The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-10-16
MABEL'S TROUBLE.


Frank Hatfield's wife, one of the dearest
and most winning of women in the
world, had said to him:
"Have you heard from brother Walter
YETI"
"No, Mabel; not time yet. You know
he only went day before yesterday. Get
letter tomorrow, maybe"
"Do you know, Frank, l am almost
wild with curiosity to see his wifel Such
wedding trip for three months after they
were married."
"Wanted to make it in pleasant
weather, | suppose; showed their good
sense, " said Frank.
"Anyhow, they'll be here in ten days,
as soon as his business is arranged, and
Mabel Hatfield's almost girlish face
beamed with delight at the thought, for
she almost idolized her "brother Walter, "
and had heard wonderful stories of the
beauty of his bride.
Such had been, in part, the talk of the
breakfast table, and there had not been
in all the city SUMMER face than that
with which Frank Hatfield had said
goodbye to his dear little wife and his
rosy faced baby boy; but now, half an
hour later, he sat in his down town Office
gloworing at bit of crumpled paper on
the table before him with an expression
of countenance which might fairly be
thought to include doubts of his own
sanity.
soak Street Station House!p he ex-
claimed. "What in-well, 1 might as
well go there"
Aud so he did, with barely enough
presence of mind to put his hat on before
he started A few minutes of almost
fercely rapid walking, a brief parley
with the officials in blue, and Frank
Hatfield was admitted to a dingy and
dimly lighted cell,
"Frank-n
"Good heavens! You herel"
"Hush! Not a word! l gave my name
as Harry Taylor, and it's gone into The
reports that way"
"But how did it happen?n
81 can't tell, Frank. only know they
found the pocketbook in my pocket, anC
| was so dumbfounded l could not say {
word"
"The pocketbook"
"Yes, it was at the Pennsylvania sta
ton. l had just checked my trunks
when they began to make an outcry
and that's about all know about it unit
Twas nabbed and searched"
"But Florence2" said Frank.
~ wrote to her that | was detained il
New York for few days by importan
business. Then gave your name as m.
counsel and sent foryou.'
81 didn't get your note till this morn
ing, said Frank.
''Some mistake or other. But here
am, trapped, and what to do do no
| know"
'Oh, can get you off easy enough
it's an old game of the pickpockets. Al
have got to do is to prove who you are
and the Judge won't fail to see it," sale
| Frank.
"But don't want to prove who l am
it would kill Mabel and just about mur
der Florence. You don't know how sen
sitive she is No; l must be got off ant
acquitted as Harry Taylor, or I'll neve
! get over it, Now, Frank, old fellow
promise me not to let my name out I
anybody, least of all to Mabel Flor
ence's letters will come in your care a
usual; and l can send letter to MabC
dated from home, you know, as if it wa
inclosed to you"
"You must take the responsibility c
all this deception, then" said Frank
, and after a great deal of hesitation tn
the young lawyer allowed himself to b
oyerpowered into giving the require
promise, but left the station house an
returned to his office a troubled an
anxious-hearted man. He did not lik
deception in any shape and he seriousl
doubted his capacity for conceahng any
thing from his dear little wife.
And so it was when Frank Hatfield II
turned home that evening and silent
handed Mable an unpostmarked missiv,
over which her blue eyes glistened an
which made her kiss the baby twice, /
did so with flush on his cheek and
cloud on his brow which never LETT hi
the whole evening. In vain he tried to !
gay, or to make the growing youngster
means of concealhg his perturbation, fl
the quick eyes of his wife penetrated h
clumsy artifces, and then-well, if
had been in trouble before he was bad
enough beset now.
OF course Frank kept his promise
aecrecy, but at the expense of a red fa'
and a hustered manner. He was not ha
sure that his conscience had not caugl
him in several petty equiyocations or We
defined libs. More than that, Mabel VI
quite wSA aware tha! she had lot pen