The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-03-19
AN EXPERIMENT.

claims led him to Tennessee, she bravely
followed him, though she knew to what
deprivations and Inconvenience she
would be subjected.
Darcourt went first to Knoxville, and
from there to Boxborough, little hamlet
of perhaps fifty houses, nesting right at
the foot of mountain. The postmaster,
who owned the only house in the place
which could boast of coat of paint,
took the examiner and his sister in, and
tried his best to make them comfortable.
But Theresa thought it a poor best for
the fare set before them was of the
coarsest, cheapest kind, the beds were
guiltless of sheets, and the cold Winter
air penetrated the thin walls of the bed
room assigned her until she felt as if in
an ice-house.
''How am to endure life here for
even five weeks?" she thought, when her
brother told her that he would probably
be obliged to remain for that length of
time in Box5orough 81 shall die of
simple inaction."
But she did not say anything of the
sost to Harry, who was rather inclined
to laugh at the peculiarities OF their ac-
commodations, and was of far too amia-
BILE disposition to complain of them.
4" You will have chance here to study
the habits and manners of the native
Tennessean, Theresa, he said, "and
your experience may be sufficiently novel
and varied to fill the minds of all your
P Syis-sls with envy when you return to
4, ~ : .tion."
!. - <T .nall get all can out of my stay
= - you may be sure of that" said
y Seresa. II intend to go to that ten
cent entertainment in the school-house
tonight if you'll take me-"
Certainly will,n said Harry "but
[ am afraid you will find it vastly differ
ent from any exhibition you ever attend
ed in Washington"
81 suppose so, said Theresa. "Im
prepared for anything"
But she was scarcely prepared to find
that the entertainment consisted solely
of coarse comic songs, sung in loud
bass voice by armed man with a
iddle.
"This is awful-positively awful ~
she whispered to Harry, at the conclu-
lon of ten verses about a young man
whose sweetheart's father had set dog
on him, thereby causing him to lose a
wonder if he has many moro like that in
his repertoire"
And then she tried not to listen, and
began to look about her. She had an
excellent chance TO study the faces of the
Boxboroughites, for they had turned out
en- masse, and filled every seat in the
house The women, with few excep-
tions, wore calico, slat -bonnets,
gaudy shawls and homespun or calico
dresses.
All the older members looked dull and
careworn, rs though the burdens of life
had borne heavily upon them-as indeed
they had, for the life of woman in the
country districts of Tennessee is not an
enviable one, She is obliged to work
early and late, both in the house and
field, is poorly fed and meagerly clothed,
and her children are legion.
The majority of the men were rough,
hearty-looling fellows, who laughed
loudly at all the jokes perpetrated by the
one armed singer, and seemed to enjoy
the entertainment vastly.
In one corner, sitting rather back from
view, was a young fellow who seemed t
Theresa rather above his companions, il
appearance at least.
He was of fair complexion, though
little tanned from exposure to the sun
and his straight, yellow hair was cropped
close to a finely-formed head. His eye
were so dark a blue as to look eXtremel,
black at a short distance, and long
light-brown mustache shaded mouth a
sensitive as woman's.
Theresa looked at him long ant
earnestly.
"It seems to me that young man i
worth attention. - she thought. 'Some
thing might be made of him if some ON
would only take him up"
Turning a little, she happened to NEE
the gaze of pair of flashing black eye
belonging to young girl who sat on on
of the side seats just opposite the youn
man who had aroused Theresa's interest
The black eyes looked indignant, an
Theresa saw at once that she had in som
way incurred their owners enmity; bu
how, she could not imagine.
The girl was better looking than mos
of the women about her, and was bette
dressed; but there was nothing OF refine
ment or delicacy in her face.
She laughed as heartily as the men 8
the songs and jokes, and was evidentl
highly pleased when the performer II
tired behind a calico curtain stretche
across one corner of the room, reappeare
after a few moments dressed as a negI
woman, his face and hands literally Coz
cred with burnt cork.
In this garb he sang several sentiment
ditties, and then declared the entertain
ment at an end.
"Well, how did you enjoy it 2" aske
Darcourt, as he left the school-house vii
his sister, and, with the aid of lanterl
began picking his way toward the pos
masters dwelling, quarter OF a mi
Sistant.
" How can you aHk, HaTyl II ws'