The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-12-02
MALC0LM'S IDEAL,
BY ANNA SHIELDS.

"She must be tall, Bah; she must be
graceful as a willow branch, with eyes
of midnight darkness, classic features,
hair like the ravens wing"
Bah, who was stirring cake, looked
up ut the deep window-seat that
separated the old-fashioned kitchen from
the garden beyond. Seated there,
swinging one foot idly, sat Malcolm
Hoyt, describing the future Mrs. Malcolm
as she existed in his youthful imagna-
ton.
"Well1" Barbara said, presently, after
q glance from the tall boyish figure and
frank, handsome face, to a small mirror
that reflected hair of FURNISHED bronze,
the true auburn, and numerous freckles.
"Welll Tall, dark, classically featured.
Any other perfectionsG"
accomplished, of course. She must
dance like sylph, sing like nightin-
gale, draw, play on the piano"
SNAKE cake2" suggested Bah, vigor-
ously stirring her batter.
"Why, no-Mrs. Hoyt will not need
to make cake, think. Not but what
it is very jolly TO know how" he added,
hastily, "but Mrs. Clark might resent
any invasion of her especial depart
ment."
''Yes, see," said Bah, dryly. "You
don't want your wife to be kitchen
maid"
Malcolm blushed furiously; he was
not quite twenty-one, and had not for
gotten how 10 blush.
81 don't mean that at all, " he said,
and then laughing heartily, added,
"don't you think we are talking con-
siderable nonsense, Babl"
al don't know" said Bah, slowly.
"You say your father wants you to mar
ry, and as you are in quest of a wife,
you might as well have some idea of
what you would prefer"
"Just like choosing a necktie," said
Malcolm, "though think l should feel
more interest in the necktie. BY the
way, what is your ideal, Babl"
az haven't considered" said Bah,
bending her face low over the pan into
which she was pouring the cake.
"Nonsense!" said Malcolm.
GAS if girl ever lived to be eighteen
without an ideal"
Then Bah violated the truth with a
daring voice, and bright eyes, for she
said
"My ideal doesn't sit on kitchen win
dow-sills and talk nonsense, at any rate. "
"You don't know what he might dc
under sufficient provocation," said Nal
colin, teasingly. 81 have seen Steve
Hale look longingly at my perch within
the last ten minutes.
"Stephen Halel" cried Bah, scorn.
fully, and lifted the pan to carry it to the
room beyond, where the fire was lighted
In summer.
Her heart was swelling with indigna-
ton. She was only farmers daugh-
ter, she told herself, and Malcolm Hoy
was heir to magnificent estate and tor,
tune, college bred, and could marry il
aristocratic circles. But to think she
could look at Stephen Hale, her father,
"help," man who could not readl Il
was insulting, little Barbara thought
and she took an unreasonably long tint
to adjust the cakepan on the oven-bars
and pile on fresh wood in the stove.
"Good- byei" shouted CHEEKY voice
presently. "I'm off to the postoffice
but I'm coming to tea to eat some o
that cake.
"I've a great mind to scorch it,
thought Bah, spitefully. 81 would too
II it wasn't fathers favorite."
al do believe she is fond OF Steve,
thought Malcolm, as he swung himself
into the saddle. "She blushed as red a
peony when l mentioned him. Isup
pose it would be what my father calls {
suitable match, but she's a thousanG
times too good for him. Why, she's a'
good a Latin scholar as half our col
lege fellows, and she sings so beauti
fully, that it is a burning shame she ha
had nothing but concertina to accom-
pany her voice. Then his reVerie tool
another turn, and he thought: 81 won
der if father is ill"
1t was the nineteenth century, an,
Malcolm was an only child, denied n
indulgence from his infancy, but h
never thought of his father as the "gov
ernor" or the sold man." His mothe
was but a memory, for when he was tiy
years old, her golden haired beauty wa
hidden under the daisies. He liked
= think his great, blue eyes and crisp
J blond cprls were like those IN IA
mothers portrait, but imagination wa
more potent than actual memory in Il
calling her.
"Iwonder if father really is illp' /
thought, jogging along slowly. "H
seems so anxious TO have me settled
b And that means married. lie seems
( think l will weary Of deaAold home n
have no family ties to bind''oe there