The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-12-24

ods, while / count it privilege to con-
tribute my time and means to the devel.
opment of new methods and new pro-
cesses."
The evening was well advanced when
John Dunn heard step on the pave
ment he we'll knew. All that weary
afternoon he had beheld men, women
and children hurrying up and down the
street. The majority bore bundles and
packages; some were loaded down with
bundles; children scarcely able to walk
mere "tots" tottered along, chirping like
young birds, beside the men and women
they clung to. Everybody seemed to be
in hurry, and why not2 Tomorrow
was Christmas
John Dunn's heart suddenly sunk.
Sandy Rae's firm, deliberate step was no
longer heard. The step paused at the
en- trance to the stairway.
"He brings me the news. - Johns
nand was on the window; he was on
the point of raising it; he wanted to
shout down to Sandy, then he checked
himself. 1t may be failure. It will
keep.
Now another step, still more familiar
to Johns sharpened senses, fell on his
ear; the light springing step of his
brother Jem. 1t, too, halted strangely
as it neared the entrance to the stair
way.
"Wby do they stop there2n the invalid
asked himself, as a lump rose in his
throat. at must be bad news, or Sandy
wouldn't stand there. Jem couldn't keep
back" Then he began to ask himself,
''If it fails2" repeating it again and again,
and involuntarily, unconsciously, he
supplemented it with Sandy Rea's re-
frain, "The Lord will provide, until
query and answer were linked strangely
together, and tear dropped on John
Dunn's hand.
Now another step approached-his
mothers step. 1t came very slowly; he
fancied it was more deliberate than usual.
Yes, it meant failure. Now they were
talking in subdued tones. 1t was all over
then. They were celebrating how to
break the news to him. John Dunn leaned
forward, covered his face with his hands,
and softly cried. Then he checked his
tears and wiped his checks resolutely.
He would put brave face on it for his
mothers sake. 1t was hardest upon her
after all. A step-the step that was now
rarely out of his hearing was on of the
stairs. He pretended to be looking out
| of the window when she entered. There
were tears on her eyelashes. She looked
at him so tenderly as she closed the door
softly and approached him swiftly that
he felt like crying out
"There! Don't speak mother. I've
been repeating it over and over, 'The
Lord will provide some way"
Then the door was opened suddenly,
and Jem bounced in, followed by Sandy.
"pll bet-why, look at him, Mr..
Rae!'
"I'm crying with Joy, john" said
Mrs. Dunn.
"If Mr.. Rae hadn't held me back, I'd
been first to tell you,' said Jem with
sparkling eyes.
"There are few men as thoughtful as
Mr.. Rae" said Mrs. Dunn. Sandy
waived the compliment aside by saying,
'Did your mother tell you the best of
| it?n
''I have told him nothing. Mr.. Cole
offers ten thousand dollars down for the
half interest, and agrees to provide the
plant"
"Jem, said John suddenly, "Pll make
you an architect now-that's what you
are born for. What makes you look so
sober, Sandy9"
81 was joost thinkin', ,tall1in' about the
future. It's no so long since we were
puzzlin' our brains about providin' for
ye. Now good luck has COME, I'm takin'
the lesson home to myself along wi ither
things. The Lord will provide. -
JkusepJe.