The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-01-27
AN OLD CLOCK.

It was bright, breezy June day, and
in the big kitchen of a comfortable look
ing house on the outskirts of the little
town of Springvale a young girl in q
purple calico dress, with her round arms
barred to her shoulders, was churning.
She was tall, and rather slender, with
a quiet, thoughtful face and earnest dark
eyes; but there was nothing melancholy
in either her appearance or manner: and,
as she raised and let fall the dasher, she
hummed the air of hymn she and John
Henderson had sung together in church
the evening before. She was engaged
to John, and he took her to PRAYER
meeting every Thursday evening, as
matter of course. 1t was only what was
expected of every young man in Spring
vale under the same circumstances.
John and Pruden ,e had been keeping
company" as the Springvale people
termed it, for five years, and still there
seemed no prospect of their marriage; ;
for Johns farm was old and overworked !;
he had no money to spend in enriching
the soil, and he had his sister Tnirza to
support. But Prudence Dennison, being
of a gentle, patient disposition, did not
grumble or fret over the delay. She
loved John with all her heart, and
thought him well worth any number of
years of waiting.
Her mother did not agree with her in
this. She was anything but patient
and amiable about the matter. She
thought Prudence could do better than
marry John Henderson, and felts sure
that there were many other young men
in Springvale who would come forward
as suitors if John would only take him
self out of the way. She treatsd her
daughters lover very coldly in conse-
quence, and made no secret of her dis
like to him.
pairing apples for pies while Prudence
churned. She was an old woman with
rusty gray hair, sharp blue eyes, and a
thin, stopping figure. Prudence did not
bear the slightest resemblance to her.
She was ''her father over again." the
country people said.
Neither Prudence nor her mother ever
talked much, and this morning the 81
lence of the kitchen was unbroken for a
long time, save by the loud ticking of
the old clock in the nall, and the occa-
sional snatches of a hymn which Pru-
dence hummed softly to herself.
Mrs. Dennison was the first to speak.
81 expect John Henderson's told you
bout that girl Miss Peck's took to
board ~ she said, as she rose and went
into the pantry for some pie-pans.
''No, answered Prudence, pausing in
her churning; she didn't mention her.
Who is she?"
"Dear knowsw said Mrs. Dennison.
'Miss Peck's so close mouth, nobody
kin get word out'n her. Pears to
me I'd ask John bout her if l was you.
Miss Barker was tellin' me yestidday
| Ghat he'd been up to see her most every
day since she come. They say she's
awful pretty, an puts on lots of style.
Seems strange John didn't say nothin
bout her. Miss Barker was sayin' as
how it didn't look none too well fol
him to be runnin' up there so much
It'd be jes' like him to give you the
go by, now he's took new fancy. Men
are mighty Unstable. You can't place
no dependence on 'em and there's no de
nyin' you're gettin' on. You can
blame men for likin' what's young and
! pretty" and Mrs. Dennison drew a long
sigh as she walked slowly across tho
room TO the stove, and deposited pie
in the capacious oven.
Prudence made no reply, and her face
was hidden from her mothers gaze
She was bending over the churn, adjust
ing the lid, which she had lifted
moment before in order to see the con
dition of the butter.
Mrs. Dennison did not speak again
When the pies were all in the oven, sh,
left Prudence to attend to them anC
went upstairs. Prudence presently
heard her moving about in the room
overhead.
The girl continued to churn steadily
but she did not sing any more and ther
was troubled look in her dark eye
now.
A shadow fell across the kitchen fool
and, raising her head, Prudence saw
iauntily dressed man standing in tn
doorway. He wore a gray tweed sui
and an enormous watchchain, and tn
hand with which he was twisting tn
ends of long, red mustache was adorne
with an enormous amethyst ring.
"GOod morning, he said, with lo'