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


Tom. "We'll be good to him. Good
by, Milly," he added as a gentle hint.
'T might as well take care OF 1t
regularly" said Nan with q laugh, as
the little girl ran off over the lawn.
'Munger's cat spends most of its time |
over here as it is, catching birds"
"It's not very pretty, is itP" ssid |
Tom, regarding the animal obviously.
"But there's great doal of him.
al think he's splendid" said Nan
indign lntly "and I'm going to take
him in and show him to mother. Don't
you want to come, too?" she asked, as
Tom rose.
"No, thank you. I've got to go
home, as mother doesn't know I'm
out. SO long, see you later" "
Nan stood looking after him for a
minute or two, and then went in at
the little side door, with Munger's cat
in her arms. She expected to see Tom
again IN the evening, but he did not
come, and she went to bed feeling odd
ly provoked with him. He ought to
know how nice 1t seemed to have him
back after so long an absence, even If
she had been too excited to tell him
him OF it. She wouldn't add to his
conceit by telling him anything of
the sort, she reasoned; he thought too
much of himself as it was. But argue
as she might, Nan could not feel satis-
fed.
The next day, as Nan was making
cake in the kitchen, she became aware,
| Il L. a,.La1 frnp, N
inspection of the oven, OF the fact that
Tom was sitting in the open window,
swinging his feet against the side OF
the house.
"How are you?" he said affably. 81
thought this was Thursday, and the
cooks afternoon out. ."
"That's Just the reason I'm doing
the baking, Tom," said Nan q little
Grossly. "What did you come for
scrapings?'
"Your mother told me to amuse
myself on the porch but l exhausted
everything, even the cat, aud
came to look for you" !"
replied Tom solemnly. az had no
idea that Tom, alias Jenny, had such
a fondness for salted peanuts.
'Oh, give me some" cried Nan,
sliding the cake into tho oven. 81
just love them"
"Sorry, but 1 only have two OF
three left in my pocket" said Tom.
laying some dilapidated nuts on the
table. "I've fed most half a pound
to the animal. Ny, but didn't he have
O glorious fit afterward, thought"
"He didn't?"
"To be sure" said Tom placidly.
"He went up and down and around
and around as il he were wound up.
1 tell you, Nan, if d man-and ol
course it will be man-ever inventf
perpetual motion machine, he'll have
an able bodied cat in a fit as the foun
dation of it,"
az think you're cruell Where is
the poor thing now2"
"Resting quietly on the porch in
the shade, " said Tom, in condescend
ing tone. "I resuscitated him."
"How?" queried Nan, trying to
continue to be severe.
"By Christian science. 1 just sal
still and pretended that the cat wasn'
! having fit, aud if yon'll believe me
Nan, he was sleeping peacefully in tel
} minutes"
: Nan stuck a long straw into the
) cake and said nothing
, "Say, Man." Toms voice sounded
. little anxious.
t Nan looked hard at the cake, an
closed the oven door with exaggerate,
care.
D "Your mother says you're going t.
, have house party" ventured Tom
TOO bad you didn't know l was go
= ing to be in town, isn't it?"
"Oh, l don't know" said Nan, fan
Il ming herself with her handkerchief
=, "Im afraid you and Harry Morfor,
5 wouldn't get on very we'll together
- However, you can come over here whei
n you want to-they're going to b
r here over Sunday"
e "You know can't bear Harry Nor
ford" said Tom, swinging his fee
Il with renewed vigor.
a 81 didn't ask him for your benefit
You'll knock all the paint off the hous
4 if you keep on kicking"
e al don't see what you see in him
v really, Nan, Tom went on moodily
d ''He makes me tired"
,, "I don't have to measure my friend
y by your tape line" sad Nan coldly
"When 1 decide to do so I'll let 20
d know"
;, "Fm little hard O. hearing" sal
Tom, flushing, "but l think l hea
e some one calling me away" and b
o dropped out OF sight upon the sol
grass below. Nan was surprised whe
? he vanished. He had never minde
It what she said to him before, and sh
:" was sorry she had not been mor
a pleasant. Still, he had no right {
u dictate as to her choice OF friends, nc
"a to mistreat Munger's cat in that way
It and she did not care if he never cam
Is back. She caught herself listening
" nevertheless, as she went on with he
l. work, for his step on the gravel wall
b and could not help feeling disappoin
ed that he did not return.
le When her cake was done she had
n dress, aud then it was time to driy
1t down to the 4. 80 train in the old fasl
S, ioned carryall for her guests. She WI
l. not as glad to see them as she expeete
! to be. but as they were all talking
II once, aud each one OF the seven wi
busy admiring the scenery and ravin
D. over the woods aud river, her lack {
enthusiasm was not noticed. She WI
l. tired, aud Harry MOrford was I'M