The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-06-06

0I. DhIbOn WIS plSdS6u Wl1h bhS
farm and promised his wife that she
should have fine new house in year
or 80. BE went energetically to work,
preparing portion of the land for
the precious grain; and aside from
the discomforts which could not
be helped, all went well with him for
he had sufficient money to buy the
necessary machinery, serviceable
pair of horses and few COWS, besides
laying aside a small sum for a rainy
day.
But all was not well with Lizzie. As
soon as they were settled and she and
her mother had, with womanly in
genuity, given pleasant and home
like appearance TO the interior of the
rude cabin, she had written a long
letter to Will, and intrusting it to her
fathers care, watched him drive off
to the little town of Melton, dozen
miles distant, where was located the
nearest postofice. She hoped for a
letter in return, but was disappointed.
'I shall be sure to receive one next
week." she thought, and sang about
her work, as she helped her mother
inside the house, or planted the flower
seeds and roots brought from the old
home, which, later, made beautiful
the outside of the homely cabin.
Another disappointment awaited
her, but she thought, "Perhaps my
letter did not reach Will. He may
not have our correct address; I will
write again."
The next time her father went to
Melton she walked to meet him on his
return her heart bounded with Joy as
he handed her thick white envelope,
but sank like lead when she looked at
the superscription. 1t was from a
girl friend, a very dear one, but Lizzie
felt no desire to read it then.
"Oh, father Is that all? You
must surely have another one ]"
"Only some papers, puss.
His voice was little husky, and he
did not look at her.
Chow foolish I ami" she said to
herself, when the first keenness of the
disappointment was over. ga dozen
things might have happened to delay
the letter. How wish we could go
to the postoffice every day"
'Hope deferred maketh the heart
SICK" Lizzie waited week after week,
but no letter came from Will.
81 will write just once more," she
said, "only few lines, that may be
sure that am not the one to blame. ="
She gave up all hope when, in early
autumn, a letter from a girl friend
contained the information that "Will
Chester was flirting awfully with a
cousin then visiting his fathers, and
some thought it would be match. "
Lizzie was too proud and also too
sensible to let this disappointment
spoil her life. She hid her grief from
her watchful father and mother, and
If her pillow was wet during many a
wakeful night, she was busy and
cheerful each day.
Summer and autumn passed. The
harvest was gathered, necessarily small,
for only a little land had been pre-
pared. 'It would be very different
next summer" said Mr.. Barton. Their
came the Dakota winter. Oh, that
terrible first winter to the BartoI
family Not having any idea of how
severe the cold would really be, they
did not make suitable preparation fol
it, and endured many hardships.
Winter came, and Lizzie was again
installed as teacher in the small
{ school-house, her father driving hei
there in the morning and coming foI
her at night.
One cold afternoon in January h
was not there as usual when the schoo
was dismissed, and Lizzie, wondering
what had happened to detain him
hurried her little flock home, as it wa
beginning to storm. She waited fol
half an hour, hoping her father woult
come, for she had felt ill all day, anC
was scarcely able to walk long mile
in the face of the storm.
Mr.. Barton was in the grip of hi
old enemy, inhammatory rheumatism,
and was almost unable to move. Mrs
Barton was not alarmed on her daugh
ter's account, thinking she could easil,
walk home when tired of waiting.
'I must CO." thought Lizzie
''Father would be here by this time i
something had not happened to detaiI
/ him."
She left the schoolhouse and began
the long walk. Presently her step
slackened; a faint feeling stole owe
, her; she strove against it, struggled
on few steps, then sank down in tn,
fast drifting snow.
l
r That day, when the Eastern trair
| steamed into the little town of Mel
+ ton, it left one passenger on the plat
; form of the small depot, good-look
| ing, broad-shouldered young fellow
| whose name was William Chester. II,
/ had been amazed at not hearing from
} Lizzie at first, and had written agail
l and again, thinking there must b.
I some mistake. Finally he heard
a rumor of her intended marriage. H
/ had been deeply hurt, but resolves
that no one should know it. Yet h
3 could not tear her image from hi
: heart.
9 When he started on his present tril
: he said sternly to himself that h
e should make no effort to see her. Ye
b he watched for Melton, and when tn,
town was reached, could not resist tn
a impulse to leave the train.
81 may as we'll find out the trutl