The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-01-23

IL was weakness on inc part OF INC
old lady 10 spoil and indulge Bob in the
same degree that she lectured and cor
rected Dora; and she would willingly
have spent her last penny to make her
beloved nephew happy.
Dora strayed one afternoon into the
| Office, but instead Of having her usual
post -prandial chat with her father, she
was asked 10 guard the premises during
| his necessary absence for an hour. The
place was quite deserted, and she might
take book and make herself comfort
able without fear of interruption, till
/ her fathers return.
The room where Dora was TO keep her
vigil was, for a lawyers Office, very at
/ tractive; there were numerous books, an
easy chair or two, some fiourishing
| plants, and across one side of the room
/ cabinet of curioslties of considerable
value, which it had been the delight of
Mr.. Leonard's heart TO collect and ar
range. The gem of the collection was a
cracked porcelain plate of the time of
| Louis Xl. of France, declared by con-
noisseurs to be of very great value.
Dora had not been ten minutes alone be-
! fore aunt Matilda, her eyes big with ex-
citement, put her head in at the door.
"Dora, there is man with the mon
keys declaring he will not be kept wait
ing moment longer. | have promised
! to drive in the park with Mrs. Graham,
and there is no one to look after Bob's
pets but you. / would not send them
away; so told the man to bring them
up here. They have chains about their
necks, and
''But, Aunt Matilda, papa will be furi-
GUS at seeing the monkeys-in his Office,
/ especially He declared that Bob
should not send them to the house at
| ALL"
eve must not disappoint the poor
! boy, Dora. Kate will return from the
milliner's in half an hour, and l will
leave word that she is to take the ami
mails to her room then; so your father
need know nothing about it. They GER
tainly will do no harm alone in so short
time.
Further discussion was ended by man
very red in the face making his way
without ceremony into the room. He
set large basket on the floor, exclaim-
ing;
"There, you chattering varmints; it's
glad enough l am to get rid of you! The
attintion those beasts attracted all along
the streets, mum, was enough to make
an honest man ashamed"
Two pairs of bright eyes peeped from
Nunder the basket cover, as If begging for
freedom, and the next moment two fine,
full-g grown Singapore monkeys were
capering about the room as much as their
confining chains would permit
"Chain them to the fender, and they
will be sure to be out of mischief, said
Aunt Matilda, watching to see this com
mand obeyed, and then following the
porter down into the street.
Dora, left alone with her unexpected
guests, tried to strike up an acquaintance
with them, but they seemed dull and un
responsive. They crouched down side
by side on the rug, and fell into kind
of doze so Dora, relieved of all anxiety
as to their conduct, returned to her nook
in the window.
There was thin curl of smoke coming
through the vine ON the balcony and she
could hear the rustling of the leaves of a
book. 1t was pleasant to know that
Romeo was near, and it was also pleas
ant to have him aware of her presence.
Could not Bob, when he came home, be
prevailed upon to extend friendly hand
to this dark-eyed strangerl But his holi-
day was so short, and he had so many
old friends to look up, that she was
afraid he would only make game of her
fancy for Romeo.
Dora's reverie was suddenly interrupted
by clattering of the fire-irons the
} smaller monkey, released by the other,
was carefully inspecting the glittering
poker and tongs, while the elder mon
key, without effort, unfastened his own
chain and left it lying on the floor. He
gave Dora knowing look and started
on tour of investigation abcut the
: room, the girl timidly following to rescue
: whatever of value might come in his way.
He at length spied, half hidden on the
| disused CRATE, the Kettle of the spirit
! lamp which served to brew Mr.. Leonard's
/ tea, still partly full of water which had
7 not vet cooled. The thirsty monkey
7 plunged his head into the little kettle,
which proved alas, so tight fit that it
r utterly refused to come off Blinded
! and frightened, the monkey darted about
the room, shaking and twisting his head
t ,'till the water few in all directions. This
f was the signal for a wild frolic for both
l the monkeys, which Dora tried in vain
4 to quiet. While rescuing the ink
e stand from the clutches of one,
4 the other tore in shreds as many
as he could seize of the valuable
e law papers scattered on the table. The
= elder monkey having finally freed him
i self from the kettle, flung it with a
+ crash into the court, and then sprang to
- the cabinet, where the Louis XI. plate
was enshrined.
Dora was horror-stricken as she saw
f the monkey deXterously undo the fasten-
ings and take the plate from its velvet
o bed. She felt that something desperate
c must be done to save the precious relic.
S The clerks were all dismissed, no servant
t was within call, and there was no one tc