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

How heartily she echoed her husbands
wish that they might keep herl but
she knew it was impossible; all she
could hope for was TO so win the
girls affection as 10 make yearly
visit possible. Was Patty fond Of
her? She longed inexpressibly to be
attractive in the girls eyes. And one
thing stood in the way. How could
the girl love an old woman like herP
For Patty loved beautiful things, and
she could never be beautiful. Those
words of her niece so thoughtlessly
spoken often REQUIRED TO her mind.
ut would weigh on my spirits to live
with anyone downright homely."
Was she downright homelyP" In
her self-depreciation Aunt Sheba felt
that she was She was old and
wrinkled and gray, and then her skinl
She had never thought much of it be-
fore, but how very dark aud brown it
looked beside Patty's fresh complex
ionl But there was one thing she
could do--ix up a little like Uncle
Eph. He never came to the table now
with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and
only once since Patty had been a men,
Der of the family-the day that ST
Jennings got the best of him tradin'
off the COW and got him sorter worked
up-only that once had he forgot to
put on his necktie.
This resolve once taken, Aunt
Sheba determined to lose no time, end
the next day found her turning over
the contents of box, bits of fnery,
treasures of her young days, in search
of something that might make her
more pleasing to her niece. She
smiled as she turned over the bits of
ribbon and lace, for each had a story
connected with it, This pink bow, for
instance, how we'll she remembered
the first time she had worn It'll
Ephraim had told her he would rather
look at her than at any other girl he
knew, so the bit of pink ribbon had
been cherished as marking the begin
ming of their little romance.
''No, can't put that on, said Aunt
Sheba to herself. ''Pink is a color
for young folks, sorter bright and rosy
like them. But there must be some
thing in here thatll do" The next
minute she laid trembling hand on a
crushed red rose, the sight of which
called up food of tender memories.
"How the baby did act that dayl If
the minister hadn't come all the way
from Five Corners just to baptize her,
we wouldn't "a had it done. She
wouldn't stay with her pa, so / had to
hold her all the time, and Ephraim
stood there lookin' so awkward, and
feelin' awkward, too, he told me after
wards, with nothin' in his hands-and
nothin' would pacify her but the rose
in my bonnet, and she KEEP a-playin'
with it and pullin' it, till just at the
most solemn moment, when the minis
ter laid his hand ON her head and be-
gan Elizabeth, 1 baptize thee;' she
jerked away from him and gave great
pull at the rose, and when looked at
her she had the whole thing in her
hand; it was a wonder 1 had bit of
bonnet left on my head. How every
body laughed, and Ephraim told me 1
had roses in my cheeks if l didn't
have them on my head" And Aunt
Sheba smiled as she wiped her eyes
which had grown dim at sight of the
torn rose, 80 wildly calling to mind
the baby Elizabeth, whose early death
had left void in her life, which moth
ing had ever seemed to fill.
"Just think, she'd been almost as
big as Patty. Well, there's no use in
repinin'. l won't look at these things
any longer. I've got Ephraim, and
I'll be thankful for him, and for Patty,
too, while she's here. If she'd only
come every summer, I'd most feel as
if had daughter of my own. be-
lieve I'll put on this lace collar of
mother's-she used to look nice in it
and this pin that Ephraim gave me
so long ago. There, that does look
better. II can only please Patty, I'll
be satisfied" Aunt Sheba replaced
her treasures, and went out to prepare
supper and see what the effect of her
experiment would be. She was more
than satisfied with Patty's, "How nice
you look, Auntier and Uncle Eph's
look of approval as he took his seat at
the table.
After that many little improvements
were noticeable in Aunt Sheba's
dress, while she and her looking glass
were ON terms of greater intimacy
than they had been for years, as she
needed its assistance daily in the ad-
justment of the various collars and
bows that now formed a part of her
afternoon toilet.
But the mirror reflected not only the
pretty aud becoming neckwear, but
also held up to view all her defects,
chief of which was thecomplexion that
was a source of no little anxiety to
Aunt Sheba. II seemed to.grow more
muddy each day, and if she herself
noticed it so much, how very disagree
able it must appear TO Patty. 1t was
with resolve to try to remedy this
that Aunt Sheba one hot day in early
July found herself in the one drug
store of Brownville, little village
about two miles from the farm where
Aunt Sheba did her shopping.
Good mornin', Mis- Hawley," said
the clerk affably as she entered. "What
can do for you to-day? Somethin'
for the skin? Yes'm, certainly; was
down TO the city last week and brought
up some new goods. This is Cream
o. Roses; sounds as if it ought to be
good, and make any one fine compile
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