The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-12-23

ter gave it to her The postoffice had to
be passed ere the pawnbroker's shop was
reached. Almost mechanically she
stepped in and inquired for letters One
was handed her Bessie almost shrank
from the sight OF the blue business-like
envelope. oh, surely it was not another
dun!
'But will open it, Walter must not
be troubled again to- day." she said, as
her trembling fingers slowly tore aside
the envelope.
Was she mstaken9' Surely it was a
check for three hundred dollars. Three
hundred dollars How it would Tighten
their burdens, how it had already light
ened the poor little wife's heart Bessie
wondered how she transacted her busi-
nees with Mrs. Wilton; how she could
listen and answer intelligibly as to
box plating and tailor. finish, or decide
between the merits of plush and satin
pipings, when she was so eager to rush
home and tell Walter of the good news.
And once or twice she was obliged to
look again at the check to convince her.
self it was not fairy gold. But before
she had reached their door she was calm
enough to enter quietly as usual. She
went up to Walters chair, kissed him,
and put the envelope in his hands. He
opened it, looked at the check, then at
his wife and said
"You are right, Bessie. "Yet have
l not seen the righteous forsaken nor his
seed begging bread feel as if this
must be for Ethel and you; l do not de-
serve it. From sister Sybil, too" he
added, pointing to the postmark which
Bessie in her excitement had not no
ticed.
Such a warm, cosy room as it was
The autumn sunshine coming in through
the east and south windows, dancing
over the soft, gay carpet, as if to test It's
brightness with the glowing flame in
the great, old-fashioned stove. Perhaps
the chairs and tables stood trife primlyin
their places, but not speck or spot was
to be found on their polished surfaces;
a pleasant. sunny room was Mrs. Sybil
Eyre's stting-room. But that small old
lady who lay on the sofa in the warm
est corner of the room had little cf sun
shine about her. A fretful expression
shone in her sharp, dark eyes, and the
lines about her pale, thin lips were not
pleasant. The other elderly lady present
seemed more in keeping with the sur
roundings. Peace was written all over
the fair, placid face, in the kindly eyes,
the firm, sweet mouth the faded hands,
which belongs only to the aged. Mrs.
Eunice Foster seemed an impersonation
OF the calm autumn day without.
''It is three weeks to Thanksgiving,
she said, as she counted the stitches on
her seam needed.
"Mrs. Foster made this brief remark
in half apologetic tone, as if she ex-
pected to be contradicted or called 10
account in some way for her statement;
for Mrs. Eyre was in the habit of differ
ing from other people at first, whether
she was o. their opinion or not; but at
present she was too much occupied with
her own grievances to dissent, as she
almost always did.
"Well, must say I don't feel specially
thankful, said Mrs. Eyre, drawing the
afghan over her knees. 'Ive just had
one trouble after another all this year.
There was that cheating tenant on the
upper place; and then me laid fat on my
back in the very hottest of summer;
and what with the drought and poor
season the crops are failure. Now
here l am with sprained ankle and
nobody knows when l shall walk again,
if ever l can, snd all my business going
to rack for need of some one to see to
things" And the lady drew long sigh
of self-pity as she wiped her eyes on q
very fine linen cambria handkerchief.
Mrs. Foster glanced around the bright
room, so full Of comforts, even luxuries,
and then out upon the trim, we'll kept
grounds. and beyond TO the wide fields
where the stacked corn was standing in
leng rows. She thought of the stores of
untouched provisions in the great neat
house, and how easy it was for the thin
hands near her to trace few words on
paper which would turn that paper into
money value; she thought how little
spared from Mrs. Eyre's abundance would
bring pleasure and thankfuness into less
favored homes; she thought how her
friend had it in her power TO uplift some
bowed with toll, to add comfort to some
sick chamber and sparse larder, and
thinking thus, Mrs. Foster sighed too.
"Aud what are you signing for, Eu-
nicel" said Mrs. Eyre sharply. ''lf am
not thankful I'll own to it; and you need
not sit there looking like funeral"
-"Was l looking gluml" said Mrs. Fos-
ter, with a little laugh, for she under
stood Mrs. Eyre's moods too we / to be
offended at her plainness of speech. "pm
sorry you have so much trouble, but
things will mend after a while"
"lt is to be hoped they will. But my
foot and ankle don't seem TO improve at
all, and / am almost sure I'm going to
have a spell of rheumatism, my back and
shoulders are SO stiff. l hardly closed
my ewes last night"
"Dear, dear" said Mrs. Foster, SYM
'Now did YOU ever try
turpentine liniment" Just the yolk of
an egg well beaten, two wineglassfuls of
and wineg glasslul of strong
cider vinegar; when they are we'll mixed,
three wineglasses of water. stirred in
little Mt a lime It's q splendid liniment