The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-11-03

fully. Next east of the one you
wantedl You will be near your aunt,
and if you want anything sudden, you
can run up signal"
''Thank you," answered the girl
bravely. ''I only wish / hadn't set
my heart on the other. guess you
had better make out the papers.
"That's gritl" sighed old Daddy,
with relief. ''When ye can't get first
pick, be thankful for second choice. "
"Miss Bessie is lucky to get any
thing" broke In the agent. "There
is talk of railroad running through
her part of the country, and land is
going like hot cakes"
"Well, nm thankful" answered
Bessie, land 1 am real grateful to
both of you for your kindness" She
smiled back upon them as she left
with such q bright face that both felt
satisfied. Still, she was slow to get
over her disappointment.
''I can't help it, Aunt Mirandy,"
she said, months afterward. 81 feel
real ugly toward that. Watson boy. 1t
just seems to me as if he had jumped
my claim"
"I know how you feel," answered
the aunt, wearily, "and it amt Chris
tian. He didn't go to do you any un-
kindness. 1 was sorry, that you got
mad because he built so close to us.
Probably he hadn't been from home
before aud was lonesome.
IL l. IL 81
if he didn't want to" retorted Bessie,
looking away from her aunt out
through the tiny window at her neigh
boris claim. What she saw was not
comforting John Watson was too
prosperous. Instead of a sod hut, he
had actually built one of lumber.
She understood, further, that he
had secured a chance to teach for six
months school beyond Hammerville.
Soon he could be paying on his home
stead, while she must wait through
long years for her title.
Aunt Miranda noticed the girls
discontented face, and broke the ST.
lence. 81 don't believe you deserve
it, Bessie" she said, quietly, "but
I'm going to move across and live
with you in your new home to-mor-
row."
"YouP" gasped the girl. "But you
can't, auntie? It won't be safe tc
leave your own homestead"
''You see, DEAR" she answered
slowly to her impatient niece, "thii
amt claim any more. 1 proved uI
last fall"
80 Aunt Mirandy, you never told
mel"
mo. WANTED you to act for your
self. 1 thought it would make you
more womauly. 1 must say you have
been real brave about the work ant
living alone"
"It's too good to be true" sale
Bessie, tremulously. Cliff 1 hat
only known, l wouldn't have hated
that horrid Watson boy quite so bad
1 couldn't bear to leave you, auntie.
The next day "that horrid Watson
boy" came over and helped them move
He was very quiet and obliging, anC
never seemed to notice Bessie's cool
ness. Aunt Miranda was gracious
enough for both. When he was abou
to leave, she thanked him profusel.
for his kindness.
ooh, that's nothing" he answered
good-naturedly. "Ypu can keep an ey
on my claim while I'm gone. 1 star
for my school tomorrow, and If an
absent day or 80 more than the si
months allowed by law, you keep Of
the jumpers,
They parted In good fellowship
laughing at the idea of Jumpers.
seemed absurd then that any on
would think of taking his homestead
they were in such an out-of-the-wa
place. Strangers were scarce, an
farther ON land was still plentiful.
DuringI the next six months, how
ever, the growing rumor of the raj
road attracted people to the vicinity
The last claim in the neighborhOod wa
taken. Now and then The two lionel
women heard of distant claims tha
were being jumped.
81 do wish to the lands sake tbs
John Watson would come home, con
planned Aunt Miranda. "His ST
months was up yesterday, and II
getting awful anxious"
"He will look out for himself" r,
torted Bessie. "He never lost mil
ute after he came of age to get thu
homestead"
"Seems to me you're awful unjus
Bessie. Can't you forgive him for b
, ing successful? 1t beats all how yO
can hold a grudge for nothing Seen
like you ought to understand him be
| ter when you know that he is workir
for his mother"
Her voice died out wearily. 81
l looked across the prairie that la,
= blank aud lifeless, under the morniI
a sunshine. A wistful look came in
, her eyes as her glance rested on Il
two little houses huddled so close
[ together in their desertion aud des
lation. For months their only yisito
=. had been snow, rain aud wind. Som
r times their pallocks banged all mig
e long, as if the houses had found to
j. which they could rattle through Il
long winter hours OF darkness aud q
n peasc their Loneliness.