The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-10-27

SO there was no other dissenting
voice, and the matter was considered
settled.
We'll cut aud make 'em ourselves
and you-can come to my house aud sew
on 'em. You know the conferenc,
meets with us next month, and WI
ought to have 'em done by that time,
so we'll have to work fast
What color did you say the clotl
WASP" asked Mrs. Driscoll.
"It's kind of dark plaid. and MOI
really dark, neither. It won't fade
and it won't wear out for one while. ]
know. Now you all come tomorrow
afternoon, and we'll begin. Mis-
Whites about Mis- Seabury's size, SC
we'll fit that dress to her. The biggest
twin is about the size of my Rebecca,
so we can get that dress easy enough
and we'll make one little smaller foi
the other twin. The rest of 'em vel
have to guess at.
81 do hope the cloth isn't very
bad, " thought Mrs Lane. "Ann Bea.
man hain't got no more taste than q
settin' hen, and 1 do think Mis- Sea.
bury would hate to wear anything very
homely."
She knew it would be of no use ia
argue with Mrs. Beaman, so she said
nothing.
A few weeks after this Mrs. Seabury
sat by the window of her little sitting
room trying to amuse the fretful baby.
Perhaps if the baby's mother had had
less care and hard work the child
would not have been SO fretful. Even
now her mind was filled with worry
about the children's winter clothes.
They had literally nothing, and the
climate of northern Vermont necessi.
tates something warm.
"Oh, if we could only get out OF
debt, how happy we should bel" she
thought.
Her mind went back to that June
day, twelve years ago, when she had
married Mr.. Seabury. How bright
and fair everything had been to them
To be sure, Mr.. Seabury was in debt
for his education, but they were young
and strong and could soon pay the
amount. But the children came fast.
Then the minister lost his health and
was unable to preach for more than q
year. The terrible debt still followed
them, aud now, after twelve years,
they were no more able to pay it than
they ever had been.
Mr.. Seabury had no talent for max
ing friends, and his manner in the
pulpit had become diffident and halt
ing. Perhaps he was discouraged with
his fruitless struggle against fate. At
any rate, he was thankful to get the
chance of preaching in the little village
of Dunbar, although he knew his
abilities were far beyond the capacity
of his hearers.
Through all these unfortunate years
Mrs. Seabury's faith in her husband
had never wayered, and she brought
up her children to venerate him.
Her sad reflections were sud
denly broken into by the entrance of
Esther, the largest twin.
"Oh, mother, mother!" she cried
throwing herself at Mrs. Seabury's
feet and bursting into tears. "I never
can bear it in the world! Oh, dear
Oh, dearl" And her speech was choked
by an agony of tears.
't'What is it, Esther darling?" cried
Mrs. Seabury, laying the baby on the
lounge, regardless of its walls. ''Tell
mother all about it, dear"
1t was very unusual for Esther to
break down. She was only eleven
years old, to be sure, but in wisdom
and experience she was twenty. She
could scarcely remember when the
burden of the housekeeping had not
rested on her slender shoulders, while
Hope, the smaller twin, had always
had baby in her arms.
"Tell me, Esther DEAR" repeated
the anxious mother.
ooh, mother, those awful dressesl
We never can wear them-we never
cant All just alikel And how the
baby will look in cloak of it And
poor Johnny has got to have a spencer,
aud it is such awful clothw
"Calm yourself, Esther, and tell me
what this is all about. L don't under
stand in the least. 4"
Noub uOWu W sec heDecca bea-
man this afternoon, said Esther, CON
trolling herself with a great effort.
''Her mother asked me to wait in the
parlor few minutes for Rebecca was
busy. The dining-room door was open
a little, and 1 could't help seeing into
the room. All the ladies who belong
to the sewing society were there, and
oh, mother" r"-here Esther began TO
cry again-"they are making some
clothes for us, and Rebecca was try
ing on my dress. They are going to
make us each one, and spencer for
Johnny, and a cloak for the baby, all
off the same piece of cloth, and here is
a bit l picked up from the floor. Isn't
it dreadful?"
1t certainly was. As Mrs. Beaman
told the ladies, it was a plaid The
color was purple, and
there were lines of green, red and yell
low, the yellow being the widest. One
dress of it would have looked strange,
but the appearance of whole family
clothed in it would certainly be strih- !