The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-08-15

Soy oOooOll dJ JuO pCdSlu0 bulS SUMMER
even--I could not get this lonely littls
ranch out of my head, somehow.
Your wistful face haunted me-indeed
it did ! ! grew unreasonably impatient
to see-well, Montana again. l tried
to reason with myself you had for
gotten me, most likely, 1 thought but
in vain pictured you about you-
everyday life-could see the shadow
deepening in your eyes-and one day
L cried aloud 1T is a shame for so
young a creature to be buried p And
few hours later l was on the train,
bound for MontanaW
William Storey had spoken with no
little eagerness and excitement, and
as cara sat beside him on the steps.
and listened, her cheeks had grown a
deeper crimson.
She did not speak at first when he
had finished, but continued looking off,
across the plains, at the fast sinking
sun.
At length she said, her voice little
unsteady:
q am SO glad you did come back"
"Zarap cried her companion, inn
petuously, al came back to tell you I
love you'll 1 think l must have loved
you before left you last fall, but l
had always scorned the very idea
even, of love at first sight, and l had
only met you twice. But when once
away from you-separated from you,
with thousands of miles between US
1 became impatient to see you. Your
dear East had no charm for me. l
longed for your lonely ranch; 1 rea-
soned with myself many times, bat it
was Of no use--I realized that 1 loved
you; L was foolish enough, Zara, to
think l could teach you to love me-"
The sun had quite gone now, the
mountains shone darkly purple against
the clear amber of the sky, the air was
fresh and just a little chill. Zara
shivered; from excitement though,
more than cold.
Have you nothing to say to me?
Is my case then so hopeless a one ?"
asked William Storey, taking one of
the young girls hands in his and look
ing gravely in her face.
"Will you not be sorry for this?
Are you quite sure it is love, not pity,
you feel for me?" Zara ventured,
TREMENDOUSLY.
81 shall never be sorry-I love you!
Pity would not cause me to ask you TO
be my wife All 1 want to make me
as perfectly happy as one can be in
this world is your love. Can you
will you-learn to love me, Zara?"
II do love you p
The sunset glow faded; the stars
cleaned out a great, yellow moon
rose over the eastern hills and flooded
the valley with brilliant light.
When Mr.. Josslyn returned home he
was considerably surprised. There
was no supper ready; the fire in the
"best room" was not lit, as it was
wont to be these cool fall evenings :;
the front door stood wide open, and
Zara-usually prudent Zara-was
sitting on the steps, bare-headed,
utterly regardless of the night air,
talking very earnestly to William
Storey
Only one short year, yet what
change it had made in Zara's young
life ! No longer, when she looked
from her window, did she see desolate,
bleak, sage-grown plains, belted by
snow-crowned mountains. A most
lovely flower garden, framed in by
meadow lands, yellow with golden rod,
through which ran clear little brook,
and bounded by blue, wooded hills in
the distance, met her delighted eye.
How very happy she was
Almost year had she been William
Storey's wife; almost year since the
quiet little wedding at Bozeman had
taken place, and she had left the great
territory-the wild "new far-West' -
forever. She was in Laurel now, in
her old home, bought for her by her
husband shortly after their arrival
East.
Soon Zara's father was coming to her;
that was another pleasure in store for
her. The sheep-quite numerous
flock nowhere to be left with a COM
petent herder, Mr. Josslyn having
every thing arranged tohis satisfaction.
The fortune predicted by Zara IN
her grlish enthusiasm had not quite
been realized as yet, but Mr.. Jcsslyn
was by no means poor man any
longer. and was heard often to assert
triumphantly that "a sheep ranch is
certainly paying investment if well
managed"-Ihe Continent.
People Who Disappear.