The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-07-01
UNCLE EBEN'S MINERALS.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

"Alixl Alixl where are youT"
Alexia Amcs stood like some avenging
Fate in the middle of the square room at
Amescroft Farm. She had pulled up
every tack in the well-worn ingram car
pet-the one "store carpet" that the
humble establishment afforded and had
flung it bodily out of the window, where
it had descended with crushing weight
en- the fiery-red blossoms of a monster
''burning BUSH"
She had opened every easement wide.
so that the yellow light of the glorious
May morning streamed in, food of
crystal glory.
She had tied her auburn hair up in nm
old towel, and stood on a wooden char
scat, brushing cobwebs from the ceiling
with an ancient broom, like tho pro,
verbal "old woman" of the nursery
rhyme.
AT the sound of her sisters voice she
stopped abruptly.
"Pm here" said she.
"What are you doing, Alixl"
SIM trying to civilize things little. u
"All alone by yourself, Alike"
"There's no one to help met"
Cant you wait until Bridget Reir-
don comes Tomorrow"
Alix shook her toweled head.
"This is one of the cases." said she,
"where patience has ceased to be vir-
tue. No, can't wait day longer"
Ellen looked anxiously around the
room.
"Why, what have you done with
everything" said che.
"Cleared them all out. II we are 90
ing to have summer boarders, we mus
get ready for them. Uncle Eben occu
pies our best bedroom, and is likely tc
for some time; consequently this mus
be fitted up for boarders."
Ellen sighed deeply.
~ wish we weren't so poor" sale
she. al wish we could live without
filling our house every summer with q
crowd of noisy strangers"
"Why don't you wish for Aladdin
lamp, or the Kohinoor diamond Will,
you are about it'll" said Alix, scornfully
"Alix, why have you grown so bite
of latel" pleaded the geptler of til,
sisters. al don't hardly know youl"
"Am bitterq" Alix stood still ant
hesitated for an instant or SO. "Well
perhaps am. But is it not enough t.
make any one bitter, this constant cur
rent of disappointment"
~ don't know that we have any NOR,
to bear than others, Alix."
"You do, tool" cried Alix, springine
down from her wooden chair, will
burning cheeks and eyes alight. ''Yo,
, know you do, Ellen Amesi Here yor
are engaged to Henry Lucas aud can
marry until he can give you a home
here are we weighed TO the very cart
with poverty and care, and this oil,
uncle of ours, coming back from life
time of shiftlessness in New Mexico, t
place an additional burden on ou
shoulders.
''lle is old and poor, Alix."
"Very well, I'm young and poor
Where's the differenceG OF the two,
maintain that he is the better off. D."
Ellen looked at her stormy-tempere
sister with troubled eyes.
Evidently she thought it best not t
continue the subject.
"What have you done with the littl
case of butterflies and birds nests2r sal
she; "and the cabinet of minerals an
the paper box of stones2"
''Tumbled them back of the goose
berry bushes" said Alix. 81 can't hav
the room cluttered with all the trash h
brought back in that wooden chest {
his.n
"Couldn't you have stored them ava
in the old chest itselfl"
"Nonsensel Such stuff as thatl Ant
besides, it would have been quite impoi
sible, for I've had Billy chop the old ar
up into kindling wood. He'll nevC
know"
"Oh, Alixw
81 don't carel" flashed ont Alix, wit
a reckless toss of her head. sits tC
bad! Everything goes wrong with u
and mother is utterly overworkcd, an
I'm clear discouraged, and-and-"
All of a sudden her factitious couras
broke down. She sank in little hea
on the floor, her head on the wood,
chair-seat, and her masses of auburn Ina
escaping wildly from the towel, whi
her whole frame shook with sobs al
bright tears trickled down her cheeks.
AT the same moment Mrs Ames's sol
tremulous voice was heard, calling:
"Ellen! Alexia Where are you, girl
Your uncle is took dreadful bad Ru
one Of you, for the doctorl Aud 10th
one, come aud help me lift himp
Ellen flew to her mothers assistan
and Alix mechanically tore the tow