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

grief upon her sympathetic bosom had
reached mans estate, how entirely was
told by some trick of manner, by
occasional tone of voice or lift of eyes.
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. Re-
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 il he could not
ride down to the Harlows' with her
and the Misses Blake he should not
attend the party at ell. 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 hitehed
her to q post by the back door, he
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 scrimpin' 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.
"I'm real glad I've got this to wear
tonight" she said. Not that there
was much consolation in saying such
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 curiously aggrieved
feeling his mother noticed how care
fully he avoided shaving the down
from his upper lip, and that he left q
suspicion of side whiskers.
"Seems to me you're prinkin
more'n usual" she ventured.
He colored. He had O trick of
blushing like girl.
Il haven't shaved since Sunday,
and here tits Friday. Getting hard
to suit, ant you, mother?"
Mebbe," she said, laconically.
A moon in its second quarter was
showing above the eastern horizon as
'Rastus walked across the lots after
helping his neither off. A few crick-
cts vibrated from the grass; sweet
ness born OF the first October frosts
lent to the air subtle exhilarating
quality which gave him an added
buoyancy. Life seemed on this even
ing to open before him radiant with
hope. When he leapta wall he was in q
wheel-worn lane leading from the
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-aged
people. They we're coming up from
their house now, As he waited by the
fence in the shadow of lilac bush he
could see them distinctly In the clear
moonlight--two somewhat bent fig
ures, stepping irregularly. Between
them walked another figure, with
youthful poise of head and shoulders,
and his heart gave queer little jump
at the sound of a girls laugh.
"IfI haven't stove my thumb into
this CAKE" Mrs. English was saying.
''Never mind, ma. Turn 1t 'tother
side to when you hand it in, and
nobody'll notice." suggested her hus.
band.
The musical girl laugh sounded
again.
"Let me carry it, Aunt Martha"
With thrill OF satisfaction 'Rastus
saw the napkin-covere plate change
hands. The slim, quick stepping
figure was ahead of the others now.
AS she reached the gate he seized the
coveted opportunity, aud moved for
ward. awkwardly snatohing of his hat
"Good evening, Miss Holland. Let
me open the gate for you"
Never did gate latch so long refuse
to lift; and when she had passed
Through was it not to pause and turn
back with pretty ''Oh dear !" How
he blessed the rose branch that caught
her skirt, and so held her for his re-
leasing. "Thank you" she said, do.
murely, looking at him with the moon
light in her eyes. Old Nell came up
at brisk trot, but his mother was
alone, sitting very erect and holding
the reins far apart.
FThe Blake girls couldn't come.
Miss Betsey had bad turn last night,
and Miss Harriet didn't want to leave
her. SO you see you could have rode
down we'll enough. 1 know you've
spoiled your new shoes a-trottin'
through the wet grass cross lots. "
"Well, you won't have to ride home
alone" said 'Rastus, happily, as he
helped her out. What we're new shoes
in comparison with that interchange
of glance from a girls eyes9 81 don't
believe the HarlOws were very much
surprised after all, mother. When 1
got here every window was lighted.
We're early, too"
One by one, in twos and threes, and
merry family loads, the guests arrived /;
and there was talk and laugh and in
tarchange of kisses among the women /;
an awkward standing aloof or scraps
of neighborly chat among the men,
al linz oil NJ