The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-05-16


know l havel She came over to me
quickly, but hadn't had my say yet.
"It's been pinch here and pinch there
with all of us, aud the only accomplish
ment L possess Of my childhood's fur
nishing is old Meb's warwhoop."
"I would do it then, now, if I
wanted to-" said Nell, smiling. "You
won't Then you shall listen" She
sat down and put her arm around me.
"Do you suppose, brave heart, that
Tom and 1 and all the rest of us, be-
ginning with father and ending with
Tot, do you suppose that we don't
know that you have kept us, body and
soul2 You have been mother" (she
stopped a moment with a little choke,
"yUu have been sister and councillor
and friend, bread and butter, and sun
shine, and life to us all, and while you
have been all this, what have you done
for yourself? Talk about furnishing
talk about accomplishment Patty,
you're walking encyclopedia and you
know it No, | won't stop. You
have not lived on the top of the cars
to be sure, but you can repeat more
Shakeeaspre."
1 put my hand over her mouth.
"What good will Shakespeare do meP
1t is you who ought TO go in my place,
and you SHALL" cried l, springing up.
GAS if could Is my name Martha
Bates Perry? Was L the first born,
named from my great-aunt Bates,
legally appointed her successor, to go
TO New York on my twenty-first birth
day, and receive in due form whatever
there might be-as you've very well
known all your life?" finished Nell,
springing up and spreading out her
hands.
And so, as the situation seemed to be
forced upon me, L couldn't do any better
than to prepare for it. 1 mended my
black alpaca dress and sent for pint
of ammonia to cleanse my old broad
cloth cloak. gave Nell minute in
structions about household matters
how long to boil the beans for Satur-
day and how much salt to put in the
brown bread.
"Now, Dame Dueden, please dontw
said Nell, tossing the fifth pair of
mended stockings into the basket. "I
will take good care, you may be sure,
and don't you forget all about u.s."
"Oh, Nell, as if ever couldl'
"Then forget all about the baked
beans and brown bread part of us, and
buy yourself nice dress and be the
queen you deserve to be-"
l looked over at Nell. She had
coiled her hair in heavy puffs on the
top of her head and the frill around
her neck was as white as snow. She
had sat down where the gold from the
west window touched her hair to such
bronze. No painter could ever hope
to catch it, though l could well believe
he might almost wish to die for it.
After dinner the day beforeI was to
leave home, l went up into the garret,
broom in hand, and busted, inside and
out, an old horse-hair trunk which had
done duty through two generations of
my ancestors. To cleanse it from the
dust of two decades and drag it to the
light of day, down tortuous, winding
pair of back stairs to my chamber was
the work of an hour. had folded a
newspaper in the bottom and had
commenced the unique task of packing
when Nell opened the door of my
room. "In the name of all that's hu-
man, what are you doing?"
Trying to coax my six linen collars,
and as many handkerchiefs to adapt
themselves to the dimensions of this
paper box" l replied, squeezing down
the cover.
Nell stood moment as if undecided
what TO do next, then she suddenly
collapsed in the doorway, and threw
her apron over her head, rocking her
self back and forth, and sending out
peal after peal of laughter.
when you get ready or recover
yourself" 1 said. "perhaps you will
be willing to tell me what you are
laughing at.
"That trunk horse-hair in New
York Why Patty, it was tdat iden
tical trunk that Mrs. NOahnutd before
she went into the ark, aequentlas sur
vived to this day % ced ca
(Which regard as a llustra
tion Of the survival of l vtest,"
, replied, laying in dress.
, "But you know l have etter one
at least | have one that de not look
quite so much like a mum hy case as
that, and to drag that trunk in here
: and lay it fguratively speaking al
your feet, shall be my first"
, 1 planted myself firmly against the
door. "NO, Nell, that trunk is yours
= not mine, you picked berries for that
trunk in the broiling sun, while L
"Staid at home and cooked us some
thing to eat over broiling stove. II
' belongs to you as much as to me anC
q you shall take it"
t "No, Nell, will not; am perfec
r goose, know. but 1 will not be per
feet sham-I will go down to New
} York, neither the one thing nor tn,