The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-04-01

times-this the little Squire noticed
with q great sinking Of his heart--the
little grandmother sat al the western
window and cried softly to herself.
One day the little Squire kissed the
little old grandmother right where the
tears were settling on her cheek, and
cried out, in his impulsive way,
Grandmother, did you use to like to
workf"
Like to work, Charley2" she asked,
family. And then of sudden the
little grandmother was quivering and
crying and laughing oil at once, as she
told the little Squire about her past
usefulness and how she was wont I'd
'fy around the house." "And now,"
she added, '1've nothing to do, moth
ing whatever to do, no more than If !
wasn't in the world. But it's all right;
yes, of course it's all right" she went
on "Pm the Squire's mother, and I'm
proud and happy" and then the poor
little grandmother, from something
she saw in the little Squire's big blue
eyes, hid her little, old face in her
little, old, useless hands, and fell TO
sobbing like baby.
Ten minutes later the little Squire
knocked boldly at his fathers study.
"Come in |" roared the Squire.
When the little Squire, thus hid
den, opened the door he found his
mamma idling away the Squire's time
to the Squire's infinite satisfaction,
The lad walked resolutely to his faith.
er's desk, and determination in his
blue eyes, his lips pressed together.
"I've just been with grandmother" "
he began "she isn't happy here. 1
say, grandmother ought to be made
awfully happy, she's so little and she's
so good"
Thereupon the Squire was for rush.
ing off to the back parlor to find out
what was the matter but his wife put
her hand on his and bade him ask the
little Squire to explain.
"Mother unhappy in my house?"
fumed the Squire. "What do you
mean, Charley?"
"Shes got to have something to do, >"
said the little Squire, boldly. She and
l have got to take care of the parlors
or some'n; she mustn't sit still all day
any longer" Then the lads bravery
deserted him, "It's true, Mother"
he sobbed out, "my grandmother's
treated like she was a china doll, and
Ann Elizabeth's grandmother makes
the whole house chippy."
The Squire's mouth aud eyes were
both open very wide. "Clean the
parlors ~ he gasped. Mother would
MT like that; that's servants work. 3"
Then, us if he might solve the problem
in another way, he inquired, anxiously,
'Whos Ann Elizabeth?"
The little Squire's mother answered
for him, with faint smile. ''She's
one of the children down at the little
Squire's school,"
"Wed Just dust" said the little
Squire, perseveringly; "I'd dust the
piano legs while Grandmother dust the
chairs. Sally never half dusts, any
way. And Grandmother and l could
have a flower bed back sof the parlor
windows; that wouldn't be servants
work, Father" The little Squire al
most suffered in his eagerness, while
the big Squire's amazement grew and
grew.
But the lads mother had her arms
about him. "'The little Squire may be
right" she said softly; eve must let
him do what he can to make Grand
mother happy"
1t was a happy day for the little, old
grandmother when, enveloped in a
white apron, she busted the center
table in the front partor. The little
Squire sat under the piano feasting
his eyes upon her before he vigorously
busted the legs. And that flower bed
under the back windows; why, from
the very beginning it brought the
laughter into Grandmother's little
wrinkled face.
The little Squire entered his school
very gravely one morning toward the
close of the third term. 1t al
most seemed as if he had been
neglecting his duty; lie hadn't been
near there for over four weeks.
The common little girl hung
down her head when she saw him,
The little Squire had never told ol
her, and she felt ashamed and repent.
ant. The schoolmaster smiled il
hearty welcome.
'Td like to hear the spelling class,
Mr.. Finch, if You don't mind" said
the little Squire and the schoolmas.
ter smiled again and held out the book.
"pm going to skip about" said the
little Squire.
1t was long time before the little
Squire selected place in the spelling
book. Then he looked at Ann Eliza,
beth, who stood at the head.
"Boll /" he said.
"B-o.w-l," answered Ann Elizabeth,
in low voice.
"Hhere are two ways of spelling
that word" said the little Squire
looking far away over Ann Elizabeth't
meek head; 81 didn't know it the
other time this words spelled the
other way, but both ways are right
If ia know l wouldn't have made Anu
Elizabeth 60 down"
Then the little Squire's eyes fell Oh
Ann Elizabeth, abiect and miserable
lie saw the fexen head bowed away
down over the bib of the funny little
apron. He knew that Ann Elizabeth
was just as sorry as she could be.
But, somehow, the little Squire wal
Just as glad as he could be. cam
Elizabeth" he said, in "A friendly
fashion, "you ought to see my grand
mother and me dusting the parloI