The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-11-24
OUR BOARDER.

There's the cottage at Harlem" =" Nell
said, in timid tone, as if she half ex-
pected to be annihilated for the sugnes-
tion.
Good gracious, Nelll" Fanny cried.
"There's the coal cellar" said Aunt
Sue, initiating Nell's voice to perfection
But the touch of sarcasm reused the ex-
ceedingly small pugilistic spirit Nell
possessed.
Il don't consider the suggestions par
allel at all, she said, flushing a little
81 know the cottage is very small, but it
is habitable. "
Habitablem cried Fannie. "Yol
couldn't swing cat in the whole house ~
1--WE will let the cats exist without
swinging, them, said Nell, stoutly.
''See here! We can't live here any
longerp
NO." Aunt Sue answered, ruefully,
mot for the present, at any rate"
Our worthy, guardian having alb
seconded with all the property he held in
trust from our father, including your
twenty thousand dollars, Aunt sue, we
must look for some means of existence
more humble than this big house and
two thousand year income
"Oh, Nell!' and here Fannie's blue
eyes overllowed, "how could hel"
II can't tell, my dear sister; but he
did. That's the important question.
Now, as we can't pay the rent of this
house any longer, l propose to take DOS
session of the little cottage at l.arlem,
that we own, furnish it out of this house,
sell the tables and chairs remaining over,
and look out for some work. suppose
we can do something" she added doubt.
fully
Something of Nell's courage inspired
Aunt Sue, for she suddenly straightened d
up and said:
Before brother james, your father,
my dears made monPy and took me to
his home, God blesSim, had to worl,
for my bread l maHe caps, aud could
teach you girls now"
Millinery" said Fannie
mo, caps for the army and navy, and
boys wore them then, too; more than
they do now"
"We'll decide about the latter" said
Nell, seeing Fannie's face fall again,
''but now we must go over and see about
the house. How much money have you
got, Aunt Sue2n
"Ninety seven dollars"
"And you, Fannie"
1.-TWO dollars and sixty-five cents. u
said annie, after deliberately counting
the contents of her porte-monna' G.
"And ! have over twenty dollars.
Quite enough to move, you see, indie
pendent of the sale of furniture. We
don't owe cent, that's one blessing. |
will take Jane over this morning and set
her TO cleaning, if you will see about the
carpets and furniture; decide what is
best to take, l mean."
You and Aunt Sue arrange it, Fam
ME said, wearily, leaving the room.
''Poor Fan, +" Nell said, her whole tone
of voice changing. as she looked after
her sister. '.It is harder for her than
anybody"
"Idon't see swhy," said Aunt Sue,
rather sharply; "she has gone about
looking like Il ghost ever since that old
scamp Norris ran of, but l am snre he
took your money and mine as well as
hers"
"Oh, Aunt Sue, are you blind? Don't
you see thataMr. Norris is Fred. s father,
and Fred. has also mysteriou>ly vanished (;
and, oh, didn't you see long ago that
Fred. was in love with poor Fan, and
her great blue eyes frightened for him
as they did for no one else?"
II never thought of that. Fan. never
said a word.n
"How could she Fred. never actually
proposed to her, but he surely, surely
wanted to, and SO intended"
I'D like to hang his fatherw
And after this energetic declaration
Aunt Sue joined Nell in ramble over
the house, deciding upon lhe best dispo-
sition of the handsome appointments
Many heart-wrench went with the de-
cisions to sell objects endeared by years
OF associations, but too large or hand
some for the tiny home they proposed to
occupy. Fanny helped by fits and starts,
but, as Nell surmised, the girl had a
heart to carry that far surpassed the
pain of pecuniary loss or change of for
tune.
She was a tall, slender blonde, very
pretty, and of gentle, loving disposi-
tion, never possessing the energy Of
brown-eyed Nell, whose beauty was not
nearly so great, but who made up for a
snub nose and big mouth in the sunniest
disposition and quick viyacity that
was veryRttractive.
Fred. orris, the son of the guardian
who hadSo fouly betrayed the trust of
the poor 9iTl's dead father, had brought
his handsome face and winning manners
often to the house over which Miss Susan
Dolrimer presided. and had left no
power Of persuasion untried in his en-