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

temptuously tossed aside the paper.
Here, Eva, child, another cup of
coffee !"
AS his daughter received the empty
cup, he noticed something of an ex-
preston of sadness on her usually
bright face, and his conscience re-
preached him as being the cause of it.
Since the death of his wife, whom he
had tenderly loved, his daughter had
been dearer to him than anything on
earth, and he did not like to see her
looking unhappy.
''What is the days programme,
Evie?" he asked, quite mildly.
Hadn't you better drive down with
me to Chester and see the Lyme girls
while call on my lawyer?"
mo, thank you, papa. The Lyme
girls are coming here to tea and GRO
quet this afternoon.
"Ahl And who have you to meet
them ?'
Eva's hand was little unsteady as
she poured ont the coffee, and her
aunt, Miss Maddox, quietly answered
for her:
'Young Mr.. Moffit and his sister.
and the Harmon girls and Jack River
ton, and Mr.. Patton will bring a
friend with him"
The squire's brow darkened.
Wasn't Jack Riverton here yester-
day?"
''No, not yesterday"
"Well, the day before then. Seems
to me he is always here. Pity his
father don't keep him more closely to
his desk in his office, or that he can't
find some other place than my house
in which to pass his superabundant
leisure. And don't see" he added,
irritably-'I don't see why he should
have been invited here, when l have
already expressed my objection to
him.
''He is not particularly invited, " his
sister answered. ''It ia only the sec
ond meeting of our little croquet club
all that we can find to amuse us in
this dull country neighborhood. And,
of course, you can't blanc him for
coming with the rest.
Eva's soft, dark eyes had filed with
tears.
"Papa," she said, with little
tremor in her voice, "why do you OBJ
ject to Mr.. Riverton? Everybody
likes him but you"
The squire hesitated full half min
ute, as he make a pretense of care
fully buttering his egg.
81 have nothing against the young
mans character" he said at length,
still more impatiently, ''but L don't
like him personally-that is, his ways.
/ wish TO bear and see no more of him
if possible. I object decidedly, Eva,
TO your accepting the attention which
lac has recently been paying you, and
l must request you, Matilda, not to
encourage his visits here"
81 am sure don't encourage him."
Miss Matilda replied, bristling a little,
well aware in her own mind that Mr..
Riverton needed no encouragement
from her. ''But ] can't understand,
brother, what you can find TO object
to in Jack Riyerton's manners. Every
one says they are delightful, and you
never found fault with him until
lately"
"That is just il. His manneIs have
entirely changed of late When e man
comes courting my daughtor" this in
a very positive tone of vnic.-''I like
him to appear as a man, ard a man of
sense and business. He should come
to mo in the first place and say franlsly
that he wishes my consent to his adj.
dressing my daughter as he-er-fnds
that he--e:-has regard for her, or
something plain and simple of that
kind. But Riverton is a Gpoony, end
is making a fool Of himself If there
is anything that i thoroughly despise,
1t is to sec n tall young fellow like that
languishing around woman, making
sleeps eyes at her on all occasions !
even in church-and dawdling about
for hours in the moonlight, repeating
poetry and calling her darling and |
dearest, and other such baby names.
It's disgustingl"
Here Eva, whose cheeks bad been /
gradually assuming the hue of the /
damask rose which was pianed at her
throat, suddenly leaned back in ber
chair and burst into tears.