The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-08-18

she seems to hate little Hiram. I'm
sure don't know what I'm going to
do about it," and the 19-year-old
bread-winner sighed.
Don't worry, Alice said patient
Geoffrey. "Don't pay any attention
to her and her bad humor will wear off
after awhile. Anybody'd have to love
this child. It's contrary to human
nature to hold unkiud feelings toward
him.
But Titles bad humor did not wear
off The strike was continued through
out April and May, aud when vacation
began her dislike for the little boy who
had, by common consent, been con-
signed to her care, was at fever heat.
Tillie herself often wondered how she
could treat him so badly.
"Hiram Stewart, Hiram Stewart, l
hate you," she said one day in low,
tense voice that fairly frightened her
when she realized what terrible state
of mind such tone must express.
She had taken him out to the park
that afternoon for an airing i'll compi-
ance with Alice request She placed
| ullu III OnO COl VI u NbOuNh bNhSh
and knelt before him that she might
look him squarely in the face when
telling him what she thought of him.
Even in the midst of her anger Tillie
involuntarily pronounced him the pret
test baby in the whole world, with his
soft brown hair, long dark lashes and
beautifully nodded face, but the thought
did not cause her TO relent
''Do you know what you have done
to me, Hiram Stewart?" she went on.
you've made me work my fingers to
the bone" Tillie could not forbear
using her favorite expression, in
spite of the fact that she had been do
ing comparatively little since his COM
ing. "You keep me from having any
fun. 1 can't go visiting with the girls,
but have to lug you around every
bright day instead"
Great tears were coursing down the
baby's cheeks, and his breast heaved
with the storm of sobs that was about
to break. Tillie saw his grief, but she
went on mercilessly.
81 had completed plans for having
n little pleasure this summer for the
first time in my life, and you had to
come in and knock them all in the
head. Hiram Stewart, you're the pest
of my existence. I'm not going to put
up with you any longer Tm-going
--to-lose-you."
1t seems as though the child under
stood the import of the words, for he
set up cry that echoed through that
part of the park and attracted the at
tention of everybody who CHANGED tc
be lounging near there.
"Oh, dear Oh, dear" lamented
Tillie. GIVE done it now. l ought
to have known better than to get him
= scared. L must try to quiet him some
: how. There, there, baby" and she
assumed coaxing tone, "don't cry,
Tillie didn't mean it. Come on, darl
ing, and go to sleep, Tillie'll sing fol
you.
She took him in her arms and sal
down in his corner of the bench
Then, swaying herself gently backward
and forward, she murmured a lullaby
with which her own heart had Otter
, been soothed when heavy with infan.
! tile woes. The afternoon sun was
sinking low, and its last rays fell
= athwart the fair face nestled against
her shoulder, when Tillie ceased sing
3 ing and assured herself that the baby
, was sound asleep. One little hand
was closed over the end of the lace
scarf at her throat, but she deftly
loosed his grasp, and with dexterity
born of a settled determination sh,
slipped him from her arms to tn,
! | bench.
Then she stood up and looked
9 round. That corner of the park wal
a momentarily deserted. The only per
7 sons in sight were three boys in boat
quite distance out on the lake, and ,
O fisherman, who was just returning from
/ the end of the pier. She watched tn,
fisherman until he struck into a path
way leading south, then turned to tn,
baby once more. One tiny hand wal
a doubled up under his head and the othel
\ nestled beneath his chin. There wer,
= tear stains on his cheeks, and even il
I his sleep his breathing was convulseC
now and then, as though dreaming o
4 the sorrow he had just borne
! Tillie gave one more quick, fright
4 ened glance at the child on the bench
: then turned and ran, with the swift
a ness of young gazelle, through
8 deeply shaded path that branched OF
: from the wide carringeway Twilight
had already settled down in the tree
lined walk, and there was no one I,
+ watch her flight She had almos
y reached the street, where the cabl'
a cars were running two and fro, befor,
: any one crossed her path Then sh,
I Stacked her speed and walked out int
q the wide drive with apparent uncon
s cern.
The clock in the tower of the railroad
o depot at the head of Roseberry rov
l. was striking seven when Tillie walked
d into the Iitchen-alone. Supper ha,
o been standing for half an hour, anC
e Alice already had grown nervous anC
q anxious.
/. "Where's Hiram?" she asked, whel
d she perceived that Tillie did not hay
s. the baby.
l. "O-o-oh," moaned Tillie over an'
is over again Her griefwas not feigned
" for her alarm had by that time beoom
N genuine in realization of her ohense