The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-03-20


"That's Number Two" smiled Alice.
"Excuse me for saying that have more
faith in Number Two than in Number
One"
"we shall see" nodded Libby. "And
the third"
eyes" encouraged Alice, "the
third-h
~ answered an advertisement for
wife," whispered Libby, hanging down
her pretty head. eyes, Alice, l did.
You needn't start back in that tragical
manner Other girls do it. Why
shouldn't II Such beautifully y-worded
advertisement A widower, all alone in
the world, siPhing for sympathy aud
love-a widower of means, Alicen
"Libby, you have done wrong" said
Alice, with a gravity that impressed her
young companion more than she would
have been willing to confess.
"Well, I've done it, and there's an
end of the matterl" said libby, with a
rebellious shake of the head. $50
no use in lccturing me. Uncle Tom
shall find out that Pm not entirely with
out resources A hundred dollars for
the story besides all the fame it will
bring me, Alice, ten dollars from the
plum iam-and there, you see, is enough
to buy quite neat little trousseau for
marrying the widower. People don't
launch out with silk dresses aud dozens
of underclothes as much as they did;
and"
"Libby," urged Miss Markham, ''are
you really in earnest"
Libbie broke out into little hysteri
cal laugh.
"Alice," said she, "I've thought of
nothing else and dreamed of nothing
else for week. And it's strange-so
strange that l never have received an
answer to any of the three communica-
tionsp
Just then little Tommy, the youngest
hope of the house of Morse, came trot-
| ting across the sere meadow.
"Oh, look here, Lib" said he. "The
storekeeper he's found lot o. letters as
/ got hid away under the meal bags, where
they was sortin' the mail on Thursday.
They calculate as Pete, the puppy, done
/ it-he's chuck full of mischief and
/ tricks and the storekeeper he give me a
| lemon ball If I'd take these to you. |
was lickin' the inside of the molasses
keg, with Johnny Piper and Sam Stokes,
under the counter"
Libby grasped the letters, and even
by that imperfect light, Alice could see
the snow and crimson chasing each other
across her face.
They were already inside the little
gate, and Libby caught at her COM
panion's arm with nervous haste.
'Let us 90 up stairs to your room,
Alice, :" she whispered. "There is al
ways such swarm Of children in the
keeping room, and one never can have q
moment to oneself. Besides, there is
only that lamp in the house, and l can't
read by candle-lgh
Side by side, in the school-teacher's
apartment, by the light of the flicker
ing, strong scented kerosene lamp, Libby
and Alice opened the letters.
The first, whose envelope bore the
stamp of the Titusfield Literary
Clarion, was brief enough. The editor
regretted that Miss Morse's manuscript
had proved unsuited to his columns, but
would return it to her address on the re
ceipt of sufficient postage stamps to de-
fray the cost of transportation by mail
"There's an end of that" cried
Libby, passionately, tearing the Letter
in two and flinging its fragments on thu
ground.
, The second was an elegantly writer
note, on scented and monogrammeC
| paper, from the Secretary of thu
| Woman's Barter Establishment, stating
that Miss Morse's kind favor per tht
Rackawaxen Railroad Express, hat
, been sampled, and had unfortunately
7 proved to be below the standard whicl
the establishment had set up. The boz
awaited her orders, and Mrs. Geraldu
GeofTreys remained "hers truly" etc.
etc.
! "It's all nonsensew cried breathles
Libby. "StandaId of excellence, in
deed! It's all favoritism. There's
! rng-I know there isl The whole thini
: ought to be exposed through the news
papers"
The third letter was brief enough. l
was from we'll known lawyer in New
York, stating to Miss Elizabeth Mors
, that her communication, together wit
numerous others, had been found amoni
1 the effects of notorious swindler, VIII
4 had fed from Justice about a weel
previously. 1t was returned to her
with a well-meant warning to avoit
such traps in the future. Most of hi
= dupes, it was stated, had inclosed money
rings anu puOIOBIuphS " hlHl' OuI 81
: was fortunately among the exceptions.
Poor Libbyl she burst into angr
= tears, with her head on Alice's shoulder
"Oh, Alice" she cried, "what fool
S have been !"
g And Miss Markham was endeavorin
! to console her, when Tommy came clat
tering up stairs to shout at the keyhol
2 that ''supper was ready, and marin ha
been frying hapjacks, and there wa
S some real maple molasses on the table
better than that on the inside of the Ike
: at Billingses' storep
, Alice went down. She knew that
: would give mortal offense to Mrs. Morse
+ housewifely pride to neglect this sun
= mons; but Libby flung hood over he
G head, and rushed ont into the cold nigh
h air
e Il couldn't speak to any one jus
5 now," she pleaded. "You'l keep m
c secret, Aice-won't your
2 Just there at the gate stood Job Line
r ley, a black shadow against the stal
o light.
n "Libbyw
1t was all that he said, but the on
d word was so full of devotion, allegiance
tender appreciation, that LIBBY stoppe
y involuntarily.
!. 1t was a healing balm to her hurt spiri
II and wounded pride.