The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-04-25
SOMETHING BEHIND IT.
BY NonMAN Q. srEpMAN.

and everything. | believe there is such a
thing as disinterested friendship, though
1t is not as common as it used to be.
give everybody credit for meaning well
till / find out they don't; I'd hate to
think people were so selfish as you do /;
you can't take any comfort in your friends
so long as you think there's something
beh nd everything that's said and done, !"
and Mr.. Thomas Martin lcisurely changed
the position of his feet on the foot-rest
before the fire, where, encased in heavy,
gray woolen socks, he was ''toasting
'em, y and settled himself little deeper
in the old rocker that had held his mas
sive form for twenty years, and bade fair
to do so for another twenty, Judging
from the iron bolts which had been used
to brace up its departing strength.
Mrs. Martin, plcasant-faced little
woman, considerably younger than her
husband, sat by the window darning
socks similar to those mentioned and
made no reply to his remarks. But he
needed no response by way of encourage
ment
Nobody does you favor, but that
you wonder what's behind it; no one
does anything little out of the ordinary
run without you say there's something
behind it; don't tell you anyone came
to see me without you ask, 'What did he
wantP just as though anyone wouldnt t
come t2see me unless he had an ak to
grind. eRou've said it so much, you're
getting me all riled up 'gainst everybody
and everything, and | don't want to los c
faith in humanity as you seem to have
done.n
Well, then, I'll say no more about
it, but don't like to see you so often
deceived as to the real motives of people,
who pretend to be actuated by friendship
only. l have not lost faith in humanity.
for the poor souls cannot help being self
ish, and the half of them don't know
themselves that It's selfishness that
prompts their acts. You say | always
ask, what did he want p Well, in nine
cases out of ten, didn't they want some
favor of you, some help, or some ad-
vice ~
Mr.. Martin made no answer.
90 am going into the kitchen now TO
show Kate about the baking; if you want
me you must call; if you don't care to
read, take nap before dinner time"
Left to himself he leaned his head
back and closed his eyes for nap, but his
thoughts were too busy with his wife's
words. He picked up paper but could
not get interested in it and laid it down
again with the vain wish that he might
be down at the Office, or moving about
the factory. A severely sprained ankle
kept him prisoner at home.
To his great relief he heard steps upon
the walk and, turning his head, he saw
through the window the venerable Dea-
con Whiting approach the door and
heard his slow, important knock. The
Deacon was an old acquaintance, who
had moved from the nejghborhood a few
years before to farm some three miles
out on the prairie, since when Mr.. Mar
tin had seldom seen him.
A feeling Of gratified pride in his visit
showed in manner and voice as he called
out; "Come in" and rose, with the aid
of clumsy home made crutch, to wheel
up a chair for the Deacon.
Don't git up, don't git up, kin help
myself, and the Deacon, shaking hands
very cordially, seated himself near the
fire.
"Tolerable cool weather agin now
mddlin' hard frost last night; leetle
more snow ON top this freeze, an we'll
have good sleighin' an that'll make
things lively; folks kin git round then
TO town and meetin. We had right
smart number out to meetin' last sun
day an l sez then, arter meetin, | wuz
cummin' to see you, an then heerd you
wuz laid up an sez /, all the better; I'll
ketch him to hum, sure"
During these sentences drawled out
deliberately, Mr. Martin had been think
ing rapidly. So the Deacon had decided
Sunday to call on him, before he heard
of his accident evidently then he had
not cone for the sole puspose of follow
ing the injunction, visit the sick" " and
the horrible suspicion fitted across his
mind that the Deacon had "an ak to
grind" He could take no interest in
the rambling talk that followed, for he
expected every moment that the "ax
would be brought forward. But no;
half hour passed and the Deacon rose to
go. Mr. Martins spirits rose here was
direct refutation of Mothers" theory;
here was case of a friendly call, for
frindship's sake, not for self-interest.
The Deacon stood with his hand on the
door-knob.
"Ah! kim near furgitting my ar
rant" He came back and drew his
chair little nearer his friend.
"Iou see, we're a-tryin' to build
meetin' house out in our nayburhood,
an we can't fix on the spot fur it.
Thar's a sandy null in Jake Stones
eighty acre piece, that he sez he'l give
'em. Now 'taint as good a spot as the
cross-road corner in my field, but l
can't see my way to give 'em the land,
and the trustees sez seein' mines the
han'sumest spot, they'll give me a
hun'red dollars for it, if I'll raise fifty
on it amongst my friends. An tho't
bein's we'd alters been good friends,
you'd give me lift"
The revulsion of feeling was so sud
den aud so complete that he could only
say, "Yes, yes I'll think of it,"
"sartainly, sartainly, you may want
to think it over, but his face showed
disappointment his words belied. "They
won't settle the matter for sometime yit,
Wa'al, good-day, take good keer of
yourself"