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


Phoebe's burned hand.
All this she did without speaking
one word, Then she sat down heavily
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 it 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. 1
was going tomorrow. Such careless
ness! And you have saved me.
Saved me every penny of s2OOO."
"1'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 up out of spite. He thought
you we're mean because you wouldn't
give him any supper, and he came to
our house, and-and / synpathized
With him. l told him you were mean
and"
"Daisy /" cried Phoebe. But Miss
Chapman laughed outright. "Well,
go on" she said.
"T will go on" said Daisy. She sat
straight and stiff, and a red spot
burned in either cheek. "I'll tell it
ell. I-I-I'll 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.
"Therel |" she said. II did It.
Phoebe didn't want me to, but did,
and made her come with me, and we
left it there at the door, and that's
how we came to see Ozro Martin set !.
ting the house a.fre. / had to tell
you. There" /"
Miss Chapman 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 Chapman was smiling. 1t
was q grim sort OF smile.
"I've just 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 a word to excuse it, for
/ know just how terribly mean 1T
looked to you. But you see, got
into the habit of using my own
measures when those shifhless Durfees
lived where you do. They'd come
over here for apples and sun mer 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. 1 despised their sfiftless,
dishonest ways, and 1 took means to
protect myself. FAnd my peck measure
was one.
"But there isn't an atom of Durfee
about you. l knew that the minute 1
set eyes on you. And / made up my
mind, after you'd gone home with tho
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.
l 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
1 deserve it. I've lived here alone SO
long that I've got warped and selfish
and mean, and l know it.
"Aud here you've saved my house
from burning. Saved me from an aw-
full misfortune. It's no use for to
tell you how thankful AN. It's Goals
of fire, and 1 hope it'll do me good
'I'm as glad as l can be that you've
come here, dearies. l guess what l
need is something young and bright
and sweet around me, to warm me up.
L hope Wen be real good friends. 1
like you, and I want you to try to like
me-"
And there were 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 ever l wouldn't
have believed it.
81 wondered, along to tho first, how
the Throop girls would get along with
Miss Chapman.
''Get along with her? Why, friend
ly amt the word for it. They're
thick. The Throop girls are over
there half the time aud l see Miss
Chipman going over to the TROOPS
twice a 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 a 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.
shes 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, a spell back, but
now-Well, 1 don't know as it's quite