The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-03-27

Wellwood, coaxingly. 'Dear Cousin
besbia, Mr.. Wildwood is 80 anxious TO
obtain it for his collection of anti que
publications
"Oh, it isn't old enough to be of
value rs antiqueI" said Lesbia, who
was "honest enough"
"But he has set his heart on it,"
pursued Mrs. Wildwood, growing
more earnest. as she heard the rattle
of wheels in the distance, and beheld
through the tiny-paned window n
depot wagon, bringing to the scene
no other than Aunt Nabby herself
"Do let me have it, Lesbia !"
And she placed the twenty dollar
bill, coaxingly, in Lesbia's hand.
"But [ shall be cheating you" said
Lesbia, looking at the bill in amaze
ment. ''Do let me see Aunt Nabby
about it first !"
''No, mol said Mrs. Wildwood, rs
Aunt Nabby's voice was heard with
out, in high disputation with the
driver as to whether coin she had
given him in payment was genuine or
not. "Give it to me nowl And here
is my sea!skin cape; you were just ad.
miring it. I'll make you a present of
it. Lesbia-a wedding gift, dear"
"You are very kind" said Lesbia.
with a radiant face. "And if you
really care for the dictionary"
And SO it came to pass that the die
tionary was safe in Mrs. Matthew
Wellwood's possession, when Aunt
Nabby hustled in, full of the iniqui-
ties of drivers, the inconvenience of
travelling, and the threatening twinges
of her annual rheumatism.
"Whatl" she cried, rs her eye
caught sight of the fat volume in her
niece's lap, you've got the diction-
ary, after all But of course you'll
let me have it, Sarah AnnP"
Certainly ] shall not !" said Mrs.
Wildwood. exultantly. "Mr. Well
wood has set his heart on possessing
it,"
"And I've just sold it to her." add
ed Lesbia, as she assisted Aunt Nabby
to unite her bonnet strings.
The old lady heaved a deep sigh.
oval, 1t don't matter so much"
said she. '"The main thing was to
find the dictionary. And ifyou'll Just
let me copy out the recipe for max
ing waffles, Sarah Ann, that's pinned
on the page W first of the WIS, you'll
see---it'll be jest as good as if 1 had it
myself"
"The recipe for waffies !" cried Mrs.
Wildwood. "Was that all you wanted
of it?"
"That was all,'' said Aunt Nabby,
briskly. "Samuel's wife, she was q
dreadful good hand at waffles, and she
never would give nobody the recipe.
But l knew where she kept it, and 1
was always tryin' to get at it. And if
you'll just let me copy it out"
Mrs. Wildwood grew pale. The
ceiling of the little, old-fashionedroom
seemed to swim around her.
Was this the end of the dictionary
Had she entertained the
Grubb family for ten mortal days,
had her piano broken, her china
cracked, her nerves shattered for thisP
Had she paid twenty dollars, seal
skin cape and her travelling expenses
to Poke Hollow all for a recipe for
waffles?
The buzz of conversation went on
all the same, and Mrs. Wildwood re-
covered at her leisure. She returned
to New York that afternoon, carrying
the old dictionary, although Lesbia
endeavored to induce her to remain,
by the promise of waffies for tea, made
after Aunt Hannah's famous recipe.
And when Mr.. Wildwood discovered
that there were no thousand-dollar
bonds, nor hundred-dollar bank notes
hidden in the dictionary-nothing
but definitions, ink-blots, and one or
two cooking-recipes pinned to the
pages, he indulged in execration more
deep than loud.
"It's all that meddling old cats
iault |" said he, referring, doubtless,
20 Aunt Nabby. "And I'll never have
ler in the house again !"
And he never did. But all that
iidn't restore the twenty-dollar bill
md the sealskin cap. And innocent
Iesbia was the only one who reaped
benefit from tn transaction. -Satur-
lay Night.