The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-06-28

0SkH%0 corners received 1t
6IIl0MIRMS0SsSA without a shadow
Of doubt. 1t hardly needed to be
known that Mrs Goodrich herself was
the authority.
She was down at the store Saturday
afternoon as usual to make her weekly
purchases. Anson Blake, who never
failed when groceries were purchased
to conduct the customer to the other
side of the store to look at the dry
goods, and vice versa, endeavored to
Iced Mrs. Goodrich over to look at
some new winter goods.
Then it came out. With a bit of
pardonable pride she let him know
that she had no need to look at fall
goods in Witham Corners or in Witham
Centre, either, since cher Hannah was
going to the city next week to do their
fall shopping that she, Hannah, had
an aunt there who had the whole sum
mer been urging her to come, and that
now she was going for few days"
Mrs. Goodrich shook her large skirts
and swept out-fguratively speaking,
of course, as her garments always es-
capped the floor by some inches.
Meeting was hardly over the next
day before Hannah was interviewed as
to her intended trip, and the ladies
who were not present in the morning
interviewed her in the evening on the
subject. They were so numerous then
and kept her so long that Jerry Down
ing, waiting patiently for her outside,
concluded she had gone out the back
door on purpose to cut him, and walked
home with another girl. His mother,
who had not been on speaking terms
with Mrs. Goodrich since that good
lady made some remarks on the strength
of the butter Mrs Downing brought
to the minister's donation last winter,
let jerry know when he got home of
Hannah's intended trip, and suggested
that a girl who couldn't buy her winter
dress at the Corners, but must 90 TO
New York for it, was too fine to be
farmers wife. Jerry went to bed in
despair, while Hannah was crying her
self to sleep, wondering how she could
have offended him.
The next afternoon, when she came
In from her school, Hannah was more
than surprised to find Mrs Downing
in the sitting room with her mother.
As the visitor had not been in their
house for year, Hannah was sure that
she bore some message from Jerry,
and greeted her accordingly, wonder
ing meanwhile, why her mother looked
so grim, and knit as furiously as if the
whole family were barefooted and suf-
fering.
1t was no message from Jerry, how
ever, that brought Mrs. Downing there
to-day. The lad was plowing in
distant field, and did not know of his
mothers call.
After her little remark last night
about Hannah's city shopping tour,
she had thought best TO keep this visit
q secret from him.
81 was just telling your ma," she
began, when Hannah, flushed and ex-
pectant, was seated, ''that I'd been
down to Blake's to get my winter
dress, and that there want thing
there I'd put on my back. F"
"Oh, not thing" Hannah assented
quickly. I'm going to New York for
our winter things"
$50 l heard, and / was telling your
ma that, as long as you are going to
town and going a-shoppin', buying one
more dress wouldn't be no more trou-
bic to you.
Buying whole wardrobe for Jer-
ry's mother would have been de-
light
"Oh, ne trouble pleasure !"
Hannah cried, despite her mothers
frown.
"There's that brown merino l got
three years ago last fall, Mrs. Down
ing went on. ''The wear I've had out
of it just beats all. I've worn it steady
wherever l went. was telling your
ma that didn't know as 1 could be
suited better than to have another lust
like it. So, if you won't mind getting
me ten yards of dark brown merino-
say, about eighty cents yard-or you
might go as high as eighty-fve-Td be
much obliged, and will do the same by
you"
Don't mention it,, cried Hannah,
taking out her notebook and adding
the small item to the long family list
''The money'll be all right, added
Mrs. Downing
''of course it will, Hannah laughed.
''Going to stay long?"
'From Thursday to Monday only.
] can't leave my school longer.
'I'n be over, then, Monday night .
after it. "
"Waal, l must say" Mrs. Goodrich .
burst out, as the door closed after Mrs. /
Downing, 'she's got brass The idee