The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-08-08

to please you ALL and this is the result
furniture ruined, eatables wasted,
your father i'll, you all quarreling like
this, and Meg going to be married !
No, never another party in this
house."
"What-not even when Meg mar
ries John Howarth ?" sneered Chris.
mo, not even then," replied aunt,
redoubling her sobs.
"Well, don't cry, auntie," I inter
posed, 8" for am not going to marry
him. gave him a very decided
No"
Chris here gave quick covert
glance in my direction, after which
his assumption of perfect indifference
seemed to me a trifle overacted.
But aunt refused to be pacilied; she
had reached that state of mind when
troubles are positively preferred to
blessings.
"Saying No to Mr.. Howarth will
not buy a new drawing-room carpet"
she said, cor eat up all the tarts and
custards and cakes. 1 am sure
warming to her subject" the waste
has been shameful When the con-
fectioner's Ian came this morning,
had not single cake or jelly or blanc
mango to send back, for every one had
been broken into And L saw you,
Chris, take Just spoonful out of that
expensive poroupine, when palmer
cake already commenced was close by
you."
"Oh, don't blame Chris for that,
auntie !" 1 exclaimed. "It was done
for Miss Jones, no doubt. If he had
the power, Chris would cut bit off
the Koh-i-Noor itself if she asked
him."
"I would" said Chris "she is
worth a hundred Koh-i-Noors."
"Really ~ observed Peter, aroused
at last from the gloomy lethargy that
had possessed him all dinner time, and
addressing Chris "What pity she
does not regard you in the same light
She told me last night how she hated
dancing with you, saying that you
were so clumsy you were constantly
getting your feet on her dress"
"Indeed - retoTted Chris. "She
told me the very same thing about
you"
"I don't believe it," said Peter.
"Do you mean to say am telling
lies? ?" demanded Chris.
Another quarrel !" cried my aunt.
ooh, dear, dear, what will be the end
of it all?"
"The end of it all might be pleasant
enough" / replied with energy, "if
only every one of you would display a
little common-sense. l am out of
patience with you all !"
"Well, Meg" said Lottie calmly,
"you generally seem to consider your
self capable of setting the world to
rights so can you set our little world
straight? 1t seems to me we are all
miserable. What can you suggest to
make us happy"
Common-sense," repeated" only
common-sense. Take my advice, and
peace will be restored at once"
"Let us have it then," said my aunt
querulously.
"Oh, let us have 'Meg's advice at
once!" sneered Chris again. "How
is it we have not thought of this pan
acea earlier?"
81 will commence with my uncle,
/ began, firmly. Let him-at least
make him-see the doctor tonight and
he will be better before morning"
"That is good advice enough" said
aunt, land l will tell him."
"As for you, aunt-go to bed at
once and forget your worries. We will
start subscription list for you, which
l will head with five shillings; and il
the others give with equal liberality
according to their means, you will be
arle to replace all the broken crockery
and have the white hearth-rug cleaned
also"
"That is good advice too, and will
do my part by going to b d immedi-
ately," said aunt, meellly. 81 am
much obliged to you, Meg"
"As for you, Peter" L continued,
severely, "I think instead of quarrel
ing with Chris about Miss Jones, you
had better turn your attention nearer
home. 1 know poor little Kittie Rey-
nolds would nearly cry her eyes ont
when she got home last night, OF
rather this morning"
"You know more than 1 do then, u
returned Peter.
Eyes, do; for l am in Kitty's con-
fidence, and you are not; and l know
what Kitty said to me when she was
going home, and you donot. And my
advice TO you, Peter, is, make it up
with Kitty, and leave Miss Jones fol-
those who want her"
"Capital advice! But 1 never asked
you for it, you see; SO l don't consider
myself bound to take it," and he went
on eating tarts.
"And now, girls" 1 continued, look
ing at Lottie and Sophy, "make VI
your minds to the inevitable and
] cbanOa IOvars They are twins and