Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-12-03
That's Tom Bradley" said Mary to her

| self.
'.Now, if he thinks I'm coming down out OF
| this delicious cool place to sit up straight in
/ the hot parlors, he's mistaken,
"Tom - she called out 10 a silver accent OF
/ imperative summons, and then burst into mer
/ ry laughter at the evident amazement with
| which the stranger gazed round him. vainly
/ trying to conjecture whence the call had pro
ceeded.
You dear, stupid Cousin Tom,' she ejac-
| ulated, ssdon't stare of towards the cabbage
bed Look straight up here you may come
| up if You please. There's plenty of oom for
! both. You are Cousin Tom. aren't you a. she
| continued, as a sudden mIsg ivIng crossed her
mind.
..Of course, 1 am; and you Mary, 1
suppose a''
MARY herselfi Up with You. Tom--catch
hold of this branch-thcre. Now shake hands
| kiss me!''
.Well, l couldn't help it-and, besides.
/ aren't we cousins ?'' said Mr. Tom, swinging
himself comfortably into branch just above
| Mary.
ssWhy, Tom, how you have changedI" e
jacnlated the young lady, pushing back the
curls with one hand, that sh. might the better
view her playmate of ofchildhood's days. s.Your
hair never curled so before; and what nice
moustache you've got. shouldn't have
known you, Tom!''
NO." said Tom roguishly.
ssAnd you've grown so tall l declare, Tom
you're Splendid
The gentleman laughed. ssI could return
the compliment if dared But where are all
the rest of my relations? !? The house below is
as empty as haunted hall.''
"Al gone to welcome that horrd, poky old
Prof. La Place, who has graciously indicated
his Willingness to pass few weeks with us.
Tom, | do hate that man -
..Hate him, what for rs
60, don't know I'm sure he is snuff.
dried, conccited old wretch, and I'll wager
box Of gloves he wears spectacIes!' -
ssNonsrnse, Mary. why, he's only twenty
Skip
81 don't care-I know he's rheumatic and
wears spectacles for all that. And Tom, now
if you'll never breathe word of this
:sI wont, upon my honor,' said Tom.
s'Weli, then, papa has actually got the idea
into his dear old head tha. should make
nice wife for the professor, and land"
Mary turned away with crimson indignation
flashing in her cheeks.
III is too bad of you to laugh, Tom.
never, neuer will marry the man!''
81 woulda't if were you,'' conscled Tom
''But, cousin Mary, wait and see the man be-
fore you decide. He may be quite decent
fellow.''
s.Noi'' said Mary, shaking her head and
biting Der cherry lips firmly; hate him be-
forehand -
''What spitefnl little pussy you are,' said
her companion laughing.
ssNo, indeed, Tom I'm notI. and the blne
eyes tecame misty. 81 love papa and Ruth
dcarly-and love almost every bodyl | like
you Tom, but hate Prof. La Place And
want yon TO promise. Tom, that you'll stand
my friend, and not allow him to tease me into
walks rides, or tete-a. tetes of any kind
Will you !''
Wonld he +? If she bad asked him to pre-
itate himself ont of the pear tree upon the
stone steps below, with those blue eyes fixed
on his, he'd have done it! Any man OF taste
would.
81 promise 20 he said and they shook hands
on it
What cosy place for chat that gnaried
old tree was And swhen they had talked
over everything they could think OF, it was
the most natural thing in the world that Tom
should recover the book which had slipped
down into a network of thin? boughs, and read
poetry TO his pretty cousin in the deep nns-
cal voice that maidens love to listen to And
Mary sat there, watching the jetty curls blow
ing to and fro his broad white brow, ard
the long, black lashes almost touching his OIL
i've cheek. And she thought how very, very
handsome Cousin Tom was, and how much he
had changed in the ten years that had elapsed
since she had seen him and she wondered
whether Tom was engaged to any pretty girl
somehow she hoped not Now. why couldn't
Tom have been rich like that Prof. La Place,
Instead oil poor young medical student
and
And when the large black eyes were sud-
denly lifted to hers. Mary fels as though he
had read every thought OF her nlind, and blush
ed scarlet; sa
ssCome Tom,'' she ehattered, to hide her
confusion, s.we've been up here long enough
Help me down, and L III show you the old sun
dial that we used to heap up with buttercups
when We were children"
What tiny, Insignificant, little Mary she
felt, leaning on the arm of that tall cousin.