The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-02-26

ASah COlOItu bCdIltbs
"Oh Evndnel But-but don't want
him to give me such an expensive pres
ent. Please-please tell him notl"
"Annuder box done come by specious
messenger for Misses Leah" cried old
Hamilcar, as he stalked into the room.
"And it pears to me dat it's directed in
Marse Eugene's hand-ob-write."
''Rabbit-skins! In Montreall" scorn-
fully cried out Magdalene. "No lover
alive could expect one to make such
sacrifice as that for him. Open the 9TH
er box, Leah"
"Who said he was a lover2" cried
poor Leah, the rose flood once more dye
ing ,her check. "But the white cape
was his present, and I'll wear it. And
please tell Eugene Pm very much obliged
to him, but I'd rather not take the seal
jacket from him."
1t is very easy to make an excuse for
thing that we want to do, and the bitter
GOODNESS Of the weather did not keep
John Benoit fiom coming up to the great
fur warehouse in Montreal, to see to the
safe arrival of the consignment of skins
from Manigro, on the sixth day of Janu.
ary.
"Can you tell me-" said he to the
spruce book-keeper, "where Squire Led
yard livesl"
"Can tell you2" said Mr.. Mince.
"Of course l can. Didn't we send a
crack seal jacket up there, not two hours
ago, addressed to the young lady who is
staying there2"
''NIiss Lifford2"
"That's the name. Oh, by-the-way,
I've heard she's a Manigro lady. Per
haps you know her. Quite sensation
she's made in society, they tell me. Mr..
Ledyard's hopelessly gone on her-the
young fellow, you know. 1t was he who
ordered the seal Jacket three hundred
dollar one, the finest in the city.
Poor John Benoitl His heart sank
within him. What chance could he
possibly have against this Montreal ex-
quisite! How could his little low-eaved
stone house, among the pine forests,
compare with this city of marble palaces
and glittering pinnacles9
"It's all up with me" he muttered to
himself. 'And I, poor fool was so glad
when Mrs. Lifford consented to give
Leah chance to see the world by visit
ing her grandcousins in the city. 1 dare
say she and they are laughing now at my
wretched little coney-skins."
He skulkod through the gaslit streets
that evening, his squirrel cap drawn over
his eyes, and his hands buried deep in
his pockets, in such way that more than
one policeman paused to look suspicious
ly after him, until he came opposite the
great house on Quotidian Square.
There, sheltered by hooded stone
archway, he stopped to watch for the
sleighing party he had heard of.
"Last, Twelfth Night we danced in
Farmer Olston's kitchen" he thought,
''with torches stuck up against the walls,
and a big fire that roared up the chin
ney like the confagration at Rome. And
we heard the. starved wolves barking in
the woods as we drove home in my red
cutter. Oh, we'll, her knowledge of the
world is considerably widened since
those days! She wouldn't care for
Farmer Olston's dance,and my red cutter
now!" as he watched the glittering plated
harness on the magnificent horses, and
observed the flash OF the lamps, the CLEAN
of the velvet cushions, the floating pile
of the black-fox robes. s'I'll Just stand
here long enough to see her come out,
wearing her new lovers seal-skins, and
then I'll go somewhere where there's,
fire, for l believe my heart is getting to
be in touch with the thermometerw
Not until many brilliant sleigh. load
had driven off, however, did Leah
Lifford finally come out, wearing, not
the sumptuous seal-skins, but "a simple
cape of white fur, from which her sweet
face rose up like softly-tinted rosebud.
She entered the covered sleigh alone;
ola Hamilton called out:
Drive to de Canadian Pacific station,
Pete-an' mind yo' 90 fast! Yo' hear9"
The trunk was fastened on behind,
there was a general exchange of adieuX
and hand -kissings, and amid the crunch-
ing of half frozen snow beneath the rum
ners and the chime of gold-plated bells,
the sleigh darted away.
Hastily signaling a waiting caleche,
Benoit jumped into it, and almost before
Leah had taken her,ticket to Manigro ,,he,
was beside her.
"John-oh, Johnl" she cried out.
"Don't be frightened, Leah. Do you
not see that am hereG" he said tenderly.,
''You are going home-alone2"
81 could not stay longer, John; and
they were so vexed at me forleaving them
that they would not any Off them 6come
with me-" whispered Leah.
81 thought you were so happyathere,
Leah"
$50 / was; but-but-Eugene Led
yard asked me to be his wife; and-"i
"Is he not very rich, Leah2n
eyes; but didn't love him, lJohn!"
"You would not wear the sealf jacket
he gave you9"
"Noln with a slight downward!glance
at the white mantle that 'encircled her in
its folds. d.
"Aud you wear my cape2" fl
"Yes, John" y
"Leah-my own'one-can it be posi- \
BILE that you really love mel" !
"You know that love you, Johnl"
IT was midnight when they reached
Manigro-midnight, jeweled over with
the shine of frozen stars, made musical
with the creaking of wind-tossed trees,