The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-11-28

and much broken
in health, as his STOPPING shoulders
and attenuated frame showed. John
Brand was young giant of twenty
eight, handsome, with n certain saw
age kind OF beauty, for his straight
black hair, heavy brows and piercing
eyes made him look more like an
Indian than white man. There was
II savage scowl on his face this morn
ing, too, as he swung his axe, sending
ITS keen Elade deep into the wood al
every blow.
"'l wish We would go with us, John,
said his father, after hesitating mo.
ment, gently laying his hand on his
sons shoulder. Brother Eben will
be right glad to see ye, an We know
we never get over there 'cepting at
Thanksgiving"
81 hate holidays" growled John,
throwing off his fathers hand roughly
and continuing his attack on the
wood.
Mr.. Brand walked slowly away and
climbed into the two-seated
wagon beside his wife and little Billy.
His appearance contrasted greatly
with that of his wife. She was not
more than thirty-fve and was plump
and good looking. The little boy,
nearly five years old, sat between
them.
"Hero are the reins, father, she
said, and smiled up at him. brightly.
She know that he was greatly dissp-
pointed by Johns refusal, although
she was rather glad herself to get
away for one day from the surly
fellow.
The back seat of the wagon was
piled with extra wraps and hampers
of pies and cakes to "piece OUT at
the dinner, should brother Eben's
folks be short; but there was plenty
of room for John if he would go. The
farmer turned and looked at him, but
the axe was going faster and harder
than ever, every blow saying as
plainly as could be: 81 hate holi-
daysl" Little Billy was impatient to
start so Mr.. Brand reluctantly
"clucked" to the old horse and they
ratified out of the yard.
1t was crisp November morning,
the ground frozen as hard as rock
and brittle covering of ice over all
the puddles and in muddy ruts. The
trees on the mountain-side back of
the house were bare of leaves and
their branches sighed and shivered in
the wind John Brand threw down
his axe and gazed after the retreatiDg
wagon with lowering brow.
Ten years before his mother had
died. He had loved his mother-al-
most worshiped her. in truth-and
her death had made him feel very
bitter against the fate which had
taken her away. His father had never
had any great share of his fierce
young heart-he was so much diff
ferent from his mother. But they al
ways got along well together, and for
the next four years, instead of strik-
ing out for himself, as he had in
tended, John put his best exertions
into the work of running the great
farm.
There we're two hundred acres of it,
woodland and meadow, hill and plain.
1t would all be his some day, so there
was no use IN joins going off for him
self, so his father said, and John was
accounted a fortunate fellow indeed
by the neighbors.
But change began to come over
his father. John was slow to suspect
the cause, although the neighbors, as
nelghbors will, saw and understood il
from the first. John had been so
wrapped up in his mother that never
for an instant did he think that his
father might see some other woman
whom he might wish to make his wife.
1t therefore came like a thunder-olap
when the farmer told him that h0 was
about to marry neighboring farmers
daughter, a young woman not much
more than half his age.
John did not oppose the union by
words. His fathers determination