The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-03-11
JONAS BIRTHDAY
PRESENT


except when he was a little boy. al
most too young to remember!" she
added, sympathetically.
Did he say that?" asked Jennie
Deering, with curious blush.
Yes, he told Uncle John so,'
said May quickly, and, when Uncle
repeated it to me | just decided that
he should have a present this year,
sure"
"Oh, girls!" broke in Sallie Green,
with a ringing laugh. "I've thought
of the very thing! Let's give Jonas
a wife for his birthday present! He
has everything else that he needs,
and you know he is altogether too
timid to ever secure a wife without
some assistance!"
Won't he resist it," asked tho
girls. timidly, but May checked them
imperiously.
Certainly not, If she is the right
| one! What man would! The only
thing is to see that she is in every
way worthy of him, for Jonas is
really a splendid fellow, even II he
is bashful. Jonas shall have a wife
for his birthday, that much is set
tied, Now who shall she be, and how
will we present her?'
The three girls sat for moment
in silence; then suddenly May was
struck with bright idea. The other
-. In
amazement when she told them what
it was.
Here we are, getting older and
older every day, and not a man In tho
village that is marriageable except
Jonas. Now we all like him, you
know we do but, If we wait for him
to propose, we'll all die old maids,
and that would be awful. All Jonas
needs H. a little encouragement, and
no one will ever know that we used
our influence for each other!"
And, finally, her reasoning pre-
vailed. possibly by the aid of tender
sentiment existing toward Jonas in
the hearts OF both the blushing maid,
ems.
II say Jonas, you'd oughter be
thinkin' of marryin,' said Uncle
John" Gardner, shortly after the i'm
portant agreement between the thres
young ladies.
81 s'pose so, said Jonas absently,
with little blush.
Pears to me you'd better be
lookin' around" continued the old
farmer as indifferently as possible.
your thirty-fifth birthday is comm
and you've ben half your life with
out wife. Must be sort O. Desc
late fer ye, I'm thinkin,'
"What1l l do?" asked Jonas,
sheepishly.
Ask one of these pretty girls
as he glanced slyly at Jonas.
Which one'll ask? queried Jonas
ASK EN- ALL" said the old far
mer, with a roar of laughter. He
had evidently thought of something
that was exceedingly funny.
John Gardner, be you out of your
head?" said Jonas, half angrily.
But the farmers words burned in
his brain long after he had parted
with his friend and neighbor.
And that evening he put on his
best suit and went over to call on
Jennie Deering.
An hour before midnight they
were sitting alone in the kitchen, for
the old folks had gone to bed in
most accommodating manner,
Did you know my birthday was
next week, Jennie?" said Jonas, sud-
denly. He was sitting as near her
as he dared when he asked the ques-
tion.
Suddenly Jennie giggled In a most
unaccountable way.
DO you want birthday present,
Jonas?" she asked with a fit Of
laughter that bordered on Mysteries.
II want a wife!" he said, boldly,
and then blushed as red as a poppy.
That's what | mean" said Jen-
ME, still lowering on Mysteries. do
you want a wife for a birthday pre-
sent?"
Jennie was desperately in earnest,
as well as Jonas. She had to fulfill
her part toward securing the COM
bination wife and present.
May Gardner or Sally Green
would marry you, am sure. They
are both nice girls, and you're bound
TO like them" She blurted out the
words in the most astonishing way,
and then finished by bursting into a
fit of crying.
But don't want Sallie Green or
May Gardner! | want you or no.
body. for my wife," Jonas said
bravely.
The sight of her tears had mads
him bold, and he was holding her
hands now in the tenderest fashion.
And before 12o'clock she was his
promised wife, and when he left her
there was only one cloud upon her
happiness. The girls will be aw-
fully mad she sail ever and over,
but, anyhow, l have kept my pro-
mise-I am going to give Jonas
wife for his BIRTHDAY"