The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-05-25

ijhCS luiiuCcS uuu COlOI.
'Tm considering my health, and not
my good looks, as you ought to know,
Lavinial" replied Mrs. Perrot, icily.
But Lavinia noticed that she took
only two draughts of sassafras tea that
day, and on the third the yellow pitcher
which had generally stood steaming by
the fire, silently disappeared, and was
no more seen or heard of.
''The chrysantheums in the front
yard"-Mr. Perrot never could re-
member to say "chrysanthemum"-
''are looking really splendid; but they
won't stand the first frost. Hadn't
you better send some of 'em around
to your friends, Marthy? Mrs.
Vaughan, know, would like some.
They're her favorite flowers"
"How do you know that?" inquired
his wife, sharply.
ooh, she happened to mention it in
the store to-day"
"What was she doing in your store?"
'Way, she merely stepped in with
Mrs. Brown, who wanted sugar; and
while Greener was showing her the
grades, Mrs. Vaughan sat waiting by
the counter. Ihad brought in bunch
of the flowers, aud had 'em in a glass
on a shelf, and she noticed 'em. So l
thought I'd send her some," said Per-
rot, irnocently.
His wife looked very hard at him.
"Do you want to make fool OF
yourself, Samuel Perrot?" she inquired.
"How does it look to see a married
mana man with a sick wife, who
mayn't have three months to live
chatting ovel counters with frisky
widow, and sending her flowers and
things?"
"Why, Marthy, of course I don'i
mean any harm by It'll Goodness
knows" he added, with sigh, "that
I've no comfort in the prospect of be-
ing left a widower And what are the
poor children to do without mother
Mrs. Vaughan seems to feel for us
already; for she's always inquirine
about your health"
"Well, she needn't" responded Mrs
Perrot, her sallow face flushing, "and
I think, Samuel, that you might have
better sense, ifnot better feeling, than
to go around chatting with other wo-
men about your wife dying. One
would think that you were anxious to
get me out of the wayl" she added, re.
proachfully.
"Now, Marthy, you ought not tc
talk so. You know how grieved I'd
be to lose you. And if married
again for the children's sakes, mean
I'D look out fer somebody as near
like you as could be found"
married again!" exclaimed Mrs.
Perrot, with indignant emphasis.
"For the children's sake, you
know" repeated her husband, sheep.
ishly scratching his head.
"And you can sit here and talk
about giving my darling children q
stepmother?" said Mrs. Perrot, in @
deeply injured tone. Samuel, Sam.
uell when 1 married you 1 little
thought t would come to this!"
Perrot, as he always did when he
saw that squall was brewing, took
his hat, and while his wife's face was
buried in her handkel chief he silently
vanished from the ROOM.
''I wouldn't mind it, Aunt Martha, u
said Lavinia, consolingly. 'You
know he loves you better than any
thing else in the world; but it's natnra
he should sometimes look forward tC
the future. And Mrs. Massey has told
everybody that you don't expect tc
live beyond this winter, and you see,
folks pity him; and Mrs. Vaughan be.
ing widow herself, can feel what he
would suffer-"
'rI never said 1 expected to die this
winterl" said Mrs. Perrot, deiantly.
"I've felt better the last few days
than I have for weeks. People
needn't be digging my grave before
hand, and meddling with my husband
and children. And I'd thank Mrs
Massey not to be raising false reports
about me!'
She was rather cool to Mrs. Massey
when that lady IA next-door neighbor)
paid the usual daily visit. She even
told the woman that she had not taken
the sassafras tea and liver pills since
Monday, and that she felt better than
for long time past.
Mrs. Massey was offended, and did
not repeat her visit for some days.
81 think I'll just step ON the front
porch for awhile, as the sun is SC
warm to-day" Mrs. Perrot observed,
as she looked from her window.
Mrs. Vaughan was sitting at the op.
posite window, sewing, but Mrs. Per.
rot never looked that way. Wrapped
in a shawl, and accompanied by La
vinia and the rejoicing children, she
walked out upon the porch, noticed
the rose-bushes, and arranged strag
Cling branch, spoke to q passing ac'
quaintance, who stopped to congratu-
late her ON 'being about again." and
finally returned to her room, declaring
that she felt rather refreshed by the
change.
Perrot silently rubbed his hands
and exchanged a glauce with Lavinia,
who merely remarked that she hoped
her aunt wouldn't be imprudent, and
take cold that might settle on her
lungs.
"My lungs are as good as they ever
were," declared Mrs. Perrot. 81
never said nor thought that anything
was the matter with them; and ]
think" she presently added, "tha'
the fresh air must have done me good
for / feel as though could eat a bif