The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-11-20

gree.
Toward the end Of the afternoon the
husband made his appearance, and,
preceded by the matron, stalked into
his wife's presence. For r moment
he stood in the doorway, dazed, be-
wildered perhaps by half darkness;
then, recognizing his wife, he ad-
vanced toward the bed.
Daphne, old gal, :" he said, with
little tremor IN his voice, as he bent
over her, IAN 'ow's it with ee now?
Ye looks better by good sightl"
She gave little sigh before she re-
piled.
'I'm nearly well, now, Bill; bet
tern l ave been by a long chalk. Sit
ye down, old man, and tell ne 'ow it
it goes with the children an the
team !"
Bill sat very gingerly on the edge of
the bed, and as if out of compliment
to the peculiar cleanliness of the place,
fell to scrubbing his face with q far
ing red cotton handkerchief.
''rhe kidsis fit, and the teams first
class !" he answered.
Then with gesture of almost awe,
he assumed possession of one of the
thin brown hands upon the coverlet.
''My lass, 'ow dog poor yer 'ands
has got, to be sure but they was al
ways pretty 'ands to my thinkin'."
Daphne patted his great brown paws
and allowed little wan smile of graft
fled vanity TO flicker across her face.
Let the woman be ever so old and
PLAIN, shs is never beyond the reach
of compliment from the man she
loves.
"Au' 'ow's the roads lookin out
back" she asked.
Gal, an no mistake green rs leaf
all the way. From here to Kidgeree
Creek there's water in every hole, ON
the little wild flowers yer used to like
is that thick along the track yer can
hardly see the grass for 'em. 1
brought yer some!'
Out OF the lining of his big cabbage
tree hat he took tiny bunch of Bush
bluebels and placed them in her hand.
It was n critical moment for both of
them. He was acutely afraid of ridi-
cule; she, for some reason she could
not have explained, did not know
whether to laugh or cry.
She laid the flowers on the table by
her bedside, and then turned to her
husband, the better to express her
thanks.
Bill" she said softly, "you was
allus a good chap to mel"
NAY, nay, my lass, you mustn't
say that. You don't know 'ow we
misses yer out yonder; things amt the
same at all without you. Make 'aste
an get we'll an come back to the kids
an me, au' let's get ont of this ere
town"
"Billl / shan't be"
"Shan't be what, lass?"
He looked rather anxiously down at
her.
al shan't be" The weak voice
paused as if to think of word, then
she seemed to choke, and after that a
painful silence ensued.
Finally she said:
I'll shan't be long"
Bill gave sigh of relief and con.
tinued:
'I'm 'avin' new tires put on the
forewheels, an we've got the new pair
O. steers in place O. Billabong an
Blossom that were too old for work.
We've got full loadin' out to the Dia.
mantina an back, an when the trips
done there'li perhaps be matter O.
920 to put in the stocking for the
kids. Get well, my lass, an come
back to yer place on the load; the
Bush wind, an the blue sky, an the
sight O. them wild fowersl soon set
yer right. Yer amt feelin' any worse,
are yeri"
"No, old man; the doctor says I'll
be out this side o. Sunday"
"That's the talk We're camped
down yonder on the creek, an the day
yere out I'll come up and fetch yer
meself The team'll be all fresh, the
loadin' II be aboard, an the very
next mornin' wen have the yokes on,
an be where mans got room to
breathe !"
"Why, Bill, never card yer talk
so before It's like what the parson,
who comes here every Monday, calls
poetryr' %
There was an ocean of pathos in the
mans reply:
eyer see, old girl, must talk bit
different, Tor yer amt never been i'll
like this afore!"
Another long silence fell upon the
pair. Then he rose to say goodby,
and his wifes face grew, if possible, |
paler than before.
"Bill !" she began falteringly, 'I'ye |
been a-tryin' all the time yer've been
here to tell yer somethin', but dun
no how to begin. It's this way"
"Out wi it, my lass, What's wrong? |
Amt they been a-treatin' yer we'll in
'orserital?"
"It's not that, Bill, she answered,
''But there-I can't tell you. Flesh |
and blood couldn't, let alone yer wife.
You must just ask the doctor, when |
yer get outside, if 'e's got anythin' to
say agin' me walkin' with the team,
will YER?
"If yer says so, in course. But,
Daphne, there amt nothin' agi'n it,
is there?'
"-ol AK him; ELL tell yer, Bill,
But 'ere's the m9tron comm; guess
yer'd better 10 goin'. Tell them kid
dies their mother amt forgot EN-!
Raising herself with an effort, she
p1lled the big mans tangled heal
',wn 10 har and Risaad him an tho