The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-12-16
Such Foolish
People
Josephine Discusses the Pres
ents They Give


mas preseEts!"
She turned and lifted her wistful
little mouth tremulous for my judg-
ment upon this the fruits of her phil
osophy, and kissed her then and
there right tenderly, knowing that II
| seemed to scoff or scorn the erudi-
tlon OF her saying or the depth OF
the view with which she regarded
Lite her bright blue eyes would fill
with tears and her gentle heart
would break.
Those folks next door"-began
Josephine with sniff.
She stopped so that we might sniff
together a conjugal sniff OF utter
contempt and derision at the folks
next door
These folks next door!" repeated
Josephine. What do you suppose
he bought her?'
"A new bonnet, | hope!" | cried
with sudden energy.
mo, not bonnet" exclaimed JOS
ephine.
Augustus"
To which we lovingly replied:
my love?"
Augustus! You are smokingn
looked at her in sudden guilt
with l premonition of what was now
to come.
"Augustus!" she breathed.
my lover"
Augustus! Your smoking capt"
With feeling OF despair and sor-
row arose to ny feet, but Jose
phine's eye was on me and Jose
phine's mouth Yas dropping and |
knew II I were to refuse her imme-
diet request sfe would wither Ind
droop like a gathered flower and
her dream of love would end in dark
est night.
Wherefore went to the hall rack,
placed my smoking cap upon my
head and returned to Josephine. 1t
was round smoking cap of light
blue velvet. such, | believe, as the
gentry of Turkey wear and call
fezes) and it was trimmed with
beads. On one side was asdragon,
rampant with his tongue stuck out
this detail being ingeniously executed
with beads of a scarlet color-so that,
being seen from this side, was an
inspiration of horror and the terror
of all beholders. On the other side
was butterfly slipping honey from
a flower and looking peaceful and
pastoral beyond words-so that, be-
ing regarded from that side. | mute
ly bore reference to a jocund life
redolerL with the scent of new mown
hay and musical with the lowing of
the kline. The inspiring cap was
crowned with q golden tassel which
tickled my nose and my ears with
titilative impartiality that l could
only "scape by coiling the tassel upon
the top of the cap ani balancing it
there.
And thus equipped sat me down
to smoke.
Il never3-cried Josephine, clasp
ing her knee again in transport. IT
never saw such a handsome cap!
Never! He looks so fierce!"
The butterfly, my lover
Augustus! MOI The dragon!"
l turned the saucy dragon to the
back of my head so that Josephine
could feast her eyes upon the But.
terfy, and then l smoked as though
my tobacco was never so sweet as
when l smoked 1t In my smoking
cap.
The moment l saw 1t knew 1t
was for you!" cried Josephine, "and
| was so afraid that 1t would be sold
before ! could find salesgirl to wait
on me. e"'
But 1t wasn't"
mo! And Augustusl She was the
incest salesgirl! l told her, love,
that your eyes were blue and she said
II was Just the thing for you. oh, 1
was trembling with excitement. She
said-you would look so distinguished
ip.it!"
The tassel slipped down and tickled
my ear. coiled II back and smok-
ed on.
And what do you suppose she
bought him next door?" laughed
Josephine, and breathlessly answer
ed, a walking stick!"
The clock interrupted her by be-
ginning to- strike nine. 1t was the
hour! Josephine gave me solemn
look ant nod and Immediately
fetched her jewel case.
With another solemn look Jose-
phine unscrewed her earrings and
placed them in the jewel case. Her
ring followed. Dutifully then gave
her my scarf pin and sleeve links.
Josephine solemnly locked the box
and looked at me at last with a beam
ing eye.
"There!" said josephine,
s.There!" said~I. ~
n s'Now We can sleep ipsspeace, said
my beloved, "and having nRthing to
reproGch ourselves with atther, like
those slliy persons ~lio gave each
other Walking sticks and -s-silver-
mounted carving setsl"
AM. .asywe sat there, Josephine
with her jewel case in her lap and l
quita like "a Turki-h gentleman, the
tassel slipped down again and wag-
gishlv tapped my nose.
Ill Health is More Expensive Than nny Cure