Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-11-20
sighed. sJust year ago to-day, and

sighed. ..Just a year ago to-day, and
it seems like ten."
"What was it, child, that set him of
sos" asked Mrs. Barber gently. "Ive
always wanted to know, but I thought
when you wanted me to hear it you'd tell
me-"
''Why, Aunt Hepsie, didn't you
know9" The girl raised her head with a
look of astonishment. "I supposed of
course that he had told you the whole
foolish story, or should have spoken OF
it long ago."
"Not word, dearie. He only came
in one day, his face all white and set, to
tell me that he was going, and that all
women were firts and deceivers. I
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, auntie, was in.
innate with Dolly Jcnkings about that
time"-
"There, I knowed that tormented
widder had something or other to do with
it," interrupted Mrs. Barber energeti-
cally.
"And she kept telling me of the at
tentions which Jack was paying her on
the sly, aud intimating more than she
really said, until at last taxed Jack
with it, and-you know how quick Jack
is, auntie2'
"Yes, ready to go off the handle at a
minutes warnin' an then too proud to
own that he's in the wrong"
''And he wouldn't give me word OF
satisfaction as to whether she had told
the truth or not, only that if / had COM
menced distrusting him so soon we might
as well part first as last, with other
speeches which cut deeper still. Oh, it
was so hard, Aunt Hespie, when loved
him so. He accused me of being jeal-
GUS, but it was not SO. only though,
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, "she's
been after him thicker'n mush ever since
she took off her mournin', an all hel
grievance is that he would have nothing
to say to her."
:" eyes. 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 and 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 filed 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,' u
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, u
suggested Marion. ministers usually
have pretty fair appetite for good
things, I've noticed"
81 s'pose now Horace will be anxious
to show off his relations in pretty good
style to his college friend, 'rejoined Aunt
Hespie, refectively. "When he told
iiiS ~ was SoIAihS, ho SAUL laughing
like; 'lve been Dragging on your cook
ing, auntie, and want to show Sammy
Holland what a real Thanksgiving in
the country is like. >"
At length the cooking was all done,
the big turkey dressed ana ready for
stuffing, and the rows and rows of pies
and rich, plummy cakes, the pan of
doughnuts and the heaping platter of
cup cakes and 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 could not have re-
manned angry with her could he have
seen her hungry eyes.