The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-04-17


seven nights in the week should have
headache, but did. It was one OF
that popping kind of headaches, that
makes one feel as if his lungs bad gone
to his head and they were trying to
expand there about four diameters, at
intervals OF minute. believe they
call them nervous headaches, but i
fancy they wouldn't be any more
agreeable by any other name. Then
my heart was as heavy as lead, and
once or twice as / walked along, /
really feared it was going to pull loose
from its fastenings and drop down
upon my duodenum, or whatever it is
that the doctors tell us is concealed in
our persons in that nei9hborhood.
Possibly it was the heavy heart that
gave me the headache. But no. /
recall now that l was going to see
Kitty, the one girl in the whole world
that made it any kind of q world for
me, aud We had slight misunder-
standing. 1t wasn't the head that
gave me the heart ache; it was the
heart that gave me the headache. 1
believe | said that took eight hours
sleep seven nights in the week. At
this point, l wish to modify that
statement. In the week past, l had
done SO only six nights, for the night
before the day on which was on my
way to see Kitty we had disagreed
with each other. 1 DIT think 1 slept
at all.
/ was going now to see the young
woman and settle the matter finally,
and though / was promising young
lawyer ready to make case for any
body else, had no papers in this
case, aud was going empty handed.
didn't even have SO much as my brief
with me.
At the door Mrs. Miltby-Mrs.
Miltby is Kitty's mother, and a most
exemplary and motherly soul-met
me, and on the instant started back in
amazement.
"Why, John"-she always called
me John, for she had known me since
1 was mere baby-"Why, John"
she exclaimed, "whatever is the mat
ter with you? You look like you
were going to have bad SPELL"
"Oh, that will be all right in day
or SO, replied evasively. 'I have
a severe headache. Is your daughter
at homer"
"You mean Kitty?" she asked in
surprise.
"Of course" said 1. "You haven't
any other daughter, have you?" and I
made believe to smile.
"Oh, 1 didn't know" she stam-
mered.
Didn't know what?" and tried to
smile again. "Didn't know whether
you had another daughter or not?"
"Why, TO be-certainly know that.
Why, how queer you do talk, she
ratified on half hysterically, and laugh
ing one of that creepy kind of laughs
one dreams of when he hasn't eaten
the right thing for supper. "Ar-ar
you quite sure, john" she broke
out excitedly, "that that headache
hasn't gone to your head"
1t was cruel to tease her, and with
a supreme effort talked nationally to
her for a few minutes-they seemed
like hours to me, and then she said
she would go and tell Kitty.
AS for myself, / went into the little
parlor and waited. How sweet and
pretty it looked, and how like sand
stone on gold setting felt. Every
thing was as had seen it so often,
the picture of her grandpa over the
cottage piano the frame in which my
picture had been for so many months,
but empty now on the corner of the
mantel; the large photograph of
Saint Cecilia looking heavenward, as
we had SO often told each other We al
ways felt when We were together the
two big friendly chairs inviting each
other TO come nearer, which we al
ways sat in when 1 first came in the
evening, and the snug little sofa in
the corner that was always my point
of departure when 1 told her good
night, and went my way back to my
own cherries apartments in home
less boarding house. l looked at them
all, and as the drowning man sees all
his sins before him, 30 did see these
ali things twice over. aud multiplied by