The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-03-10


.5SsEI@eSI him carry a bill
SLS1 ~f3 or a sherff's at.
tachment, signi-
flying that it was not his province to
cut me off at one mercitul stroke, but
to worry and bore me to death by
continually ringing my doorbell and
thrusting the awful document before
my bloodshot eyes. Branton is OF a
different mind.
'It is misconception- gross mis-
conception" he declared the other
night, resting his feet ON the hand
some brass fender and gazing medita.
lively into the fire that glowed on the
hearth of his library. Poverty should
be represented as carrying in one hand
heart, and in the other, perhaps, q
dart"
"Or fat purse, said to myself.
But my friends case is an unusual
one. His kindly conception of what
should be a grim, repulsive figure had
its origin, and not without reason, in
his own experience. With me it is
different. My financial condition has
changed but little since the day we
received my aunt's hurried note an
nouncing that che had run down from
Newport with my cousin Lyvia, who,
by the way, has not yet been intro
duced to society, and a charming girl
from San Francisco. To be frank, /
am still living in Holwood's pleasant
apartment overlooking the avenue, and
must of Lecessity continue recipient
of his kindness until he gets back from
his tour of the world. What shall
do then dare not contemplate. But
that does not concern Branton.
When the note of my aunt's ar
rived my fortunes were at their lowest
ebb. For weeks 1 had been doing my
own cooking, and Branton's arrival
from the West, where, through no
fault of his own, he had lost the small
fortune that had fallen to his POSSES.
sion on the death of his father, an
English country gentleman who had
left large number of sons to divide
a moderate estate, added an additional
burden to my thin pocketbook. Just
why my friend had left the West he
did not explain further than that cir.
cumstances had reduced him to q men,
ial position on a ranch, and he was in
fair way to rise when he suddenly
made up his mind to go home, and
landed in New York, penniless and
compelled TO accept my poor hospi-
tality. For four days he had been
seeking work in vain when 1 heard
from my aunt. 1t was early in the
fall few people were in town; her
house was closed and she thought it
would be Jolly for Lyvia and charm
ing friend of hers to spend an evening
in bachelor hall. Would pardon the
sudden notice and expect them at Z
o'clock sEarpp At the time pardon
was not granted, but had to make
the best of circumstances. Even had
l known just where to address my
kind relative, / could hardly have
dared asked her to excuse me, particu-
larry on the ground of my financial
straits, for, bred as she has been in
the lap of luxury, poverty is thing
beyond her understanding. To her it
is a crime. She cannot imagine that
a person with normal amount of
common sense should be afflicted
with it.
Fortunately 1 had still remaining
$40 from the last remittance of my
father, which came enclosed in an
Rffectionate epistle saying that he had
given me the best possible education,
fitted me to battle with the world, and
thought that thereafter 1 had better
do for myself. With this money we
procured the necessary supplies for
simple dinner, and despatched note
TO Carter asking him to join us. Then
arose the question of service. We
had no servant, and naturally it was
necessary that some one attend at the
table. As l was ruefully cycling my
small stock of remaining money, Bran
Ron, ever ready, came to my assist
ance. He knew no one in town and
was going to sail for home just as soon
as he could afford it. With his clean
shaven face he would pass for a m6st
respectable butler. OF course l de-
INJURED, but he insisted, and eventu-
ally won his point To this little vie
tory can be traced his kindly concep-
tion of an artistic figure of poverty.
Holwood's silver service presented
a stunning appearance when we ar.
ranged it on the table that evening.
The soup as it steamed on the back of
the range, the roast as it sizzled in the
oven, the few simply cooked vegeta.
bles in the pots all ready for serving
looked excellent, and Branton made
the most imposing butler have ever
set eyes on, for he always was hand
some fellow. So it was with feeling
akin to satisfaction that l threw my
self into chair in the study when the
meniRl labor was over and awaited the
coming of my guests. Already Bran
ton was aping a we'll bred laekey, and
SO inimitably did he play his part that
almost imagined myself the proprie-
tor of a we'll appointed establishment,
instead of a struggling young man
with no occupation and but four dol
lars aud thirty-two cents in the world.