The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-02-12

hltty new IN at the front door, and Mat
tic bounced in at the back at the same in
stant. Neither of the girls guessed that
the other had been absent. The kettle
was boiling, so Matte made the tea and
set the table and rang the bell, tucking
the patterns behind platter on the
dresser, and Kitty entered at the signal,
expecting a scolding for keeping tea
waiting, but none came.
The girls took their tea, chatting pleas
antly over it, and then Matte said:
"Suppose we lock up and go up to our
room. 1t does feel little spookish down
stairs alone"
at does" said Kitty. "Down cellar
| first and then everywhere else"
Farley farmhouse was well provided
with bolts and bars, and every room had
good locks of its own. The girls fastened
everything on the lower door, and then
went up to the front room, where their
parents slept, to see to the windows,
though it was probable that their father
had attended TO that before he went
away. Kitty went first with candle,
Matte followed. She had stayed to put
the cat into the wash-house, and now
came up on the full run with that feeling
that some unseen thing is behind you
grabbing for your back hair, which
seems to indicate that all women have a
disposition to believe in the supernatural
for who among us has not felt it.
She had Just got to the top step when
she heard Kitty scream violently, and
heard something fall. As she rushed in
to the room, she saw that it was in dark
ness-Kitty had dropped her candle.
"Kitty!" cried her sister, "what is
the matter2"
"Oh, don't ask mel" walled Kitty.
''Get a match. Oh, oh, OH"
Matte groped about, humping her
head against the bedstead, the wardrobe,
and her sisters head, before she found
the matchbox. But it came to hand at
last, and then she struck a light, found
the candle, and lighted it. Kitty sat on
the floor rocking to and fro and moan
ing.
"What is the matter, dearl" pleaded
Matte.
"Oh! don't you seel" sobbed the
sister, ''don't you seer"
And Matte, staring about her, did see.
The door of the red closet-the treasure
house where the collection for the yellow
fever sufferers had been locked up-was
wide open. Not only was the cash-box
gone, but the bundles of linen, stockings,
gowns, cloaks, and shawls also to be sent
South, had vanished, and pinned to the
door was a large placard bearing these
words, written in blue pencil:
Thank you for making it SO easy for us.
We didn't have might of trouble, and a
whole hour to help ourselves We had quite
little lunch, too, out of the buttery. Good
bye! BURGLARS
"Kitty,n said Matte, "don't you al
most wish we were dead?"
81 do" said Kitty. "Why, it seems
to me that to face pa tomorrow will be
more than can stand"
at isn't facing him so much" said
Matte, ''though that is hard; but what
an injury we've done him. He'll have to
face the congregation and tell that story.
He'll have to make it up out of his saw
ings. Poor pal Oh, oh, oh! and all
because l went over to the Dusenbury's
for nasty little paper pattern 1 could
have done vithout-all my fault, all
mine!n
mo dear" said Kitty. 'I didn't
away a whole hour, over at the post
Office. 1 met Selina's mother, and she !
had lot to say, and they hadn't fixed 4
the letters, so you see, l left the front
door unguarded. did it. They came
in at the front door. Oh, dear, dear,
dear, dear! What a wicked girl 1 am !"
GLOW wrong of both of u.s." said
Matte. "Now, if I'd just spoken to
you"
"Or to you," said Kitty. Then both
began to cry again. If we had anything
to sell, " SAID Kitty, ''if we could save it
any way, if we had iewelry! Oh! I'd go
out to service-I'd go into factory to
earn it. But ma wouldn't let us-ohl"
"If we took poison we wouldn't cost
any more; it would save money" said
Matte.
"Pshaw our funerals and the disgrace,
and they'd feel sol" sobbed Kitty.
'Old Moses Patch asked me to marry
him once. l really think I'll go and tell
him will if he'll give me as much as has
been stolen, right away" said Matte.
"Mr. Patch is engaged to Widow Bur
ridge, Selina's mother told me that to-
day said Kitty. "No; we can't do any
thing. But what does it matter about
us, when dear pa will have to suffer for
our conduct--dear, dear pa"
Again the girls sobbed, and it was
nearly two o'clock at night before drcwsi-
ness fell upon them, and they went sadly |
across the entry to their own room, where |
they cried themselves to sleep.
Kitty awoke first, and began to'crJ |
again. Matte, aroused by the sounds,
sat up and looked about her.
~ feel as if all life had altered ",said
she
80 do l, " said Kitty. II don't want
TO get up"
81 suppose we must" said Matte
She arose and dressed herself and went
downstairs. Hardly had she lighted the
ire, when she heard feet upon the garden
path. She looked up and sawher father
and cried out:
"Home so early Why, paw then
.hrew her apron over her face and began
% sob
"Why, what's the matter, Mattie?"
.1Iyal Dav1a