The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-10-10


to fall 30 desperately in love with Oc-
tavia Mockbee was mystery, seeing
there were plenty of other girls quite
as pretty, and with moro amiable dis
positions around the village of Hills
dale.
However, love is proverbially blind
to all defects, and though Octavia
was as heartless as one of the marble
Bacchantes at Forest Park, she was
really very attractive-looking, with
her red lips and Spanish black eyes,
And as Jerome Meadowgay was con-
sidered quite an eligible match among
the bellies of Hillsdale, the course of
his love seemed to drift placidly along,
and bid fair to run in Il smooth chan
mel for time--until Ferdinand Foth-
.ergill appeared upon the scene. Then
everything was changed.
Mr.. Fothergill was an insurance
agent, and made plenty of money; at
least he spent it plentifully, which
amounts to the same thing as far as
appearances are concerned.
He was dashing young man, with
sharp gray eyes, and whiskers cut ia
Vandyke.
He wore q seal-ring, dangling gold
watch chain and the finest of broad
cloth attire. And as Octavia Mockbee
was one of those persons who are
caught by superficial attractions and
outside glitter, she straightwuy gave
jerome Meadowgay the cold shoulder.
The forty-acre farm, well stocked
and timbered, with its snug cottage,
Gothic-roofed and covered in spring
with clambering hop vines and Vir-
ginia creepers, whereof Jerome had
hoped to make her the mistress of
compared to the prospects offered by
the dashing city dude, soon dwindled
into insigniicance.
And in spite of all opposition, Octa-
via determinedly took her fate into
her own hands and made no secret of
the fact that she was "off with the old
love, and on with the new"
Seeing tnas she was determined to
follow her own course, Grandma
Mockbee and Aunt Adaline decided to
give her respectable wedding, ut
least.
'It's the best we can do fur her, Z"
sighed the grandmother. "a willful
girl must have her own way; but if
she lives to repent, it won't be laid to
our charge"
And 80 the wedding drew near, and
there was whisking of eggs and baking
of cakes, to say nothing of dress
making and clear starching, within the
old Mockbee homestead.
The prospective Bridegroom had
gone on a collecting tour which would
detain him till the eve of the wedding
day, and the morning before the aus
picious event arrived.
Octavia was trying the effect of a
pale pink necktie against her creamy
complexion Amt Adaline was basting
the box pleats in silver gray poplin
that was to do duty as Secondary"
dress; Grandma Mockbee was thread
ing the laces in French corset, over
which the wedding gown was to be
tried on.
Margie alone was idle, having re-
fused to lend any assistance whatever
toward the coming festivities.
81 shall not help to injure poor
Jeromel' she declared, with a curl
ing lip.
''Poor Jerome, indeed ]" mimicked
Octavia, sneeringly.
She was about to add some stinging
remark, when a scream from the dress
maker, Miss Martha Phipps, drew
every eye in her direction.
''Oh, Miss Mockbee- Octavia-look
here don't understand it. Maybe
it don't mean him, though"
"Dear me, what fuss you are MAX
ing Miss Phipps!" cried Ocravia, i'm
patiently. Cant you tell what the
matter is, oshave you lost the use of
your tongue?"
Miss Phipps resented the caustic
speech with a toss of her head.
"No, l haven't lost the use of my
tongue, she responded, spitefully--
''nor my eyes, either, or 1 wouldn't
have spied this notice in the Poplar
Bluff Gazette It's the marriage IL
cense of Ferdinand Fothergill, Hills
dale, and Miss Amy Cotterill, of Pop
lar Bluff.
"It's a lie l' shrieked Octavia, evil
IDENTIFY verging on Mysteries. 81 don't
believe a word of it |"
sits right here in black and white, :"
asserted Miss Phipps, holding up the
paper.
And at that very moment a letter
was brought by special carrier, ad-
dressed TO Octavia.
She tore it open and read:
Dear Miss Mockbee-owlng TO the hard
times and busin IS reverses. regret to say
that / Had myself unable TO support a wife.
Under the circumstances l cannot afford to
marry for love alone, and. therefore, give
YOU back your freedom, and hope you will
soon forget that there ever was such "A per-
son as Ferdinand Fothergill.
"Three years since went away
bachelor forlorn," laughed Jerome
Meadowgay, as he strobe along toward
the Mockbee farm and turned his
steps toward the old stile at the foot
of the lane.
A tall figure stood in the dusky
twilight, sanity outlined against the
slowly fading crimson of the west,
"Weleome homel" called a soft
voice.
jerome sprang eagerly forward.
"Margie - he cried.
''No, not Margie !" in pettish tones.