The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-05-06

eyes at first. 1t don't seem no longer
than yesterday that Jimmy was run
min round here in pinafores; and TO
think of him bein' married-I declare
1 can't git over it
''But I'll give him a s'prise, too. 1
don't intend to give him a hint that
I'm comm to his weddin', and If he
won't be took back when he sees me
marchin' in on him, my name amt
Susan Elizabeth Dakel Don't you
reckon his wife'll be tickled with that
quilt, ElviryP"
"They'd ought to be, that's sure,"
said Elvira.
81 think it's kind of special Provi-
dence that put in the frames when
did. l didn't cal'late on quiltin' il
until next winter, but had kind of
feelin' that I'd better do it when I
did, and now it's turned out that there
was q good reason why I should quilt
then"
There was quite q company of Aunt
Susan's friends at the little station to
see her off on the morning she started.
There was unusual color in her cheeks
and unwonted sparkle in her eyes.
She bade each of her friends good
bye two or three times, and promised
to take good care of herself. Some of
them she promised crumb of Jimmy's
wedding cake, and full account of
the wedding festivities.
can if you could git me scrap of
the brides weddin' dress an of any
of her other dresses for my silk quilt,
Susan, I'd be 80 pleased with 'em /"
said old Mrs. Gray.
81 will if I can, Nancy" said Aunt
Susan. "There's the train comm
I'm so glad I could get my trunk
checked clean through I'd be in q
nice fix If that trunk should get lost
with Jimmy's quilt and my black silk
in it Where's my lunch basket? Oh,
you're goin to carry it away on the
train for me, are you, Hiram DrewP
I'm 'bleeged to you, but mind you git
off the train fore it starts. Goodbye,
Nancy; goodbye ALL |"
In moment the train was on its
way, Aunt Susan's handkerchief hut-
tered from one of the car windows as
long as the train was within sight of
the little station.
All the people in the car noticed the
happy old lady in her queer, old
fashioned garb. Some had not seen
for many years a shawl like the one
she wore, with its fringe a foot long
and silk embroidery in the corners /;
but nothing was coarse or amiss in her
dress, and there was a quaintness and
charm about her that attracted the
sympathy of all the passengers.
She had not gone twenty-five miles
before she was telling some of them
nearest her all about Jimmy and jim
my's quilt, and the wedding to take
place on the coming Wednesday.
She was delighted to find that q
middle'aged, kindly-looking woman
who was one of the passengers lived
in the city in which young Mr.. Lark
in lived, and could easily show her his
boarding house.
'I'm so much obleeged to you I"
said Aunt Susan. "I've been so dread
full nervous bout trying to find the
house myself, hated to write to him
to meet me cause it'd take off the
best part of the s'prise. 1 jest want
to walk right in on him."
That was just what she had the
pleasure of doing the next after
noon.
James Larkin was just taking his
wedding suit from the box in which it
had been sent home, when there came
knock at the door of his room.
Aunt Susan was trembling with ex-
citement when her nephew opened the
door.
"Why, Aunt Susan |" he cried; and
then he took her in his arms and
kissed on both cheeks.
There was no lack of tenderness in
her nephew's greeting, yet the changes
in him were painful TO her. He was a
beardless, boyish-looking young man
when she had seen him last. Now he
was tall, broad-shouldered, full
bearded man with way that made it
hard for her to call him Jimmy" He
did not say SO, but she felt that he
would rather have her call him
James," and that sounded so cold
and formal to her.
He now had the graces of a city
bred young man. She found it hard
to accommodate herself to them, and
to the usages of the fashionable board
house in which her prosperous young
nephew lived.
He might, perhaps, have wished that
Elvira Hodge had made his aunt's gar
ments more stylish, when he took her
down to dinner, but he was in no sense
ashamed of her. When they were
going downstairs with her hand timidly
resting on his arm, he made her very
happy by looking down into her face
and saying tenderly and heartily, 81
am so glad you came, Aunt Susan"
81 thought you would be, " she said,
patting his arm affectionately. "You
know you're the only boy 1 ever had. :"
"And you were always the best of
mothers to me-"
But when she was alone in her room
she wondered if it had been wise for
her TO come after all. She did not
doubt now that James was genuinely
happy to see her, bnt she had discov-
cred that his betrothed was the daugh.
ter of rich man, and that the we'd
ding was to be an elegant affair. Aunt
Susan learned she would be out of
place that she might in her innocence