The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-07-01

net and hastened to summon Doctor
Dodd, who lived at the other end of the
village.
'Is it my fault9" she asked herself.
"Was it because l repinedl Oh, dear,
oh dear, what a wicked girl must be |
But everything seemed so hard and
cruel, and -and-I couldn't endure it,"
Late in the afternoon she peeped into
the sickroom, shy and shrinking, like a
frightened child. ''1s he worse2" she
whispered.
Mrs. Ames came to the door, a slight,
soft-eyed woman, like human dove.
"You needn't speak so low, daugh.
ter" said she. "He cant hear you.
He's quite unconscious"
"Why does he keep muttering so1"
al think he's wandering in his mind
poor old Uncle Eben Oh, dear--oh,
dearl And can remember him such a
portly, handsome man," added the
widow, wiping her eyes. "He was the
youngest of all the brothers. Come in,
Alix, and see him. He's spoken your
name two or three times. Don't look so
startled, dear. He seems quite happy
and composed. He's talking all the
while about those curiosities of his-the
minerals, you know, and things"
Involuntarily Alix's eyes met the
gently reproachful glance of her sisters.
The sudden scarlet mounted to her
cheek.
"Oh, Ellen. don't look at me so |" she
exclaimed. 81 brought them every one
back-yes, dld-and l put them ex.
actly where they were before. Do you
think l could have come into this room
if it hadn't been for that2"
And she went up and stood by the
bedside, her eyes full of tender tears, her
voice pitiful and low.
"Uncle Eben," said she, "do you
know me2"
"It's Alix, amt it2" crooned the old
man, after a moments silence. "Alex-
ander's oldest girl. The prettiest one.
Yes, it's Alix-and she's to have my Gu
riosities-all of them, mind! Nell has
got lover, and that ought to be enough
for any girl. But Alix is alone, aud AliX
shall have my curiosities."
"Thank you, Uncle Eben!" said Alix,
as the invalid paused, expectaut of an
swer.
And then he began to prate of South
American forests and the ruined mission
houses of New Mexico, and shortly after
he died.
And'when Alix finished cleaning the
spare room, she left the poor little treas
ures in the drawer of an old-fashioned
book case there.
"I couldn't have the heart to throw
them away second time" said she, "af-
ter what he said to me. 1t was like a
child giving one shining pebbles or
wilted buttercups, with the idea that
they were precious treasures. But I'm
glad he said it. 1t seemed to soften my
heart; and, oh, it was very hard and bit
ter just then And didn't know-how
could I1-that l should miss him so
much!"
1t was late in the summer when one Of
the neighboring girls came in.
"Miss Alix," said she, ''you told our
Becky she could have a basket of goose
berries, didn't you-them purple, prickly
berries, that grows down by tue garden
wall2"
"Of course 1 did," Alix answered,
crisply. 81 knew your grandma liked
gooSeberry jam"
"Well, look here" said Fanny Rice,
opening her closed hand. ''See what
she picked up there"
"a little sparkling stone, isn't it3"
ats an OPAL said Fanny, in a mys-
terious whisper.
"A-whatY"
can opal"
"Nonsense, child! What are you talk
ing aboutg" cried Alix, scornfully.
"But it is an opal John Lyttou, who
works at Tiffanys, in New York, is
down visiting his mother, and he says
it's real Oriental opal in the rough.
Now the question is, john says, how aid
an opal ever get among your gooseberry
busiest Is there jewel mine hidden
down there9" she added, half jestingly.
Alix turned first red, then white. She
knew we'll how it had come there.
"Ask John Lytton to come here and
see me, Fanny" said she. "I have at
least dozen stones like that"
1t was like the ending to fairy story.
Not jewels turning to ashes, apparently,
but rough pebbles ranking, all of sud
den, as precious jewels.
Uncle Eben's minerals, disguised in
the dimuess of their con 9lomerate sur.
roundings, were opals of rare fire and
value.
Whether he had picked them up in
New Mexico, among the ignorant trader:
there, or brought them direct from South
America, no one ever knew. But opals
they were.
''And to think" said Alex, with {
little catching to her breath, show
near came to throwing all my inherit
ance away! Oh, what a wicked, evil
tempered young virago | wasl And no.
thing but Elen's sweet, gentle words
saved me from the consequences of my
own folly. And so Ellen shall have halt
of my inheritance"
And for some weeks the gooseberry
bushes at the foot of the Ames garden
| formed a sort of Mecca for sightseer'
and curiosity -mongers.
1--WE ain: used to berry bushes az
| bear precious Stones" chuckled oil,
CATER Gerdis. ''Not in this part OF til,
world. "-SdtuFddy Night.
Weight on Various Planets.
On Jupiter, which is a much large