The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-08-11
would swarm his brain and render him

would swarm his brain and render him
miserable.
He had confided minimum of his
secret TO a fellow salesman with the
injunction to watch for any response
that might come to his advertise
ments. He also instructed him to re-
insert the personal" from time TO
time.
At length the exciting moment came
when Cali hands ashorel' was bel
lowed in and out of every Granny and
cubby hole of the steamship. The last
laggards were descending the gang
plank after long, melancholy fare
wells to friends, when Bobs conf
dant, the assistant salesman, dashed
aboard in furious haste despite the
sailors attempts to bar his way.
''What is it?" cried Bob.
can answer" gasped the man, say.
ing which he flung letter at Bob,
and leaped madly back again without
another word.
The gang plank was being hauled
up. Bob made an attempt to jump
ON it and go ashore. Luckily sailor
brushed him back with no gentle ges-
ture, and he dropped inert on coil
of rope at his side.
He had scarcely the courage TO open
the letter. He had never seen her
handwriting before and yet it seemed
familiar. What did he not suffer as
each second drew him further away
from the dock, further away from her
side, for whose heart his own had bled
so long and so silently Why could
she have not answered a day sooner?
1t was her fault if he had to leave
without seeing her and bidding her
farewell-at, what a sweet, sad, ten
der one it should have beenl
"She must have had some valid ex-
cuse for her delay" Bob mused as
with desperate effort he encouraged
himself to cut the envelope open.
The letter was written i'll u correct,
bold hand, and read:
Dear Mr.. Acton-I do not know whether
| Ishould answer your personal or not, which
| happened to see by some unheard-oi
| chance, for l never read that column. But
| as am going to run away from you right
1
should have left that restaurant months
| ago. In fact-shall be so immodest as tC
| confess it2-in fact ever since you came
there. Do you understand? Ten days age
| received word that my mother who lives
| In Dublin is very ill., l saw my only duty
then and at once made up my mind to go tC
her. l leave on the New York tomorrow
and by the time you get this will be fal
down the Bay. So forgive my freedom
and don't please, think meanly Of me
| Yours sincerely, FANNIE LANGAN.
Bob's eyes ran across every line o
the letter with electric quickness
Hardly had he finished it than he
sprang to his feet and ran for q pas
senger list. He read it through care
fully three times, but Fannie's name
was not on it. Could fate have beer
SO spiteful as to have let her miss th'
boat?
He inquired of a steward whethe
she was on board, described her t,
him, explained to him that she was t,
have sailed, but that her name was no
on the list.
"She may be in the steerage, sir,
suggested the steward.
(Which way? Which way?" Bol
asked impatiently.
Following the stewards direction h
ran below like n madman. Fiv
minutes later he had found her an,
was hugging her as though they ha
not met in years. The next day Fanni
was transferred to the upper deck.
Bob Acton was the happiest man o.
the whole Atlantic that evening. Fo
two steamer chairs, lined with cose
rugs, on the lee side of the boat at
moonlight midnight is the most dan
gerous place in the world to expos
ones heart to lady.
Let ye who respect and cherisl
bachelorhood be mindful of this moral
The Yellow Kid