The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-06-12

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" tiny bit lonely and
friend less, then
Penelope thought of grandma, and,
with one accord, they sought her room,
told their grievance aud begged for a
story, and, as a fitting compensation
for the loss OF Maum Penny's society
and the freedom of the nursery, Ted
dy and Tom settled themselves COM
fortably on rug at grandma's feet,
and wee Penelope nestled In her arms.
"Tell us a new story, please grand
ma" said Teddy.
"And not Bible story, grandma, "
added Tom, "'cause they're for Sun
day"
''Tell us about a beautiful prin.
cess" said Penelope.
No." said Teddy, "don't tell q
princess story. Tell us a heroine
story. Did you ever know heroine,
grandma? A real, live heroineP"
''Yes, Teddy. believe 1 did, :"
grandma answered gravely, then
laughed as Teddy and Tom scrambled
to their knees, and all the children
looked at her in wonder and delight.
"Was she very, very beautiful and
ell dressed up in feathers and velvet
and lace like the picture in Teddy's
new book?" asked Penelope.
"Did you know her across the ocean,
grandma, and did she run boat and
save people off wrecks?'
'Did they burn her, grandma-dld
you see them burn her?" asked Tom
with a vivid remembrance of the fate
of Joan of Arc.
Grandma smiled at the different
ideas of heroine, ther, when their
excitement had somewhat subsided,
said quietly: "My dsars, 1 will tell
you the story of my heroine, aud you
shall decide for yourselves what it
means to be truly heroic. The baby
is to be christened tomorrow, and, as
my heroine story has something to do
with q christening of long ago, it will
perhaps make the one tomorrow
doutly interesting to hear it. Now 1
must not be interrupted, go settle
yourselves and be quiet"
The children settled themselves
down comfortably and grandma began
her story like nn old-fashioned fairy
tale:
"Onco upon time, a long time
ago-not in Europe-but hero in
South Carolina, and not far from our
own city of Charleston, there was a
beautiful, old.time house on a vast
plantation. 1t wOs owned by Mr..
Hugh Porter, and was called 'Porter's
Hail. Mr.. Porter was young man
and an orphan with no brothers nor
sisters, SO he found the big place too
lonely to be pleasant, and, leaving it
to the care of his overseer and his
slaves, he spent his time in New York
City and in Europe. Finally no met,
loved and married very beautiful
young lady of New York, named
Lillian Farley, and Immediately after
the wedding they sailed for
Europe. With her soft, white skin,
big blue eyes and curling, golden
hair, my little Nell was beautiful
enough for heroine and her gowns of
velvet and lace and her plume.laden
hats would, 1 have been told, have
graced the most royal of princesses,
but Lillian was no heroine for oil
these, she was only shy, spoilt child,
dainty, delicate and fragile as a China
shepherdess. They wandered about
from place to place, now in France,
now in Spain, then in Italy, lingering
among the beautiful, old ruins of
Rome and feasting lazily about the
watersheds of Venice. From Italy
they went to Switzerland, and they
were in a little village at the foot OF
n grand old mountain when Hugh re-
eeiyed word that business required his
immediate attention at home.
"They had then been in Europe
moro than year, and they had a lit
tie blue.eyed baby daughter, so Hugh |
was really glad to return for he want
ed TO have the baby christened in the |
little stone church near his home |
where he and many, many Porters be-
fore him had been christenel. But |
Lillian wept at the thought of return
ing. She dreaded the long ocean
voyage, and more than all else, she
dreaded living at 'Porter's Hall, sur
rounded by strange beings of anoth-
er race and color.
'Her husband laughed at her pref |
udice and told her she would learn |
to love dear, old Maum, Dinah, who |
was black as ebony and almost as
shiny, but with a heart of gold and |
the only mother his orphaned child
hood had ever known.
''rhe baby's nurse, q French girl,
named Rose Pagnon, accompanied |
them on their return. Rose had form
erly been Lillian's maid, and when
they arrived at 'Porter's Hall, Hugh |
advised his wife to reinstate her IN her
old office, and allow Maum Dinah to
take charge of baby and the nursery.
"But even Maum Dinah's kindly |
face, beaming with love for 'Massa
Hugh and his wife and baby failed TO
remove Lillian's deep.seated repug.
aance, and Rose reigned supreme In
the nursery !