The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-10-11


light under the dropping roses right
beneath his open window.
And she had never dreamed that papa
could be mean enough-no, she would
not say that-but unfeeling enough to
listen.
As she softly cried, with her dainty
handkerchief pressed TO her eyes, she
heard her fathers concluding words
"When you find man making love
in this idiotic way, you may be posi-
tive of one thing-that the love is only
skin-deep, and that he will make an
Indifferent, if not bad husband. For
this reason I object to Mr.. Jack River
erton counting my daughter"
That evening, in the quiet twilight
! interval between tea and croquet, Eva
took occasion to convey to Mr.. River
ton n warning hint of what her father
expected of them in the future.
Jack knew-as did most of the
squire's acquaintances-that despite Il
'good heart at bottom" the old gen
tleman was apt to take up absurd and
unreasonable prejudices, and to stick
to them with tenacious obstinacy-
especially when he found himself OPP
posed. But on this occasion the young
mans spirit rose in high rebellion, and
it took all Eva's influence to pacify
him.
"No, Jack, she said, with gentle
firmness, in reply to his excited re-
marks, "you must not speak to papa
at present. 1t would only make mat
ters worse while he is in this mood.
We can do nothing but wait and see if
in time he won't yield to more reason
able impressions.
In time! !" repeated Jack, i'm
patiently. "Why, Evie, he don't
change his views ON any subject within
five years time"
"Well," she said, with a sigh, 81
suppose we shall have to wait, even if
it is as long as that"
One day the squire, returning from
his morning ride, found his daughter
and his sister seated in the pleasant
little sitting-room opening upon the
garden.
Eva's white fingers were deftly
fashioning some rose-colored ribbons
into dainty knots and loops.
''What are those for?" her father
inquired, as he seated himself in his
own big armchair and unfolded his
paper while glancing admiringly at the
silken stuff
"'To wear at the lawn party this
evening, papa. And you will go with
us, of course?"
"a lawn party? All, I had for
gotten Well, where is it to beat
the Lyens'?"
cat the Rivertons'," Miss Maddox
said
He scowled as he roughly shook out
his paper.
81 don't wish to interfere with your
pleasures or enjoyments, Eva," he
said, "but would rather that you
should not go to this party at the
Rivertons'."
She knew that when her father ex-
pressed G wish, it was intended as a
command, and her hands dropped
listlessly into her lap, crushing the
crisp ribbons. Tears forced them
selves between the long lashes, and
she presently rose and quietly left the
room.
Then Miss Maddox looked up from
her own work, and there was some
thing unusual in her expression.
Archibald" she said, grayely, al
have something to say to you. l
would warn you not to carry this
matter too far, nor to be too hard
upon Eva and Jack Riverton, lest you
drive her into open disobedience End
even an elopement
"An elopement ~
His sister took from the little work
box which Eva had left on the table a
folded letter.
II found this here, Just where you
see that she keeps it. Perhaps L
ought not to have read it, seeing that
it is love letter; but, under the cir
cumstances, l consider it my duty to
let you know the contents. Will you
read it, or shall do so?"
The squire replied with sort of
inarticulate grunt, which his sister
interpreted in her own way, and
accordingly commenced reading,
aloud:
"'My own precious angel, Eva"
bah I" said the squire, with an ex-
preston of unutterable disgust.
" since q cruel and relentless late at pres
ent forbids our meeting, / can but take this
unsatisfactory method Of communicating
with you, and telling you, my own dearest
darling, Of howunspeakably and unutterably
dear you are to me. ,"
"The fool - muttered the squire.
"'oh, my souls beloved"
'For heavens sake, Matilda, spare
me any more of that sickening and
idiotic stuff Why, it's worse even
that l would have thought Jack River
ton capable of. What were you say
ing about an elopement?"
"It 10 this, answered his sister,
glancing down the page:
3" 4 find that cannot exist apart from
you, and since your unfeeling father"
"Humph I"
will not consent TO our union, we must
take our fortunes into our own hands and
defy any, earthly power to keep us
G3under.
"rhe rascal!' cried the squire,
starting erect in his chair.
But his sister put out her hand,
aeprecatingly.
t'Haar the rast Arcbibo1d -