The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-02-19

nTTs~i ,UA-I with a handsome,
If37 bronzed face broad
%sSSI oulders, feet
R which stood square
" ly upoE the earth,
ssSssis .g se.s less ns eyes. psi' u Frank rank
Maxwell, aged twenty-five, owner of
broad acres, physical frame in per-
feet condition and well developed
mind, was a man 10 be enyied.
She was dainty maiden, with a
graceful figure, q complexion of
mingled roses and lilies and eyes as
bright and blue as the summer skies.
Daisy Springfield, aged nineteen,
owner of u beautiful face, q glad
hearted, sunny disposition and count
less pretty dresses, was a woman to be
loved.
1t was something less than man,
but more than an animal, with face
of satyr-like hideousness, a misshapen
back, bowed legs and a pair of arms
80 long that the hands hung low like
those. of q gorilla. Dumb Dick, of
age unknown, owner of a half-witted
mind, n body of abnormal strength
and ugliness and fierce and ungov-
ernable temper, was creature to be
Stunned and distrusted.
These were the invariable judgments
of everybody who knew the three
characters of this little story.
Frank was an orphan, living on his
own farm, understanding his business
and capable of conducting it in q
thoroughly efficient manner; just the
sort OF man who would be likely to
cut very respectable figure in the
world and end by leaving his children
more money and more acres than his
father had left him.
Daisy was the only daughter of a
prosperous lawyer, little inclined to
be vain of her good looks, but good
by nature and thoroughly pure heart
ed; just the sort of woman to make an
affectionate wife, careful of her home,
a comfort to her husband and friend
to her children.
Dumb Dick was presumably the or
phan child OF agypsy woman, who had
brought him long years ago to the
workhouse and had died there. He
was wild and unmanageable, had run
away and refused all control, and lived
where and how he could.
Frank and Daisy stood together in
the path of little wood. Dumb Dick
was also in the wood, but was hidden
by thick screen of hazels. Frank
and Daisy faced each other, and Frank
held both Of Daisy's little white
hands in one of his brown palms
Dumb Dick, all unseen, clenched his
fist and ground his teeth in fury,
crumpling up his face into the new
ugliness of mingled rage and misery.
The little wood was very still, save
for a slight rustling among the dry
leaves, or the crack of twig beneath
the swift foot of a squirrel, or the oc-
casional fall of ripe nut. And in the
silence and the shadow Frank bent
forward and kissed Daisy lightly on
the lips.
Then the lovers walked away to-
gether, hand in hand, like pair OF
happy children
And all alone behind his screen OF
hazels, Dumb Dick flung himself down
at full length, clawing at the brown
earth with his hands and giving vent
to his feelings in inarticulate growls OF
rage and dry choking sobs OF misery.
Frank bought new dog cart, light
and delicate turnout of the latest pat
tern, painted black and picked out
with red, and with its polished lamps
and new silver plated harness and its
bright bay, it looked rather smart
and showy affair. He drove it round
in triumph to Squire Springfeld's,
and his pride redoubled when he saw
Daisy's delight But when he had
handed her in, dressed in her latest
and prettiest costume, and had sprung
lightly up to his place beside her, he
felt that his pride and happiness were
almost complete.
He gathered up the reins, clicked
encouragingly to the bay, and off they
went, bowling along the lanes in splen-
did style, laughing and chatting as
only happy pair of lovers can when
the course of their love is smooth and
prosperous.
| LuS Aihb hllSul CullA VI AUTUMN was
in the air the hedgerows were brown
ing, and the perfume of the flowers
had given place to a faint scent of de.
cay, but it was summer in the hearts
OF the lovers, and in the selfishness OF
their bliss they were needless of the
first signs OF the years approaching
death.
On a piece of common land which
s1irted the little wood in which Frank
had told Daisy of his love there were
many elumps of bracken, now in pro,
cess of change from green to ruddy
gold. In the midst OF one of the
largest of these clumps lay Dumt
Dick. He seemed to be unconscious,
and he might have been either drunk
or sleeping naturally.
Presently there was a sound o.
swiftly approaching wheels grating
along the road, and then the sound
became suddenly nufled. as if the