The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-04-29

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Mrs. Gerard was kind hearted old
lady, full of generous impulses. Sylvia
was affectionate and clinging in her ma
ture. and yet the two women somehow
did not agree.
Mrs, Gerard adhered steadfastly to the
traditions of past generation. Sylvia
had grown up according TO newer lights,
and both of them were to a certain de-
gree right
OF all creatures in the world, Mrs.
Gerard most loved and worshiped her
son Chester, who was in charge of a tele
graph station at thriving young town
some ten or twelve miles away, and
Sylvia was fast teaching herself to dis
like this paragon cousin of hers, although
she had never seen him but once or
twice.
She was thinking not very pleasantly
about these things as she ran upstairs to
get her skates. Presently she came down
again.
"Mrs. Gerard" F" said she, 'T can't find
my skates. Have you seen them9"
Where should l see your skates2"
said Mrs. Gerard, Grossly, as she stopped
to pick up the brass headed poker and
return it to its place by the fender. "Do
you think | want to wear emp
Sylvia went back for second search;
but it was no more satisfactory than the
first had been. She sought high and she
sought low, but still without effect.
81 am sure l left them right here un-
der the light table. " said she to herself
"And now they are gone-my beautiful,
new skates"
Bnt she was not disposed entirely to
abandon her hopes for little fresh air,
even though her prospects of skating
were gone. She put on her scarlet hood
and cape, shedding few quiet tears as
she did so, and went out for walk in
the white silence Of the March woods.
Nature may justly be termed the arch
consoler, and sylvia had been out but
short time when the sunshine and the
crisp, cold breezes calmed the fever of
her rebellious heart as with the touch of
a cooling hand. She watched the sun
set redden over the forests; she beheld,
from her vantage ground on the noun
tain side, the skaters disappear, one by
one, from Duton's pond; she felt, rather
than saw, the hush of the coming twi-
light, through which, here and there,
the silver point of star twinkled out,
and she sang softly to herself as she
came back to the farm. house.
Mrs. Gerald, very pale, met her at the
door.
ooh, Sylviap she cried. "Where
have you been9 l thought you would
never come back! Chester is here---my
poor, poor boyw
What has happenedl" cried Sylvia.
"Where is hel"
son the sofa in the parlorI" said Mrs.
Gerard, getting her words out incoher-
emily and by jerks. "And I'm afraid
he is dying! He was intending to sur
prise me, and he rode over from Hart
wick on Mrs. Poyntz's black horse, that
never was fit for Christian to ride, and
the brute SHE'D at tree-stump that
showed black against the white snow,
and threw him. And he could just
crawl to the door, with his leg broken,
before he tainted dead away. oh, Ches-
ter-oh, my poor boyW
"But what can dol" said Sylvia. 81
know nothing about sickness"
"You can go for the DOCTOR" said
Mrs. Gerard. "And do, for my sake,
make haste It's four full miles there,
and Chester may die from the pain be-
fore we get his leg set. It's swelling
fast, and he goes from one swoon into
another"
-Four milesl" repeated Sylvia. eyes,
I'll go, Mrs. Gerard; but four miles If
/ had my skates, could go directly
down the river in a quarter of the time
it would take to plod along the deep
snow of the road"
Mrs. Gerard flushed deeply as she met
Sylvia's frank look She went to the
closet, unlocked drawer, and taking
out the missing skates, placed them on
the floor beside Sylvia.
The girl looked keenly at her.
"You found them2" said she.
81 knew where they were all the
time,n said Mrs. Gerard. 'I-I hid
them. am very sorryp
BY this time, Sylvia had looked to the
fastenings. They we're all right.
"Good-byl" said she, kindly. "Don't
fret, will assuredly bring the doctor
back with me.
She rushed down the steep, wooded
bank toward the steely glitter of the
river; and, five minutes afterward, Mrs.
Gerard, looking from her window, saw
the light, straight figure, skimming
swiftly along, more like the arrowy dart
of bird than the motion of a human
being, until it was lost in the approach
ing shadows of dusk.
"What would have become of me
now" " she thought, "if Sylvia had not
learned TO skater"
Miss Seton was fortunate enough to
find the doctor at home, and rode back
with him in his buggy; and he could not
say enough in praise of her spirit and
courage.
1t was to her that he gave all charges
and directions regarding the patient.
my dear madam, he said, in answer
TO Mrs Gerards piteous pleadings, "this
young lady is born nurse. She has a
cool head, light hand and plenty of
nerve She is theproper person to take
care of Mr.. Gerard
And Sylvia proved herself worthy of