The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-04-08

hbi Iul4eI dBSTBhHlNB uObb was ChIIleu
trlumphantly, not only into, but
through, the affairs OF everybody, and
Cotter was by no means least in her
regard. She always spoke of him as
''my brother, Mr.. Cotter," and took
credit for his prominence. In the
fifteen years between twenty-four and
thirty-nine, he had never been
able to throw Off her yoke. He had
established meek little Mr.. Shears in
his bank-for Cotter had grown rich
in these passing years--and was edu-
eating her boys, taking upon himself
the good natured obligations of a
brother. And Mrs. Shears exercised
her sisterly prerogative by keeping
him from marrying again.
'1f ! only knew what she said to
them |" Cotter said as be doubled his
pillow under his hot head, and looked
through the naples ut the lady moon
sailing by his window. "1'll ask Lucy
Hittl" And then he closed his eyes
and went to sleep.
Now there is an unwritten law in
Clarksonville that no man shall call on
a married woman alone, and that no
married man shall call at all. When
in the course of human events it be-
comes necessary for citizen to ring
q neighbor's door bell, the person who
answers IL stands in the door with on
tnquiring air, waiting to be told the
callers business. That it might be
social in character is out of the ques-
tion. So Cotter had to wait two or
three days before he saw Lucy Hit.
Mrs. Hit was widow in the last
stages OF mourning; and if Cotter had
called at her home, every woman on
the block would have put on her bon
net and gene to tell her most distant
kin the delicious piece of news. Cot
ter was the handsomest and richest
man in town, and his lightest move
was full of meaning.
In the mean time, the pretty girl
had been walking and driving with
every eligible in town.
The Olarksonville library was partly
supported by charity. As there were
not enough subscribers to keep it CO.
ing, the ladies Of the town took turns
in acting as librarian, and fortunately
Mrs. Hits day was not long in coming.
Cotter went up the rickety stairs
which led to the abode of culture, with
a years subscription in his hand, and
sat down opposite Mrs. Hit at the
green magazine table, where he could
look full into her face. 1t was o pref
tv, pleasant face to look into, with
little fluffy tendrils of red gold hair
pushed behind the small ears, and q
mouth which had no severity of lines.
"What can 1 give you?" she asked
politely, when she hal entered his
name in the book. "Will you have
art in Lace Making or Lombroso's s
Female Offender? Those are our new
books. Sally Rice wanted to read one,
and DR.. Smith the other, as they are
stockholders She waved her hand
expressively.
81 don't want anything to read. 1
want 10 know what Mrs. Shears say
to a girl to make her give me the cold
cut.
Mrs. Hit looked at him, her blue
eyes growing wider, and a tinge of red
stealing its way to the top of her
rounded cheek, where two or three
golden freckles lay,
"Why do You ask me? How should
I know?"
Because, "Cotter said boldly, "you
were one of the girls. When you came
here visiting Mrs. DIR. Smith on Rice
avenue, /"
"You? Yes?"
Mrs. Hits color deepened as he
hesitated. He thought how pretty
she was when she blushed.
"Oh, well-you know. 1 spent
nearly half my time hanging about
after you, until you gave me to under
stand that you liked Tom Hit better. i"
''And you think l preferred Tom
because Mrs. Shears" she began in.
dignantly.
"No, 1 do not. Now be reasonable.
But do know that Mrs. Shears went
to see you, and asked you to drive
with her in that old pumpkin phaeton
of hers, and you never were the same
afterward."
"Why did you think it was some
thing she said?"
''It wasn't only you, but"
''Innumerable others Who were
they? l should like TO know who else
listened to Mrs. Shears. 1t will tickle
my sense of humor to imagine them
listening to-what she told me-" And
she laughed rather loudly to prove
her words.
"What was it?"
''That was long time ago"
"Maybe it was," Cotter said; "but
to look at you, it might have been
yesterday"
He looked at her rather closely, as
if to make sure of his words. The
table was only two feetIwide. She had
been just eighteen when she called
down upon her head the condolences
OF Shears, and Cotter had not had a
good look at her since. 1t is not Gus
tomary for young men to look very
closely at married women in Clarkson-
vile and Tom Hit had been an in
valid for a long time, and had kept his
wife with him.
AS Cotter looked at her now he 70.
menAered that she had been the first.
Alittle tingle ran along the backs of
his hands as he let his memory carry
him back over those twelve years. His
wife had been dead three years then
he boarded with Mrs. Shears, and
Lucy was actually the first young girl
he had ever known very well. A new