The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-11-25

women were flirts and deceivers.
thought for awhile that you had NIT
tened him, but I've put two and two to-
gether since and changed my mind"
"Why, you know, auutie, l was in
innate with Dolly Jenkings about that
timo"--
"There, I knowed that tormented
widder had something or other to do with
IT," interrupted Mrs. Barber energeti-
cally.
"Aud she kept telling me Of the at
tentions which Jack was paying her on
the sly, and intimating more than she
really said, until at last taxed Jack
with it, aud-you know. how quick Jack
is, auntie"
"Yes, ready to go off the handle at
minutes warnin' an then too proud to
own that he's in the wrong"
"And he wouldn't give me a word of
satisfaction as to whether she had told
the truth or not, only that il had COM
menced distrusting him so soon we might
as we'll part first as last, with other
speeches which cut deeper still. Oh, it
was 50 hard, Aunt Hespie, when loved
him SO. He accused me of being jeal-
Gus, but it was not so. / only thought
it best if he really cared for her, to have
the matter settled rightly before it was
too late"
"My poor little girl; and that widder. !"
with detestation in every tone, ''sho's
been after him thicker'n mush ever since
she took off her mournin', an all her
grievance is that he would have nothing
to say to her."
"Yes, l know that, now that it is too
late, Aunt Hespie, but there's no use cry
ing for split milk" bright tear trem
bled on the long eyelashes, sand | will
try aud not spoil my Thanksgiving with
tears"
For the next few hours the discussing
of the measuring, weighing and beating
predominated in the large kitchen and
spicy doors filled each nook and Granny,
penetrating to the diring-room, and even
to the parlor beyond.
"Seems sorter useless to make pumpkin
pies when Jack amt here to eat 'em, 5"
remarked Aunt Hespie disconsolately,
"'pears like there never was boy loved
pumpkin pies like he does"
''Perhaps that young minister who is
visiting Horace will eat Jacks share, ="
suggested Marion. ministers usually
have pretty fair appetite for good
things, I've noticed"
az s'pose now Horace will be anxious
to show off his relations iu pretty good
style to his college friend, "rejoine Aunt
Hespie, reflectively. "When he told
me he was coming, he said, laughing
like. 'pve been Dragging on your cook
ing, auntie, and want to show Sammy
Holland what real Thanksgiving in
the country is like"
At length the cooking was all done,
the big turkey dressed ana ready for
stuffiug, and the rows and rows of pies
and rich, plummy cakes, the pan of
1oughnuts and the heaping platter OF
cup cakes aud another of jam tarts sug-
gested large gathering on the morrow.
In Jacks room alone, no preparation
was to be made, for Aunt Hepsie would
use the room for no one but its owner
but Marion went in there with lonely
feeling in her heart, the song dying upon
her lips as she did so.
She fingered about the little dressing
table, absently pushing in the pins
which spelled "Jack" upon his pin.
cushion, and thinking of him with such
longing that Jack coul1 not have re-
NAMED angry with her could he have
seen her hungry eyes.
Suddenly thought came to her-shC
would prepare Jacks room, too, as if he
were coming with the rest, aud wit
nimble fingers she busted and arranged
everything in the best possible order,
pinning a spray of dried ferns and sumaC
upon the window curtains that the close
ness might be dispeled by the clear,
keen air of perfect November day.
The window opened out upon the broad
verandah, and Jack had often climbed
its supports aud gone to his room aud tc
bed without awakening the family, wher
at home.
She would have been his wife now,
had he not gone off in such hastY, un'
reasonable anger, aud she sank on heI
knees by the bedside when all was done.
''Oh, Jack, come back. Come back tc
me, :" her heart cried out, and if spirit
voices can become audible to each other,
Jacks spirit must have heard the earnest
appeal wherever he was.
The house began to fill with merry
crowd of relatives at au early hour o.
the morrow, for Thanksgiving dinner
at Aunt Hepsie's was a treat to young
and old. Mrs. Barber herself locke,
careworn and old.