The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-06-03

and stared at the Throop girls grave
eyes set in pale face.
''You're two smart girls. You're
noble girls This house would have
burned down if il hadn't been for
you" she said. "And my insurance
ran out yesterday, and 1 hadn't writ
ten to the company to renew it.
was going tomorrow. Such careless
ness And you have saved me.
Saved me every penny of $2000."
"I'm so glad, Miss Ohipman," said
Phoebe, sincerely. Miss Chapman
looked moved and softened and al
tered. She did not look like the Miss
Chapman who had sold them the
northern spies.
Daisy was opening and shutting her
mouth uneasily.
''I'm afraid I'm to blame for it
some, Miss Chipman," she faltered.
"Ozro Martin wanted to burn your
house mp out of spite. He thought
you were mean because you wouldn't
give him any supper, and he came to
our house, and-and / BYmpsthized
With him. told him you we're mean
and"
"Daisy |" cried Phoebe. But Miss
Chapman laughed outright. "Well,
go on, she said.
81 will go on" said Daisy. She sat
straight and stiff, and a red spot
burned in either cheek. ''I'll tell it
all. I-I-Pll go and get it."
She stepped to the door, fumbled on
the step outside, and returning, set
before Miss Chapman plate contain
ing half an apple.
dThere 10 she said. "I did It.
Phoebe didn't want me to, but did,
and made her come with me, and We
left it there at the dpor, and that's
how we came to see Ozro Martin set
ting the house a.fire. / had to tell
you. Therel"
Miss Chipman read the words
scrawled upon the paper. And read
them again.
ooh, DEAR" Phoebe groaned, in an
agony of distress and wretchedness.
"Oh, dear |"
But Miss Chipman was smiling. 1t
was grim sort of smile.
"Tve just o word or two to say for
myself, dears," she said, gently. "I
offered Ozro Martin some doughnuts,
made fresh to-day, but he said he
couldn't eat doughnuts without coffee,
and he went off sulky.
Sand about the apples-maybe I
shouldn't say word to excuse it, for
know just how terribly mean it
looked to You. But you see, got
into the habit of using my own
measures when those shiftless Durfees
lived where you do. They'd come
over here for apples and summer vege-
tables and milk, and bring dishes to
hold twice as much as they'd ask for
or pay for, and expect me to fill them
up. And they'd borrow, and never
pay back. I despised their shiftless,
dishonest ways, and l took means to
protect. myself. FAnd my peck measure
was one.
''But there isn't an atom of Durfee
about you. I knew that the minute l
set eyes on you. And / made up my
mind, after you'd gone home with the
apples, that I'd come over and explain
to you how twas force of habit, my
using my own peck measure, and that
you needn't be afraid I'd do it again.
was terribly ashamed of it.
81 know I'm stingY, hard old wo-
man." Miss Chapman declared, But
somehow, the Throop girls felt like
speaking right up and denying it.
'I've got the reputation, and I guess
deserve it. I've lived here alone SO
long thatI've got warped and selfish
and mean. and 1 know it.
"And here you've saved my house
from burning. Saved me from an aw-
full misfortune. It's no use for Q to
tell you how thankful am. It's Goals
of fire, and 1 hope it'll do me good
'I'm as glad as can be that you've
come here, dearies. l guess what 1
need is something young and bright
and sweet around me, to warm me up.
hope Wen be real good friends.
like you, and 1 want you to try to like
me-"
And there we're tears in Miss Chip
mans eyes.
'Therel" she said. "Now, do you
like plum preserves aud candied cher
ries and fruit cake? We will have
some, dears."
"Welll" said Mrs. Moseley, some
weeks later, ''if I ever 1 wouldn't
have believed it.
81 wondered, along to the first, how
the Throop girls would get along with
Miss Chapman.
''Get along with herr Why, friend
ly amt the word for it. They're
thick. The Throop girls are over
there half the time and 1 see Miss
Chapman going over to the TROOPS
twice day, sometimes. The Throop
girls have knit her blue head. scarf,
and she wears 1t; wears it all over
town. She that never wore anything
before but black bonnet.
But Mrs. Mosely was in total ignor-
ance concerning Miss Chipmau's peck
measure and the remarkable train of
events which had resulted from her
having used it one too many times.
"She's pretty near a new woman,
Augusta Chapman is. Those Throop
girls have done her sight OF good,
that's the long and the short of it. They
do say she's going to help 'em through
the Bradley Normal school, that
they're so crazy to get to. Wouldn't
have believed it, spell back, but
now-Well, don't know as it's quite
miracle, but it's next thing to il. 4"
Atlanta Constitution.
When Birds Court.