The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-08-22

In an nOur OF more aLJer our llJJle
meal was over, 1 sat on the door-stone
alone, watching for grandmother.
Then he came to the door and said
"You needn't expect her before 9
o'clock. 1 wish could sit here with
you"
"And why notP" 1 asked.
"Because l am still in quarantine.
Perhaps 1 might make it pleasant for
you indoors. If you are fond of being
read to, will do my BEST
"And there is nothing an fonder
Of" 1 answered, and followed him
into the house.
"Make your selection" he said.
pointing to table quite overlaid with
books.
"Something of hers" 1 Ireplied, pick
ing up an edition of Mrs. Browning.
"All right ! now to please me, open
at random, and l will read there"
1 laughingly assented. and placed
my forelinger plump on Lord Walters
wife
"But why do you go ?" said the lady, as both
sat under the yew,
And her eyes were olive in their depths, as
the kraken beneath the sea blue.
Because l fear you," he answered; "be-
cause you are far too fair,
And able to straugle my soul in mesh of
your golden hair"
"Please don't go on" interrupted.
al like the poem, but someway it isn't
pleasant now"
AZ thought as much," said grand
mother, entering just here. 81 felt
sure you had come when L saw the
light !" and no pet last child, baby,
was ever more welcomed than by my
dear dead fathers mother.
"You promised me, David, you
would certainly go to bed at 3 oclock," ;"
said the old lady, reproachfully, after
having satisfied herself that l hadn't
changed bit since she last saw me.
"But how could II" he asked, with
a comical gesture in my direction.
"Well, l hope you won't be any the
worse for it tomorrow" said she :;
land now to bed with you this
minutel"
Dear old Vagrant, goodnight"
said the gentleman, with rare smile,
obeying instantly; land pleasant
dreams to you, Miss Ellis"
mice boy that" said grandmother,
as the door closed.
"Boy?" l repeated.
eyes, boy p
"He is twenty-five years old if he is
a day"
"What of that? You are twenty,
and what are you but girl, should
inquire? -Four weeks ago there didn't
anybody round here think he'd ever
get out again. The doctors gave him
up, and his sister was almost crazy;
but the fever turned, and he went to
sleep and slept two days steadily, and
when he woke up he was as bright as
a button"
l did not see my new friend for two
days. He had overexcited himself,
and the result was solitude for this
length of time. l roamed the fields,
and haunted the woods, read, wrote
and thought. never did so much
thinking in so short space of time,
with such unsatisfactory results.
"Where under the sun have you
been all this afternoonY said grand
mother, as at sunset the second day 1
dragged into the kitchen porch. You
have torn great slit in your dress,
Sue, and you look like fright l
have wanted you-mor'n your worth
for the last three hours"
"What are YOU making, grand
motherf"
Panada."
"How many quarts of this stuff
does your patient consume, MIR. Ellis,
in the course Of twenty-four hoursY
"That is according to his appetite,
Miss SauceboX," said a rich voice at
my elbow; and there stood Mr.. Alcott.
They've sent for me up to Jones.
They think the baby is dying" broke
in grandmother, while stood blush
ing like an embarrassed schoolgirl.
"And 1 want you to keep house and
take care of him while go up a while
and see if / can do anything to help
them" And the provoking old lady
tripped away as composedly as if il
were the most commonplace thing in
the world for young lady to be left
with the care of an invalid, and the
said invalid man and stranger A
few minutes sutficed to pace me en-
tirely at my ease, and no veteran hos
pital nurse was ever more compCsedly
exacting than L in my new role
Grandmother's orders were explicit
David mustn't think of such a thing as
, reading aloud, and he must lie on the
lounge in the sitting-room until she re
: turned. Such an evening as that was
, read to him out of Auerbaeh-and this
took us naturally totheRhine-and ther
, found that my companion had Travelled
among all my favorite European cities
What wonderful pictures he drew m'
! of the Campagna, the Coliseum an(
the Forum! How exquisite was tn,
| play of the moonlight on the Sabine
! mountains, and how eharmingly pic
turesque the sketch of the old Roman
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