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

ueW brightness lnJO all ner lie.
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 80 win the
girls affection as to make a 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 her?
For Patty loved beautiful things, and
she could never be beautiful Those
words of her niece so thoughtlessly
spoken often required to her mind.
"It would weigh on my spirits to live
with anyone downright homely."
Was she downright homely?" 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 and brown it
looked beside Patty's fresh complex
ion But there was one thing she
could do-fix up little like Uncle
Eph. He never came to the table now
with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and
only once since Patty had been mem
Der of the family-the day that 81
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 a box, bits of finery,
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 well she remembered
the first time she had worn it!
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 that'll 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 1 looked al
her she had the whole thing in hei
hand; it was wonder l had bit of O
bonnet left on my head. How every,
body laughed, and Ephraim told me ]
had roses in my cheeks if 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, so wildly calling to mint
the baby Elizabeth, whose early deatE
had left a void in her life, which moth
ing had ever seemed to fill.
Gust think, she'd been almost as
big as Patty. Well, there's no use il
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 o
mothers used to look nice in i
and this pin that Ephraim gave me
so long ago. There, that does lool
better. If can lyplease Patty, II
, be satisfied" Aunt Sheba replaced
her treasures, and went out to prepar,
| supper and see what the effect of hel
experiment would be. She was more
, than satisfied with Patty's, "How mic,
you look, AuntieW and Uncle Epht
, look of approval as he took his seat a
the table.
After that many little improvement
e were noticeable in Aunt Sheba
/ dress, while she and her looking glas
were ON terms of greater intimacy
t than they had been for years, as sh,
D needed its assistance daily in the ad
| justment of the various collars anC
( bows that now formed a part Of he
= afternoon toilet.
| But the mirror reflected not only tn,
= pretty aud becoming neckwear, bu
/ also held up to view all her defects
g chief of which was the complexion tina
was a source of no little anxiety T.
= Aunt Sheba. 1t seemed to.grow NOR
= muddy each day, and if she hersel
e noticed it so much, how very disagree
9 able it must appear to Patty. 1t wa
e with a resolve TO try to remedy thi
J. that Aunt Sheba one hot day in earl
July found herself in the one dru
a store Of Brownville, little villag
I about two miles from the farm wher
= Aunt Sheba did her shopping.
"Good mornin', Mis- Hawley," sal,
| the clerk affably as she entered. "Wha
r can l do for you to-day? Somethin
e for the skin? Yes'm, certainly; wa
Y down to the city last week and brough
up some new goods. This is Cream
+ o. Roses; sounds as if it ought to b
a good, aud make any one fine compile
@ tad INIT thew told me the hest thing il