afeard," he gasps
in rasping sort Of whisper.
haven't the strength to harm you j
my will was good for murder-look a
this !"
His eyes turn toward his breast
his right arm lies stifily across it clotte
with something that must be blood
and the fingers look like the flesh of
dead man,
think he understands that l an
sorry for him, for before my heart ca
jump back to its right place again n
! drops the reins and touches his mango
cap.
"Pve been skulkin' in these 'er
woods, miss, nigh onto week, an
what with starvin' aud the pain {
this, I'm most about dead played out.
"If you viii cut across the fields