The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-11-04

Auu ~ WIS NOT tue gossip alOnc. lc
had lately found under the cushion of
her chair, in a search for Zioa's Messenger,
a paper book with the astonish-
ing title: ''The Stolen Bride, or Tho
Mystery of the Moat."
Laviny was light-minded.
But Laviny was the wife Of his bosom
he hurried home to consult with her
about this new trouble that had fallen
upon them.
lie found her perched upon the high
stool behind the rows of pigeon holes in
the postoffice scrutinizing through her
glasses the superscription Of a letter.
Nehemiah, Tidy Slocomb has got q
letter, and it's a mans writing, but l
don't think it's Sauls. The postmark
beats me-"
81 hear that she has gone to Eden to
work in amilliner's shop since her father
died, said the deacon. "We must send
the letter over"
Now, it's queer didn't know she'd
gone. Folks won't take the trouble to
tell poor lame old woman what's goin'
on, said Mrs. Kittridge, plaintively.
"And they won't send postal cards; there
amt half so many goin' between here and
o.
The deacon looked up quickly from
the bowed position in which he had sat
down. He had observed that; he had
also overheard whispers which led him
to think that his wife's curiosity about
the mails was causing dissatisfaction in
the town. Was disgrace in another shape
coming upon him in his old age-upon
him who had led so upright so blame
less life2
But no; he only imagined that because
trouble had disturbed his nerves nobody
could suspect Laviny of anything really
dishonorable, and surely they could bear
with her harmless curiosity and gossip.
''Laviny, Saul has joined concert
troupe. They are going to sing in
Haverford tomorrow night; the bills are
posted all over town with Saul Kit
tredge, basso profondo, on them"
Mrs. Kittredge got down painfully
from the high stoo-a little withered
old lady, but with hair that was still
tlaxen and childish blue eyes. ''Oh,
Nehemiah, our SAUL" she said, with a
gasp, stretching her little trembling
hands out toward him. 'But maybe it
ain's SO bad. Don't look so, Nehemiah" +"
4
see why we should have had such a son,
Laviny," he said, shaking his gray head
heavily. ''But therel It's the Lords
judgment on us, and we must bear it. p"
And the deacon went to his closet, and
on his rigid old knees sought to discover
the meaning of the Lords Judgment.
After supper he wended his way to the
weekly prayer meeting. Huldah, the
"help," went too, and Mrs. Kittredge
was left alone.
AS soon as both were gone, and the
doors fastened behind them, she went
into the postoffice, and took the letter
addressed to Tidy Slycomb again from
its pigeon -hole-Tidy Slicomb who had
come Of "shiftless" stock, who wore pink
bonnets, aud went to dances, and flirted
with the stage-driver.
IF it amt from Saul, / want to
know it, and If it is, seems as if /
ought to know it. And l never saw
postmark that l couldn't make out
before. II there was any postal cards to
put my mind on, maybe l could stop,
thinkin' about it; or if knew just how
it was about Arvilly Wright's beau jiltin'
her, but can't be took up with that
book Miss Skinnerl brought me, feel so
wicked readin' it; and it don't pay, for
there amt word of truth in it. should
like to know who has written to Tidy
Slocomb."
She held the letter up between her
eyes and the lamp that stood in bracket
on the wall.
81 don't see why Nehemiah was bent
on havin' everything So high up here
letter boxes and stools and lamps and all. |
I'll take the letter out into the sitiin'- |
room. But come TO think ofit, should !
feel kind of awkward hidin' it away, if
anybody should happen to come in, and /
it's warmer and not so lonesome in the |
kichen."
So in the kitchen Mrs. Kittredge went,
with the precious letter hidden under
her little worsted cape, although there
was nobody TO see but Sauls old gray
cat, lineal descendant of the one that
had brought up her family in old Mr.. |
Hollis's coffin.
The kitchen was large one with win
dows on two sides. Mrs. Kittredge care
fully pulled down the curtains of the
two windows whose outside blinds were
not closed they were not used to coming
0ONhg oaN hAoNS NSA9 AdIu WOih VI IL,
which seemed 10 give her guilty feel
ing.
The postmark was so blurred that
scarcely letter was dishnguishable. !
She held the letter up before the lamp.
Her conscience gave twinges, but one
could never discover any secrets in that
way-only q stray word here aud there
One could not discover anything, alas
in this letter the envelope was too thick,
or the outside of the paper was not writ
ten upon.
Was it Saurs writing7 The capital
letters did not look like his If she
could see only one word of the inside
She turned the letter over. The envel- /
ope had not stuck together all the way
across; she slid her finger in, not to
open it-only enough to see, perchance,
a word.