The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-03-22

Eliza by sight, and she had note from
madame"
"Come along and don't stop talking
OF bonnets," said Ben, loosely, hauling
Patty off.
Despair seized upon the poor girls
heart-it seemed to her that the end OF
the world had come.
What would be done to her-to her
dear Aunt Jane2
She was scarcely herself as Ben hur-
ried down the stairs to the avenue aud
hailed trolley.car-she sat beside him,
muteiy. The pin came out of her veil
and it dropped to her lap.
"Patty, declare you have got
pretty bonnet this time" said Ben.
''It will cost me enough" muttered
Patty, between her teeth.
"Eh9" said he, wondering at her
frightened face.
At the next corner the car stopped
an old gentleman helped in young
lady. They took the seat before Ben
and Patty.
They were talking, fast and loud, the
words came to the girls ears:
"But, my love, you could wait until
Tomorrow" said the old gentleman.
'Mr. Figgs," said the lady, "rd con-
slider myself coward if did. Eliza
says that when Miss Smith opened the
door of the inner room, she saw her niece
there, with blue bonnet on, and that
she hid behind the bed-head, and in the
bandbox was this old turbau that l have
on my head. The girl meant to wear it
tonight and send it home tomorrow,
no doubt. But I'll show this to madame
first, and then get warrant for the ar
rest of both women-Pll punish them. 4"
Patty suddenly threw her veil over
her head. Evidently this was Mrs.
Figgs. The poor girl felt very i'll.
''Did Ben hear7" she asked herself.
"Did he guess the truth7"
Ben, however, was interested in GER
tain vagaries of the electric lights, which
blinked and flared surprisingly.
"Well, now, that's kinder hard on the
poor women" said the grocer.
az will have revengel" said Mrs.
Figgs, gritting her teeth aud becoming
hysterical.
''Therel therel you shall, dearest, +"
gasped Mr.. Figgs. "Ain't we going
there as fast as we CAM"
"You're always thwartiug mel" sobbed
the lady.
"I amt" pleaded FiggS. "Why,
wifey, 1 amt no such thing. always
do what you want, only"
At this moment the electric lights
blinked madly and went out altogether
mimic lightning began to play along
the floor of the car, and cries were heard
outside.
The car stopped; Ben jumped up and
walked to the door.
"Lend us hand" said the guard.
"Ay," replied Ben.
The car was in utter darkness. A
sudden jerk overset Mr.. Figgs, and he
sprawled on the floor. Mrs. Figgs
shrieked:
"Tm struck by lightning! Pm dead !
It's all your fault, Mr.. Figgs, all your
faultr' and went into Mysteries.
But Patty did not. She seized the op-
portunity. With one hand she pulled
down the shades, so that not even the
faint light of the street could betray her (;
with the other she whisked her old tur-
ban from Mrs; Figgs's head, and in an
instant had pinned the blue bonnet to
her golden braids. Then she seated
herself, put her despised old hat, so
precious now, upon her own head and
covered it well with her veil.
"Oh, thank goodness" she gasped,
"thank goodnessl"
The light flashed up again.
"All aboardl" roared the guard.
Ben was at her side explaining all that
had been done-all the danger, all the
value of the aid he had offered. She
did not understand word, but she
beamed upon him.
"Seems to have cheered you up" he
said.
"Well," said Patty; "a little excite
ment does, now and them"
"Abominable things-these cars"
said the passengers, in chorus; "fright-
full accident some day-a mercy we were
not all killed"
"There's one gentleman struck" said
an old lady.
But Mr.. Figgs had only been wedged
between two seats-Ben extracted him
safely, and he resumed his position be-
side his wife.
"Better, love9" he asked.
"No, 1 shall never get over this"
said Mrs. Figgs, sand you ought not to
have taken q trolley carl am sure you
did it to be rid of me"
al didn't" said Mr.. Figgs; "my dear,
your hair is down and your hat askew. f"
Mrs. Figgs put up her hands, took of
her hat, and deftly twisted her beauti-
FIJI, golden hair. Then she looked at
the blue bonnet, lying in her lap-liited
it-turned it about, gasped and gIared.
''What does this meant" she said (:
"Mr. Figgs, that shock of lightning has
driven me msd-what does this look
like to you2"
"As handsome a bonnet as I ever saw
you wear, DEAR" said Mr.. Figgs, sand
a lovely blue just like your eyes, pet"
"This is the one ordered to match
my eyes" said Mrs. Figgs, "but when l
left home had on a greasy, brown tur-
ban. You saw 1t, Eliza saw it-why it's
supernatural work-splrits, or some
thingl"
al guess" said Mr.. Figgs; "somehow
or other, electricity has done it,"
"I'm frightened to death; take me
home - said Mrs FiUps and theV aliGhted