The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-05-20

stay more than an hour" she said, MS
she put on her gloves, "for Mr.. Alden
will come home at G;" and, giving
Winnie q few directions, she hastened
away.
Old Mr.. Alden was in one of his
melancholy moods, and insisted, in
spite of Winnie's protestations, that
he had outlived his usefulness that
he took no comfort in life, and was
only burden and an expense; that
everybody would be better off and
happier if he was out of the way that
he ought to have died years before,
and the Lord had surely forgotten
him.
Winnie knew the old gentleman was
fond of telling stories of his younger
days, and SO, when there came a little
pause in his lamentations she artfully
led up to the subject of these same
younger days, and it was hardly any
time at all before the old man was
telling, with great gusto, the story of
favorite horse he had once owned,
and Winnie was listening as interest
edly as though she had not heard al
ready the same story at least three
times.
1t was long in the telling, and when
the end was reached, and old Mr.. AL
den was laughing in great glee over
the climax, it was time to get his tea.
Winnie toasted his bread and made
the tea by the sitting room fire. Then,
when young Mr.. Alden did not come,
old Mr.. Alden said Winnie must eat
something, SO she toasted more bread,
and ate it while he started new story,
which she had heard only once before.
This was q longer one, and it
branched off into so many other stories
that it was almost o'clock before it
was finished.
Just then young Mr.. Alden came.
He had been delayed, and was exceed
ingly tired and dispirited, having been
sorely tried by foolish witness, and
lost his case-for he was lawyer. He
had dreaded coming into his own house
to see his fathers mournful visage and
hear his querulous complainings.
When, therefore, he found his father
fairly radiant with cheerfulness, with
a smiling faced girl sitting beside him,
he sank into chair and drew a deep
breath of relief.
When Winnie explained why she
was there, and rose to go, he rose also
to go with her, though she told him
she wasn't the least bit afraid. Indeed,
she would have preferred to go alone,
for young Mr.. Alden was so polite and
dignifed, and knew so very much, that
she stood good deal in awe of him.
AS they walked along she wished
she could think of sssomething to say
to him. The stars we're shining, and
it suddenly occurred to her that she
had forgotten the names of three very
bright stars that we're always close to-
gether in line, and SO she asked him
timidly about them.
Now, it,happened that astronomy had
always been O favorite study with
young Mr.. Alden, and he not only an
swered Winnie's question gladly, but
stood for several minutes after they
had reached her gate, telling her about
the different consultations.
Then he thanked her courteously
for staying with his father, bade her
goodnight and went back, looking up
at the stars and feeling rested and re-
freshed.
Winnie tripped up the walk and in
to the house, also thinking of the
stars.
After she had little talk with her
mother and gone to look adorningly
at the baby sleeping in his crib, Win
ME lit a lamp and went upstairs to her
room to bed.
So ended the day for Winnie Smith,
and she fell asleep, never suspecting
that she had gift, or dreaming that
she was otherwise than q most ordin-
ary commonplace kind of q girl.
The Outlook.