Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-08-28


telligent freckled face, and saw the
brightness of his small gray eyes. She
was impressed with his red hair and his
snub-nose. And she humored him by
asking, aIs that what you would advise
me to do"
"Certaiuly," answered the boy, with
out hesitation. s'That's what would
advise you to do"
"But suppose he wants me to come
more than half way9 Suppose, after all,
he doesn't want me to stayl"
"That's all right. Pll fix that. lean
manage it. He's been waiting for you
long time, guess, but he's too proud to
tell you to come back to him. He's up
stairs now, writing letter, and"-here
Swipesey looked at her brightly-'I
think it is to you. Sometimes he has
started letters, which / have found in
the waste basket torn or partly burned,
beginning, My dearest wife, but l
don't think he has ever sent them.
However, that is none of my business.
But to-day what do you think he did9
He sent everybody home in order to be
alone that he might write. 1t was moth
ing connected with the paper, know,
for the copy is all in. think he is
writing to you upstairs to come back,
and he doesn't know you are here al
ready"
.'If he will only say he was wrong,
and ask my forgiveness" the woman
muttered, looking out of the window at
the pattering rain. Then she started up,
seemingly unaware of the boys pres
ence. ''But / mustn't ask too much. 1
was in the wrong as much as he."
"Now tell you what to do,s said
Swipesey, with eagerness. 'If you put
this into my hands, we'll fix it up all
night" His eyes shone, and he took u
few steps forward, with his small hands
clasped together and his face raised hope
iully toward the woman. "You let
ne go upstairs and sort of prepare
him. I'll not say who wants to see him,
out I'll just give him hint. And then
you go up and surprise him; and if you
ook at him and smile, and if you tell him
you are sorry, don't think he would
send you away; now, do youF
The woman looked down at the lad,
and smiled sadly at him. She could not
help being amused at his eagerness to
help her and the lonely man upstairs.
He seemed to divine what she was
thinking of, for he said, "Oh, you
mustn't think 1 am dipping my finger in
to something that amt my business, for
/ should like to hear him laugh as he did
long time ago; and besides, it is not
I right for two people to be apart the way
you aud him are"
The woman laughed nervously. 81
don't think you had better meddle, after
ALL" she said. "You may be very
bright boy, but it might make him angry
to think had allowed"
~ never set up to be bright" said
Swipesey. in an injured tone. "If was
an entire stranger he might not like it;
but being on the staff, why, it's entirely
different-seeW
The woman laughed again, and then
asked, ''What do you propose to doa"
"Well, you sit right down in that
chair again, and I'll run upstairs. I'll
not be gone but minute, and then I'll
come back for you"
Before she could say word to stop
him, he had whisked out of the room,
and she heard him going up the stairs
two steps at a time. She sighed again,
and looked down and watched the peo-
pie passing.
Then Swipesey was back with cor
dial encouraging; "Come along. I've
fixed it. He'll see you"
And they went up the stairs-up into
the office, which had become quite dark
now, and was but cheerless place at
best.
swipesey threw open the door saying,
''Here she is, sir"
The old man was scribbling. He had
laid aside the typewriter for the pen,
and he kept on for a moment. Then he
looked up in bewildered way, threw
down his pen, rubbed his eyes, sprang
up, and with a bound was across the
room. "Grace" was all he said.
And Swipesey smiled in self-satis-
fed sort of way, and closing the door,
left them alone. And when the editor
came down stairs into the lower office a
half hour later, with a shining, happy
look in his eyes, he found Swipesey sit
ting in the chair, with his feet high up
on the desk and his hat tilted on the
back of his head, buried deep in the
folds of newspaper.
"Come up stairs with me, Cox" he
said, joyously. 81 want to introduce
you to my wife. want everybody on
the paper to know her."
81 suppose so," said the boy, discon-
tentedly. But then, he added, in his
imputent way: "You needn't interduce
me to her. She and me knows each
other already. y."-Harper's Weekly.
Facts About the Moose,