The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-09-12

hluu OI uhy IOr
NA stroll, and SO the
SAmerican woman
had disdained her fashionable equip
page. She bad walked all the way
from her neat and artistic temporary
abiding place in the American colony
to the shopping district, had pur-
chased sundry triAes and looked at
thousands of articles she had not
bought; had fascinated a number of
clerks by her dash and brilliancy until
they were ready to display for her
especial benefit the wealth of the
world in feminine odds and ends, and
now she was making her way home
ward, care free, and happily con-
scious that many covert glances were
cast at her stylish figure.
At sixteen she was charming girl;
at twenty.six beautiful wife and
hostess; at, well, say thirty--an ire
sistible widow, perfectly satisfied TO
saunter all by herself along what re-
mained of life's floral pathway. With
q more than comfortable competence,
she regarded the future with compla-
cency and the past with resignation.
Not that anything very tragic was in
terwoven among the yesterdays. Ex
istence had flowed smoothly enough
broken engagement, heart wrung
for time, a trip abroad, wealthy
suitor, fashionable wedding, pleas
ing honeymoon, a series OF social tri-
jumps, the demise of her better half, a
briefperiod for mourning, and the COM
Portable present.
She was childless, but she had many
friends. 1t Is true that sometimes
something like pang came to her
when her mind reverted to children,
and she told herself that possibly a
little one would not be at all in the
way, but, on the contrary, might give
sweet solace to the few lonely mo-
ments which came to her, who, gener.
ally speaking, did not know what Ion.
illness was. AS she walked along with
superb movement, she observed two
pretty girls in charge of nurse. The
children were playing on the grass be.
meath the shade trees with which the
boulevard was lined, while the nurse,
who had the expressionless features OF
peasant girl, was seated on a bench
knitting. Mrs. Van Altine stopped
impulsively.
ooh, you darling" she said, and
thereupon in her own peculiarly
graceful way began TO question the
children and COO over them Just as Il
she knew all about the language o
childhood. Nearby on another bencl
was little boy dressed in sailors at
tire, with the word captain" on hi
cap. He looked forlorn and dis
turbed, for his mouth quivered and
there were tears in his big, blue eyes
whats the matter, my little man?'
continued Mrs. Van Altine, in the Ian
guage of the country.
He only stared at her and rubbe,
one of his eyes with his dirty fist. Sh
J placed her hand on HE golden curls il
a carcssing manner.
"Why don't you play with the othe
children?" she continued.
For answer he rubbed his other ey
: with another dirty fist.
"Ihere, now, sailors don't cry" re
sumed Mrs. Van Altine, as she wipe,
the CRIME from his face with a lac
handkerchief.
"They go to battleand fight and ar
! brave. Are you my brave little CAP
b. tain?"
al don't understand, said tho bo
= in English, plunging both fists int
: his eyes.
b "What you speak English? Yo
!. are an American boy"
"Yes'm."
Sand are these your sisters?"
y "No'm."
IS "And what's your name?"
!. "Bobby."
"Bobby what?"
'Bobby Steele.
''And where are you from, Bobby
s. ooh, big place, much bigger ar
Z. nicer than this. >"
l. "What is it called?"
+ "Cleveland--oh-boo -boo-I wal
to go home"
"But you can't go back to Clcv
ID land to-uight, Bobby. Ycu are tho
% sands of miles from home
=. II don't care-I want to go home
'Is your mamma with you
u Paris?"
d Nom. She's in heaven. She
y dead. My mamma died when ! W
Ia one year old. I'm all my papa's 6
=, and now-boo oo!-he hasn't g
me. Im lost and shall never sec 4
~ papa again.
n. "You poor child, you mean to E
IL you can't !ipd your pspo9
p. "No; we went out for a walk anC
stopped iu crowd to look in a vi
= dow, Then my papa went away q
s. left me,
at "AnL you couldn't lind him al
where2"