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

was there.
A very pretty little child was playing
in the room. 1t looked up at him de-
lightedly, and then toddled toward him,
and grabbed him round his shaking
knees, and lisped, papa papap'
"Good gracious" Mr.. Brown couldn't
have kept back the frightened exclama-
ton for the world. His face became
covered with profuse perspiration, and
the ladies began to litter at the child's
performances which demonstration on
their part was hardly calculated to make
the poor man feel very much at ease.
''AIrs. Hooper, this is my brother Jo-
seph, said William, presenting him to
the first lady they came to. Whereupon
Joseph seized her hand and shook it as
If it had been the end of pump handle,
without being in the least aware of what
he was doing. Mrs. Hooper evidently
thought he was a very demonstrative
man.
''This is Mrs. Drake" said William,
when he succeeded in getting his brother
away from Mrs. Hooper.
Joseph attempted to bow, trod on the
baby's toes, and came near fainting with
fright when the cherub set up doleful
wall.
"And this is Mrs. Parks, said his
brother, indicating the woman who came
to the babys rescue.
AS her hands seemed to be pretty
well occupied with the baby, hand
shaking couldn't very we'll be indulged
in, so Joseph bowed several times,
chopped she was well and wished for a
i
solemn voice, after which he fell into
the nearest chair, and longed to commit
suicide
William watched his opportunity.
When he caught Joseph's eye, he
nodded toward the woman with the
baby, and whispered, "the widow"
"Good gracious!" thought Joseph.
ga young one, too, and it calls me
father It's no use to hold out, if she
goes for me, and she will know it.
The young ones instinct tells it what's
in the mind, and that's why it came to
call me 'Papap Dear me It's coming
this way. It's looking at me. Pm in
for it"
"Papa, papa" cried the "young one,"
putting mp her hands for Joseph to
take her.
''You mustn't mind her." said Mrs.
Parks with the prettiest blush he thought
he had ever seen. "She calls almost
every gentlemen papa, since her father
died"
''I-I don't mind it much if-if you
don't, stammered Joseph, at which she
blushed up roster than before.
The child insisted on coming to him.
He had never felt quite so awkward as
he did when she climbed on his knee.
He was afraid to touch her. Children
and china always seemed to him to be
composed of the same fragile material.
He was afraid of breaking them. He
felt that the ladies were watching him,
and wanting to laugh. He knew that
his face looked like a boiled ham, and
it seemed as if the thermometer had
gone up to 100 degrees in the shade.
Nevertheless, lac lived through it..
"She's real NICE" he confessed to the
bedpost that night, that piece of furni-
ture bearing the closest resemblance to
something human of anything in his
room. al b'lieve I'd like TOTO marry
her, but I'd never dare to ask her."
Cold chills ran down his back at the
thought.
In less than two days Mr.. Joseph Brown
was in love. Deeply and sentimentally
in love. So much so, in fact, that he
picked up rose the widow had dropped,
and took it to his room, where he sat
and looked at it for an hour before he
realized what he was doing.
"You poor old fool! !" he said, address
ing his reflection in the glass. you're
done for, amt you! 1t takes widows to
fetch man to time. Pve always heard
so, and now i know it."
Then he sighed.
During the next two weeks Joseph
found the courage to get better ac-
quainted with Mrs. Parks than he had
ever been with any woman, save his
mother. But whenever he thought of
asking her to marry him, he couldn't
help feeling afraid of her.
The Fourth came. There was to be
a picnic, and all the family and guests
were going, except Mrs. Parks, who said
Rose was so much trouble she'd rather
stay at home.
Joseph had intended to go, but he
suddenly changed his mind and said he
should stay at home.
OOJ u uCdudCuC, uO OA pldluGu, gIul-
fly, and concisely, to William. He also
told the same outrageous fib to Mrs.
/ Parks, who smiled as il she saw through
his excuses, at which Joseph colored up
and ''felt as if he had been stealing
sheep, " he told himself. These wild
ows were so sharp you couldn't fool 'em
there was no use in trying"
"Of course I'm sorry you don't feel
WELL" said Mrs. Parks, 'but I'm glad
I'm going to have company. Wen
have nice little dinner all to ourselves,
and thatll be almost as pleasant as a
picnic"
''More So" answered Joseph with
alacrity. "a great deal more sou
When the family and guests had taken
their departure, he went downtown and
bought strawberries and lemons, and
green peas, and other good things for
J fnl1 olY no