The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-06-11

went into the house and soon returned
with small bundle.
81 haven't much to take," she said,
"Grandpa and l were very poor, and
you see, having Inherited his poverty,
1 am poorer than ever"
l was not surprised to hear her make
such n remark, for l had discovered
that she had never associated with
children, and was consequently wise
of her age.
"You shall have some nice dresses
after WHILE" / replied.
'Pretty red ones?"
The child wns asserting itself,
''Yes, and blue ones,
She wept anew as we mounted the
hofse--she seated behind ME. As long
as we were within sight OF the house
she naid nothing, but when we had
descended into the thick woods, she
said:
81 won't cry any more if 1 csn help
it."
'Your grandfather must have becn
good to youS"
"Yes, But he made me read many
books that were very dull-great law
books. I don't like them. His eyes
for many years have been so bad that
had to do oil his reading for him.
He wrote book full of nwfdl curious
things and murders, but one day when
lie found me reading it he took itawaY
from me and burned it up. 1t must
have been bad, and he muet have been
sorry that he wrote it.
The day passed rather pleasantly,
with the exception Of the influence of
the night before, which naturally
enough she could not dispel and which
1 could not keep from arising occa.
sionally. We sat on log and ate
dinner, and Munette's remarks gave
me additional insight into her close
habit of observation. When evening
came we stopped at q farm house,
where the sad story of the little girl
awoke such sympathy that the kind
hearted house wife begged me to al
low the child to remain with her.
''It is question that she must de-
eide" l rejoined. "Nhat do you say,
Munette?"
"I am surprised that you should ask
me such question" she replied, up.
preaching the chair where / sat and
taking my hand. "Would it not be
ungrateful in me to desert you so soon,
or to ever desert you?"
"She's got more sense than an old
woman right now," said the host, ad.
dressing his wife. "Our twenty-eight.
year-old daughter that married last
month amt patchin' to this girl.
"W'y, Jesperson," said his wife, in
mild censure, Margaret amt twenty
eight years Old"
"She's mighty nigh it,"
can beside that" continued the
woman, "she never had no chance.
Didn't go to school three months
outen nearly every year, eh? What
show does gal want, I'd like to know?
This little creetur, warrant you,
never has been to school,"
COY, yes, sir. My whole life has
been a school. The old house where
l used to live contains many books
If you want them you may go there
and get them. l shall never go after
them. could never read them
again"
"Well, blame my buttons if l don't
mosy up that way. 1 amt much of q
scholar, but 1 reckon I can worry
through with lot of them"
My mother welcomed Munette, and
when l related the sad story of how I
found her the sympathetic woman took
the child in her arms and kissed her.
A few days afterward, when Eeturned
home after q short absence, she flashed
upon me in a gay red dress. She was
more of a child than l had ever seen
her-more so than had thought it
possible for her to become. Ny mother
was delighted to see her innocent
pranks, and /, for the first time, kissed
the child.
"You have kissed me at last" she
said. "Is it because look better in
this dress?"
''It is because you look more like
a child. Before you reminded me 80
much of a woman"
"Do not women like to be kissed ?"
1 laughed and my mother, shaking
her head-I can see her gray hair now
said: "Ah, Ambrose, our young
girl has a very old head"
We sent Munette to school. The
teacher, man who had the reputa-
tion of being profound, met me one
day and said;
''Munette is the most, remarkable
child L ever saw. She has read 80
many books and makes me such wise
observations that am constantly sur.
prised. To tell you the. truth, can
not advance her. Not that 1 am not
intellectually observation-disclosures
l do not think at her age it would be
safe. Therefore 1 would advise you
to take her from school. 1 know the
effect that too much learning has on
youth. l know how narrowly 1 es.
capped"
When l spoke to Munette she said
"That school is very dull place. 1t
Is o constant hum of arithmetic /
don't like to cipher, as the children
call it. Fractions make my head ache
and miscellaneous examples make me
sick. Let me study at home"
l took her from school. She was a
devoted student, but was never so alb
sorbed that she was oblivious TO the
little attentions which a woman of my
mother'sage prizes SO highly. Munette
grew rapidly and l was p'o1s.l to
see that she was daily becoming more
graceful.