The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-09-27

going.
And reaching her calico sun bonnet
from peg, she hustled of, stopping
to kiss Dolly, who was just entering
the front gate.
Dolly accompanied Miss Martha as
she went into the garden TO get q few
radishes for supper. It was a poorly |
cultivated garden, for it was not al
ways possible TO get n man to work it
properly. But there was a big cherry |
| tree on which the fruit was just ripen-
ing, and as they came in sight of this
they saw that the ground beneath was
strewn with torn leaves, while prints |
of bare feet led to loose board in the
fence.
"Oh, them boysl' Miss Martha ex-
claimed. "They've begun, already,
Jest as they do every year, and now III
have no rest nor peace until the fruits
all gone. Last summer could hardly
save enough to make three jars of pre-
serves"
"Can't you do something to keep 'em
away, Aunt Martyr" said Dolly, sym
pathizingly.
'No, deary-there's nothing could
keep 'em away but dog, and I haven't
got one. I'm afraid to keep dog
he might bite me some time"
She hunted up some rusty nails, and
with an axe tried to fasten up the
loose board, but it was of no avail.
She was a small, neat, delic ately-
formed woman of forty, with pleas
ant, comely face, which now became
flushed as she toiled at her unwonted
task.
"The whole fence wants mending,"
she said at length, despairingly, "and
I'd be as likely to knock it all down as
make it whole. Run over to old
Chloe's, Dolly, dear, anS see If her
husband can't come and help me. If
this board amt fastened up at once,
Miss Currys pigs will get in and root
up the whole garden"
Dolly skipped away as light as
fairy, but in three minutes was back
again, accompanied, not by the old
colored man, but by Captain Winston,
bearing in his hands heavy hammer
and box of new nails.
"Aunty, old Uncle Jake wasn't at
home, SO 1 brought Cap'n Winston"
"Oh, Dolly"
''Be pleased to do anything for you,
) ma am" said the captain, lifting his
: hat politely. "Took the liberty of
} bringing these things, thinking possi-
| bly, you mightn't have 'em handy"
r He handled the heavy boards as if
. they had been shingles, and securely
} fastened up half dozen which were
2 hanging loosely by their rusted nails,
4 Dolly looking on admiringly.
! Anything more 1 can do for you,
. ma'am?" he inquired, when the last
Q heavy blow had been struck.
t "Oh, yes!" Dolly cried, eagerly.
o "We want dog to scare away those
! bad boys-a good dog that won't bit,
. cause Aunt Marthy's 'fraid of dogs.
t Won't you lend us Pilot, cap'n?"
, "Why, Dolly, I'm surprised at you, "
demonstrated Miss Martha.
4; But the captain laughed.
r "That's a fust.rate idee, Dolly" he
said, patting her curly head. "Pilot
. never bites; he's too good-natured for
/ that. But he makes noise enough to
Z scare away band of robbers. So il
i you're agreeable, ma'am, I'll just fetch
e him over at night and anchor him to
o this tree till mornin', and you may de-
9 pend he'll do his duty"
G SO thenceforth every evening until
t the fruit was ali ripe and gathered,
9 Pilot was tied at the foot of the cherry
| tree, and in the morning unloosened
by Miss Martha and allowed to go
: home.
The result was that besides having
I plenty of fruit to send around to her
9 neighbors, she made preserves enough
@ to fill dozen jars-one of which she
8 presented to Dolly to take home with
r her as her very own.
I By this time there was a very good
t acouaintance established between Miss
v Martha and her bachelor neighbor, the
o captain.
|, Whenever he brought over Pilot
!, there would be little chat III the gar
h den; and he more than once insisted
y upon doing her some little service,
It such as pruning hex grape vines and
N mending the back doorstep, to which
d Dolly was afraid to intrust her small
" weight.
Il And once, when the captain was sick
3, and Dolly reported that he wouldn't
" eat the breakfast which Chloe prepared,
II Miss Martha sent over dainty tray Of
8, her own delicious wafiies and broiled
If chicken, which the child reported glee
fully the captain ate "every bit, and
t. said twas the very incest cooking he
}, ever saw.
IS 1t was about this time that Dolly be
n gan to look reaectively at her relative
g. as the latter would sit knitting in hel
" low rocking chair in the entry, anC
sr one day she surprised her by saying
,e gravely:
as "Aunt Marthy, l think you wants (
Of man to take care of you.
Ig "Good gracious, child What pu
S such an idea into your head?"
10 "Cause," answered Dolly, with un
D. rufled gravity" cause there's heal
le of things you can't do for yourself
ne My papa takes care of my mamma
Aunt Marthy, why amt you neveI
II married?"
rd Miss Martha broke into laugh, bu
IN when the question was repeated, sh
,y said, with IA sigh which seemed to com
IS despite herself;
er "Because, deary, nobody ever aske'
n me"