The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-07-01
ALL ABOUT BROWN.

my DEAR BROTHER; want you to come
down and make us q visit. So does Melissa.
Come down next week, and stay till after the
Fourth We expect one or two othe visitors,
and will try TO make it pleasant for you.
Don't fail to come
Your affectionate brother,
"WILLIAM BROWN
s'P. S.-Melissa SAYS: Tell Joseph we shall
expect him. 50 don't disappoint us"
So read the letter which Joseph Brown
received from his brother William about
the middle Of June.
II can see through that" said he,
folding up the epistle, and returning it
to its envelope. ''Yes, sir, 10 the solemn
looking old 81. who sat staring at him
from thefWlndow -sill, sit's as clear as
day They've found another woman who
wants to get married, and they mean to
make another attempt to hook me in
Oh, you can't fool your brother yet Mr..
William Brownl / can see through you,
and that wife Of yours. You've got your
foot into matrimony, and you want me
to do the same, on the principle that
misery loves company. But you don't
come it over me so easy. l won't take
any in mine, thank you"
Joseph couldn't have meant, by his
sarcastic reference to the old saying that
misery is fond of company, that he con-
sidered his brother had made himself
miserable by marrying, for he often,
though secretly, envied his brother the
comfort he seemed to take with his
family. But he had so long considered
himself bachelor for life that he had
got into the habit of assuming to him
self that married people were envious of
single ones, and always spoke of them
in a way that implied his pity for them,
and his thankfulness that he wasn't in
their shoes The truth was, he often
wished he had a nice little wife. But
he was afraid of women; so much so
that he always expected to remain single.
If he were to fall in love, he felt quite
sure he should never be able to muster
up sufficient courage to say anything
about it to the woman whose charms
had ensnarad him. 1t would be another
case Of ''concealment like worm i the
bud.n He often felt brave enough to
face cannon's mouth, but the mouth of
d woman-neverl
The memory of last summer was still
terribly fresh in his mind He had been
invited to visit his brother He had
gone down unsuspectingly, and found
there an old maid who Immediately laid
seige TO him. But he had succeeded, by
the help of divine Providence, in resist
ing her wishes and getting safely out of
the predicament Now he felt sure that
another trap had been set for him.
"But I'll go, +" he decided. s'William
and M'lissy II be mad as settin' hens if
don't. / s'pose it's a girl in pantalets
this time. The other one was forty, and
as she didn't suit me, they will quite
naturally go to the other extreme. ]
s'posc it would be good thing if had
wife, but don't want little girl, or
woman old enough TO be her grand
mother, and what's more, ] won't have
'em, F" he added with so much emphasis
that the old cat begun to get scared,
and kept one eye on him with the other
on the door.
He went down to his brothers.
''Who is it this timer" he asked Will
lam, when they were on their way up
from the depot.
81 don't know what you mean, " an
swered William, looking puzzled.
1T was that old Miss Larrabee last
year, said Joseph. 'I'thke it for grant
ed it's some one else now"
''Oh, begin to see what you're driv.
ing at" laughed William. Il don't
know as there's anybody. If there is il
must be Mrs. Parks"
"A widowl" asked Joseph"
eyes, but young and good-looking
one, answered his brother.
"Ohr
Joseph couldn't say another word.
He felt in some mysterious way thai
''his jig was up" as he expressed it tc
himself that night in the solitude Of his
own chamber He did not know why,
but he felt perfectly sure his doom was
sealed. He had never been taken in
hand by widow. He had always
felt sure he would have to surrender
if one saw fit to besiege him. Now
bis time had come. He felt like lamt
being led 20 the slaughter, and
groaned over the terrible prospect be
fore him, and was laughed at and joked
numerically by his brother for being sC
.oolish as TO be afraid Of woman.
~ cart help it, y said poor Joseph.
When he went down to the parlor al
hour after his arrival he found, OF
opening the door, that there were seyera
ladies' there and his heart began 4
thump, and his face TO get hot before
he cot over the threshold. II always