The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-02-06
THE DOCTORS NEPHEW.
nY EMMA 4. orrER.

Cora alighted from Philo Wilson's
! Highland narrow and somewhat rattly
buggy, and sat down on log with n
sigh OF relief, while Philo hifcled his
horse to tree.
1t was not.an entioing thing at best to
go to picnic with Philo Wilson; but
the picnic itself was preferable to the
drive thither. There were distractions
at least and, with good luck, chance
for brief escape. But driving six
miles with him, making spasmodic at
tempts at conversation while he sat in
his usual open-mouthed but tongue-tied
silence, tall and lank, uninspired and
uninsplring- with Philo had no
alleviating points.
Fairly at the grounds, then, Cora
shook out her white dress and straight
ened her chip bonnet and even smiled a
little with the bnoyancy of youth The
picnic was large, she noted, gaily.
There were the older people gathered
sedately together among a group of
birches. Cora's father and mother were
among them, in black broadclcth and
alpaca, and they looked over at their
pretty daughter and Philo with placid
smiles.
AhOy dDHiONCQ vi Ht was
''steady," and their practical concern
went no further. Cora smiled back at
them. And grouped about the long
board platform, where there would be
dancing later, were all "the girls"
Cora deserted the log.
'pll go over where the rest are," she
said.
And though PhiIo, who was bit of
despot under his phlegmatism, did not
look pleased, she hurried away.
1.-The girls were gushingly glad to
see her, after the manner of glrls.
''You look lovely !" said h ate Miller.
What did you bring" said Marcy
Fuller. "Pve got an angel cake, but it's
perfectly horrid 1t isn't white a bit,
and the frosting ="
"You know it's splendid, Marcy" said
Cora, laughing; 'yours always are. Isn't
that DIR. SanUorn's nephewp
THE girls" did not look around-it
wasn't necessary. They had him already
well fixed on their mental retinas, by
reason of sundry furtive glances-the
handsome Young fellow, blue-eyed and
black haired, in loose jacket and sand
shoes and soft cap, who sat talking to
Sadie Sanborn and Sadie's beau at the
other end Of the platform. They burst
into subdued inq iisitoriAl chorus. .s.a
"oh, do you know himl" We
thought, of course, he's relative, be-
cause he's with Sadie. 'Isn't he lovely,
anyhow"
''Iie is very nice looking" said Cora,
family tinted as to her round cheeks.
"Yes, he's the doctors nephew. He
was here last summer, but only for a
week or SO; and the doctor was in to see
father one evening, and brought Mr..
Hill with him, and we got pretty well
acquainted. He'd run over and play
croquet real often, and one day we
went"
But a little excited murmer inter.
rupted her.
Hes looking at you'll" "Hes bow.
ing" "He's coming straight over here,
Coral"
So he was, with the eager smile with
which young men have greeted pretty
maids since the world began, and with
an impatient, outstretehed hand.
Cora's fingers smarted, In truth, under
the pressure it gave them.
Miss Gilman he said, finding a seat
beside her land ''the girls edged away.
awed by the nearer presence of the
doctors nephew. al have been looking
for you, do you knowl / came only
yesterday, or you'd have seen me before.
How are you, Miss Gilmanl You lo5k
we'll And the croquet grounds it
theref"
"Yes, it's there, - she said, smiling up
at him. (Philo had been buttonholed
by Hank Lee, at a safe distance.) 'Pve
improved, Mr.. Hill. Will you believe
itf''
"You" he cried, in humorous alarm.
''Why, you used TO 'whitewash' me
every time as it was. Wen play some
thing else this year, Miss Gilman-tag,
or iackstones, or something Pm proficient
i'm
They laughed delightedly.
How. nice he wasl she thought-so
bright and jolly
She was little frightened to find
how well she remembered all about him.
And he-she couldn't tell what he was
thinking, of course--but heNwas looking
at her with very eager eyes and amanner
almost excited She dropped her own,
her cheeks pinker
81 remember it all, you see. What a
good time we had, Miss Gilman, now
didn't we-the day we went off black
berryingl You haven't forgotten it7
You had on an old blue dress and a
shaker, and some gloves Of your fathers {"
Mr.. Hill threw back his head In boyish
glee. And We got ten quarts. too. 4"
He grew suddenly sober. Il did enjoy
that week, Miss Gilman. I've lived il
over in my Imagination often enough