The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-03-14

discontented that l skeerce1y know
him. He hain't seemed to take any in
terest in his work lately, and now's talk
ing about goin' to sea, or listing in the
army.
81 don't know what we'd do without
Dan1," added the mother, with tears
in her eyes, "and Teddy wanting to
stay year longer at the 'Cademy
school,"
eff Dan wants to go, mother" said
Maria, bright-looking girl of twenty,
"why, let him go. He's got no cause
to be discontented, and 1 believe he
don't know himself what he wants.
Let him go, and my word for it, in six
months he'll be glad to get back and
have fatted turkey killed for him,
since we don't raise calves"
And Maria laughed, as she went to
call Dan to breakfast.
Dan, meantime, was leaning over the
front gate, gazing absently down the
road toward the village.
He looked listless and moody, and
yet he was young man i'll the prime
of health, with a comfortable home and
kind relations. He did not know why
he should feel so restless and dissatis-
fed, and as he stood there, chewing n
straw, he turned round, facing the
house, and, with his hands in his
pockets, looked moodily about him.
There stood the cosy, little brown
house, with its deep vine-shaded porch ;
there was the we'll of delicious cool
water, under the big elm tree, and the
row of bee-hives by the garden fence,
and the little orchard in the rear.
A pleasant picture it made to the eye
Of the passers-by, and it had always
seemed pleasant to Dan until this un.
accountable mood of discomfort had
come over him, and made him restles:
and unhappy.
He tried to persuade himself that hii
present life was not the right kind fol
him, and that he could do better ou
in the world.
If it wasn't for his mother being op
posed to it, he said to himself, ant
Teddy away at school, he would hay,
gone long ago.
And just here it was that Marii
raised the window and called:
"Dan, breakfast ready" !"
Her light, careless tone irritatet
him. She knew that he was not il
good spirits, and yet never seemed t.
have any sympathy with him.
SO he took no notice of the sum
mons, and presently she called again
''Dan, are you coming, or mus
mother and keep the breakfast warr
and wait for you?"
"Botherl" he muttered, in reply,
Yet he walked slowly to the house
and when his mother had said grace
took his place at the foot of the littl
table.
"You don't seem to relish You
breakfast, Dan," Mrs. Dawson said
81 thought you'd like the fresh egg
and new potatoes, and the cakes your
so fond of. "
'It's a good breakfast, mother, bu
1 haven't got much of an appetite. "
"Aren't you well, Danl" she il
quired, anxiously.
''Not particularly, mother, l thinl
Ihere queer, all-Bohlsh sott oi iee
ing, kind of emptiness and faintnes
and-I can't exactly describe it, but
seems to take away my strength an
appetite. I've been thinking thu
maybe I'd better try some sort of
tonic medicine. "
Martha laughed heartlessly.
"That's all your imagination, DaI
You know you never had days sicl
ness in your life, and you look stor
and strong enough to knock down a
OK. / guess It's only that you're
love with somebody-Matilda Prie
maybe, or Sophy Howells. Which
it, Dan"
Dan received this suggestion viii
supreme contempt. He made boa
of having never been in love, al
though the girls mentioned by his 81
ter were the bellies of the neighbo
hood, and had each tried the power
her charms upon him, he had RENAME
pbduFately indifferent toward them