The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-10-07

He thought that she did not know,
and therein lay part of the sting. 1t
seemed to put her far from him, and
she felt q chilling prescience OF the
time when her place in the house
would be taken by some one else. lie.
gret that boy must ever grow beyond
boyhood filled her now for moment.
She would have liked to call him back
and say sharply that if he could not
ride down to the Harlows' with her
and the Misses Blake he should not
attend the party at all. But softness
grew in her eyes as his 1.-the figure
disappeared through the barn door.
"Well, it's only natural. wish,
though, that differing little Holland
girl had stayed in Rhode Island"
'Rastus was not long in finishing the
chores. When he had harnessed old
Nell to the Concord buggy and hitched
her to post by the back door, he
came in TO shave. Mrs. Green was sit
ting by the kitchen window, dressed
in her best gown-a black alpaca, with
fashionable large sleeves. 1t had just
been made over, and the size of the
sleeves was supposed to offset the
scantness of the skirt. AT any rate,
as she told the neighbor dressmaker,
"there wasn't any more pieces, and
twas better the scrimpiu' should come
in the skirt; for ones skirt didn't
show in ones coffin, and if she was to
die sudden before styles changed, why,
the waist would do nicely for her to
be laid out in.
"Pm real glad I've got this to wear
to night" she said. Not that there
was much consolation in saying such a
thing to 'Rastus; but she must say it
to somebody, Ho heard, however,
and answered "yes" in an absent way,
as he tilted his chin before the small
mirror that hung between the win
dows. With a curiously aggrieved
feeling his mother noticed how care
fully he avoided shaving the down
from his upper lip, and that he left
suspicion OF side whiskers.
"Seems to me you're prinkin
more'n usual" she ventured.
He colored. He had trick ol
blushing like a girl.
"I haven't shaved since Sunday,
and here tits Friday. Getting hard
to suit, amt you, mother?"
Mebbe," she said, laconically.
A moon in its second quarter waI
showing above the eastern horizon Of
'Rastus walked across the lots after
helping his mother off. A few crick
/, cts vibrated from the grass; sweet
ness born OF the first October frost'
lent to the air subtle exhilarating
quality which gave him an added
buoyancy. Life seemed on this even
ing to open before him radiant will
hope. When hs leapt wall he was in {
wheel-worn lane leading from thu
main road to the Harlow House, whose
windows we're Hospitality alight. Be
yond, at the end of the lane, was an
other house, old-fashioned and yellow
painted. There lived Mr., and Mrs
English, two childless, middle-age(
people. They we're coming up from
their house now, As he waited by tht
fence in the shadow of lilac bush he
could see them distinctly IN the cleal
moonlight--two somewhat bent fig
ures, stepping irregularly. Between
them walked another figure, will
youthful poise of head and shoulders
and his heart gave a queer little juml
at the sound of girls laugh.
elf 1 haven't stove my thumb into
this cake" Mrs. English was saying
"Never mind, ma. Turn 1t 'tothe
side to when you hand it in, ant
nobody'n notice" suggested her hus
band.
The musical girl laugh sounded
again.
"Let me carry it, Aunt Martha"
With thrill of satisfaction 'Rastul
saw the napkin.covered plate change
hands. The slim, quick stepping
figure was ahead of the others now
As she reached the gate he seized thu
coveted opportunity, aud moved for
ward. awkwardly snatching off his hat
"Good evening, Miss Holland. LIE
me open the gate for you.
Never did gate latch SO long refus
to lift; and when she had passe
through was it not to pause and turI
back with pretty "Oh dear !" HOY
he blessed the rose branch that caugh
( her skirt, and so held her for his re
leasing. "Thsnk you," she said, dc
} murely, looking at him with the moon
light in her eyes. Old Nell came u
/ at brisk trot, but his mother wa
: alone, sitting very erect and holdin
r the reins far apart.
"The Blake girls couldn't come
} Miss Betsey had bad turn last night
and Miss Harriet didn't want to leav
r her. SO you see you could have rod
/ down we'll enough. 1 know you'v
> spoiled your new shoes a-trottiI
, through the wet grass cross lots"
S "Well, you won't have to ride HON
Q alone" said 'Rastus, happily, as b
s helped her out. What were new shoe
I in comparison with that interchang
q of glance from girls eyesP 81 don
. believe the Harlows were very muc
l surprised after all, mother. When
q got here every window was Lighted
o We're early, too"
One by one, in twos and threes, an
merry family loads, the guests arrived
, and there was talk and laugh and IL
{ tarchange of kisses among the women
, an awkward standing aloof or scraI
of neighborly chat among the mel
.; until the elder masculine elemeI
|, drifted to the kitchen, the younger
the loug hall and the sitting-rooI
|. circle was strictly feminine.
"a With the first elatter of cups al
mates. heralding coming refreshmen