The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-10-03

4 y
were anxious to set off to school before
their usual time, and when the mother
had allowed In m to do so she saw
them turn out of their road to go to
their father, who was at work in the
field on the hillside.
The two trim little figures stood on
the hilltop, in strong relief against the
pale-blue horizon, and Rosys apron
was unfolded, and "father" was evil
IDENTIFY made the participator in the
secret which "mother" was not to
know
1t was little thing, but it added to
the discomfort with which the neat
and capable housekeeper went about
her usual tasks that morning.
Tom Merriam was unusually silent
that noon when he came to dinner.
He partooll of the tempting meal in
an absent-minded kind Of way and
went back to the hillside the moment
he had finished, instead of lingering
to talk to his wife as he generally
did.
And yet this was her thirty-fourth
birthday Tom might have remem-
bered it sufficiently to say kind word
or two in praise of the extra good
dinner which she had given him. But
no there he was on the hillside again,
and actually leaning over to talk to
Hermione Marabout as she drove by
on her way back to the beautiful little
villa which her husband had taken for
her during his absence in Europe on
important business.
The hillside conference lasted nearly
ten minutes then the pony-carriage
rolled by the small brown farmhouse
once more; but IIermione's face was
persistently turned the other way.
"She has forgotten, too p thought
Mrs. Merriam, bitterly. "And yet her
own birthday comes only one week
after mine"
She finished washing and putting
away her dinner dishes and swept the
kitchen floor. Her house was none
the less spotlessly tidy because her
heart was aching.
She put on clean dress of pink
print which she had made ready for
this very day.
In the pantry were four tiny loaves
OF fruitcake-one for each member of
the family-which she had made in
secret, and the wheaton bread, the
graham rolls, the Clipped beef and
homemade preserves were ready for
the supper table on the shelves.
Nowork was pressing for this after
noon. For a week past she had
planned to secure four leisure hours at
this time, and now they hung heavily
and sadly upon her hands.
She wandered around from room to
room for few moments, biting her
lips hard every now and then to keep
back the unwelcome tears. At last
she snatched up her sunbonnet, and
leaving the house by the back door she
hurried across the garden and a small
neck of pasture land, and reached the
cool, green shadow of the pasture
woods.
In the silence and beauty Of the
naples she flung herself down and
burst into tears. Long, long she wept,
till the sadness and discomfort viii II
had been making her heart sore all
through the day were entirely gone.
Raising herself on her elbow at last
quick whir of wings close beside her
cheek startled her. She searched
among the moss, and found under the
roof of three tiny NAPLES, scarcely two
inches high, a lovely little hair-lined
nest with four little, warm white eggs
in it, the latest brood of the season.
:" l will not disturb you, pretty one,"
she said to the small, brown mother
who sat on barberry bush close by
chirping pitifully.
She rose and walked on.
The great trees rustled and waved
their green and golden leaves about
over her head in the sunlight and fresh
| air.
A brilliant red bird, with a jet-black
head and wings, flashed past a golden
robin chartered and scolded from a tall
ash at her and red squirrel barked
himself awry, just above the robins
head, when he saw her coming sweet
scented thistle3, honest-faced null
leins, and the cheerful golden-rod
were in bloom on every side; black
berries, late raspberries and crimson
"ScOtch-caps" oyerran the woods, and
| barberry bushes hung full of yellow
ish fruit. A bird, unseen in the
depths Of the forest, sang every mo.
ment three flute-like notes, half-sweet,
half-sad. Toward the west a deep
bell tinkled melodiously, and the straw
berry roan-cow came in sight, leading
the rest of the herd to higher pastures.
A woodchuck, standing on his hind
feet at the door of his home, bolted
down the narrow path as she passed by.
All was life, movement, happ ness,
sunshine, blue skies and perfumed
breezes, wherever she turned. She
stopped to wonder at the curious tun-
mel that the wood-spider wove for a
hiding place in the midst Of her net,
the rounded shafts sunk through the
dried grass by the meadow-mole, and
| EhA hneM ants narruinnr Ehnir nnnrs