The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-02-06
THE DOCTORS NEPHEW.
BY EMMA A. oprER.

BY EMMA A. oPPER.
Cora alighted from Phlo Wilson's
highland narrow and somewhat rattlv
buggy, and sat down. on a log with a
sigh Of relief, while Philo hitcled his
horse to tree.
1t was not an enticiDg thing at best to
60 to picnic with Philo Wilson; but
the picnic itself was preferable to the
drive thither. There were distractions
at least, and, with good luck, a 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
uninspiring-driving with Philo had no
allevating points.
Fairly at the grounds, then, Cora
shook out her white dress and straight
encd her chip bonnet and even smiled a
little with the buoyancy of youth The
picnic was large, she noted, gaily.
There were the older people gathered
sedately together among 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.
They approved of Philo; he 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 Philo, who was bit of
despot under his phlegmatism, did not
look pleased, she hurried away.
"The girls were gushingly glad to
see her, after the manner Of gIrls
You look lovelyw said hate Miller.
What did you bring1 said Marcy
Fuller. "l've got an angel cake, but its
perfectly horrid 1t isn't white bit,
and the frostng-
"Iou know it's splendid, Marcy, " said
Cora, laughing; ''yours always are. Isn't
that DIR. Sauuorn nephewl"
"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 lisitorial chorus. 4
"Oh, do you know him." We
thought, of course, he's relative, be-
cause he's with Sadie" 'Isn't he lovely,
anyhow"
''He is very nice looking" said Cora,
family tinted as to her round checks
"les, 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, aud 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 little excited murmer inter-
rupted her;
Hes looking at your "He's bow.
ing y "He's coming straight over here,
Coram
So he was, with the eager smile with
which young men have greeted pretty
ma DIS since the world began, and with
an impatient, outstretched hand
Cora's fingers smarted, IN truth, under
the pressure 1t gave them.
Miss Gilman" he said, finding seat
beside her (and ''the girls" edged away,
awed by the nearer presence of the
doctors nephew, al have been looking
for you, do you know? | came only
yesterday, or you'd have seen me before.
How are you, Miss Gilmanl You look
well! And the croquet grounds it
theren
"Yes, it's there, " she said, smiling up
at him. (Philo had been buttonholed I.
by Hank Lee, at a safe distance.) 'Pve
improved, Mr.. Hill. Will you believe
iti''
'Hou." he cried, in humorous alarm.
'Why, you used TO 'whitewash me
every time as it was. Well play some
thing else this year, Miss Gilman-tag,
in"
They laughed delightedly.
How. nice he was 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 he was 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
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"
lie grew suddenly sober Il did enjoy
that week, Miss Gilman. I've lived it
over in my Imagination Often enough