The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-08-04


glad she is, the girl went on, "for 1
love to look at pretty things, and it
would positively,weigh on my spirits to
live with anyone who was downright
homely Not that have any beauty
myself" she added, with glance at
the little mirror over the mantle.
"Who would ever think we are sisters?
Here's an inventory of my charms;
Item one, pug nose; item two, green
gray eyes; item three, what papa calls
my 'peaches-a cream complexion;
it wouldn't be bad if it were not for
the freckles, and l suppose that ] shall
have more than ever now that I'm out
in the country"
"Never mind the freckles, child;
they's real becomin' when you've only
got few-kinder like so many beauty
spots.
Patty laughed gaily.
''Pm so glad you think SO, but talk
ing of beauty, what delicious place
this is!'
1t was Aunt Sheba's turn to laugh
"What, this kitchen? like it because
it's home, guess, but 1 never thought
there was anything very edifyin' about
it,"
"Oh, 1 don't mean the kitchen par
ticularly, though it's nice and honey,
but just look out, " and Patty put down
her dish-towel and stepped to the door
to feast her eyes on what lay before.
The hillside with its orchard of bloom,
the rough stone wall, the well in the
foreground, all appealed to the girls
innate love of the beautiful.
'It's a perfect picture" she ex-
claimed; "Milly must come here on
her wedding trip, but it won't look
the same in the fall, will it, Auntie?'
''Not exactly; l always thought my.
self them peach blows was a sight
worth seein'," admitted Aunt Sheba,
not without certain satisfaction that
her surroundings should find favor in
the eyes of her city-bred niece on this
her first visit to the farm.
Patty had come to the country for q
stay of several months preparatory tC
settling down as homemaker in Mil
dreds place when the latter should b,
married.
''Be Just as much of little gir
as you can," her father had said il
parting, and Patty was glad to lay
aside her dignity, and forget the weight
of her eighteen years. There was I
freshness and freedom about the coun
try life that charmed the girl-a lacl
of conventionality in those whom sh,
met most refreshing to the town-bre(
maiden.
Patty had been at the homestead bu
a short time when change seemed L
come over the house. The sun loooket
into the best room every day instead o
once week; the chairs had more in
viting look drawn away from the wal
and arranged with less military pre-
cision, while apple blossoms bloOmeC
indoors as well as out. Nor was tn,
girls influence confined to one room
In the kitchen, Aunt Sheba found dish
washing pleasure with Patty's MIN
BILE fingers to help, and Patty's tongu
making a lively accompaniment TO tn,
rattle of plates and cups, while Uncl
Eph took a new pride in his posses
| blOuh biuce CeItdlu lltllb hBllIe
crowned with large straw hat, oftel
accompanied him on his rounds abou
the farm, and never failed to be inter
ested in what she saw.
Uncle Eph was Jolly, good-natureC
man, with a genial warmth of manne
that won him many friends; some on,
had onoe said that "when Eph Hawle,
want maxim jokes himself, you coulC
depend ont he was laughing at some
body else's." No one knew better thar
his wife, however, that underneath thi
fun-loving exterior lay..a substratum o
deep and tender feeling, and when h
called her mother she knew that h
felt particularly tender toward her
She knew he was thinking Of the time
years before, when their home hai
been frightened for a few shor
months by the presence of baby girl
who had never learned TO speak th
word so dear to a mothers heart ]
was Uncle Eph's delicate way of show
ing his sympathy for his wife afte
they had ceased 10 openly mourn thei
loss; it was his loss as we'll, but he fel
! that her sorrow was the greater