The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-05-20

my nOneSI CONVICTIONS just DeCauSe you
oppose them, Sylvia. You could not re-
spect me as a man"
II mean exactly what ] say" she re-
piled, Struggling her shoulders. ~ have
no desire to hamper you in any way.
Let US consider our engagement at an
end"
Webster drew back and looked at
her. Her tall figure was drawn up to
Is full height, her eyes flashed, and he
knew by the naughty curl of her proud
lips that she was both earnest and angry.
'As yeu will," he replied, taking his
hat with a dignified bow. "Good-
morning"
She turned when he had left her, half
hurt that he had taken her at her word
and gone away. Then, woman-like, she
burst into tears.
''He can just CO." she said, sobbingly.
''He can 90 and reform the cOr-cor-rupt
party to which my father belongs; but
oh, do hope he will be beaten"
Several weeks before the election, ex-
Controller Scott, who had been so oc-
cupied as to rarely eat at home, was
dining at home with his daughter.
$50 you and Arbuthnot cannot make
1t up any more"
As he spoke he looked over the top of
a newspaper, which was well known as
an organ of the popular party.
~ am not friend to the opposition"
she said, proudly.
Mr.. Scott laughed.
"What a girl you are, Sylvia. You're
an out-and-out partisan. But you needn't
have been so hard on young Arbuthnot.
He's nice young felow-too nice to
run as a candidate of such party as the
opposition; but, bless you, he hasn't the
ghost of a show. We are going to sweep
the polls this time"
"Then you feel sure of your election,
papal"
I'D bet my last dollar on it. But I'd
rather the papers would do the square
thing. This attack on Arbuthnot's record
in the custom-house is downright mean"
"You are to speak in Billingham Square
tonight, aren't youl" Sylvia said, chang
ing the subject deftly. 'Thomas is going
to drive me there.
You must not think of such thing. :"
ooh, yes. l will go in the barouche,
and won't even stick my head out once.
Now, papa, don't bother; Cousin Fred is
going with me, and you known l never
heard you make stump speech"
Sylvia had her way about this. Atthe
hour appointed for the mass-meeting. she
was driven to the grand stand Billing
ham Square was packed with people. BY
the light of the blazing torches, carried
by the clubs who had turned out, Sylvia
saw such scene as she had never wit
messed before. Her carriage could not
get very near the platform, and, as the
wind was blowing the wrong way, Mr..
| Scott's speech was all lost to her.
81 can't hear word, Fred, she said,
turning to her cousin"
Across the sea of upturned faces, show
ing every graduation of virtue and intelli-
gence, marking every station in life,
touching every phase of depravity, Sylvia
saw her father haranguing the populace
with all the earnestness of enthusiasm.
"Oh, l wish | could hear what he
says" she cried, leaning forward. But
her cousin drew her back.
"You mustn't show your face, Sylvia, !"
he said, emphatcally. "There is per-
feet mob around you, and you promised
that you wouldn't look out of the win
dow"
"But 1 can't hear" she retorted, in
vexation. ~ might as well go home. :"
81 think it would be great deal bet
ber," said her cousin. "But you can't
drive through crowd like this without
killing some one; so there's nothing to do
but wait till it breaks up"
"If only had some chocolates. Don't
be disagreeable, Fred. Won't you run
over to Marron's and get me box2"
Fred hesitated.
Il won't stir, and it won't take ten
minutes. You're a man. and you can get
through the crowd very easily. Do,
there's dear boy"
Fred got out, and did as she bade him.
Sylvia sat in the carriage, looking curl
ously at the surging crowd. The horses
SHE'D a little at some passing torches,
and Sylvia leaned forward thoughtless-
! ly, so that the light fell full upoA her
beautiful face, with its misty glory ofyel-
low hair.
The crowd saw her.
"Whew! amt she a stunner2n cried
| some coarse fellow, with a leer in his eve
and in moment several ugly faces were
peering in the carriage door, making vul-
gar comments and shouting their approx
al.
With low, frightened cry, Sylvia
shrank back into the carriage.
81 say, beauty, gimme a kiss, won't
you9n cried a low fellow, with his hand
on the door, and his foot on the step.
"This is Mr.. Scott's carriagen she
cried, frantically. "Helpl help!'
A strong hand came to her deliver
ance. The rutfian was dragged away by
the collar; there was a fierce scuffle out
side of the carriage, and, covering in
one corner, Sylvia heard the cry OF
"Policem Then there wss roaring in
her ears, and she came very near faint
ing. Suddenly come one touched her,
and said, in low, tender tones:
"Sylvia, are you safe"
"Websterm she sobbed "Oh, thank
God Take me home--take me home %
He had gathered her in his arms, and