Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-12-03
MARY THoayE,s COUSIN.

"Mary | am ,tonisl,ed I" OF course the
and in fact, she lived in chronic state of
| amazement for Mary Thorne was always do
| ing something to astonish her friends and rel
atives. Miss Ruth could hardly credit the ev-
idence of her own senses, in the hazy glow of
/ the August morning, when she came ont of
/ the cleamatis shadows of the little south
porch, and discovered that yonder moving OBJ
/ .ect, ,baIiw way up among the outrageous branch
es of the huge old pear tree, was not spray
OF leaves, nor yet russet plumed robin, nor
4 cluster OF sun checked pears swinging in the
blue empy ream, but-Miss Mary Throue, com
fortably perched in the crooks of the gnarled
tree, her curis all flecked with the sifted rain
of sunshine that came down through the shift
ing canopy of leaves, and book in her lap.
ST don't care,'' said tho little damsel
laughing saucy defiance. e'It's the incest
place in the world up here; feel just like a
bird. will, the leaves auttering agans! my face
and the wind blowing softly-and intend
TO stay here Wouldn't you like to come mp
here, Ruthy? it's easily done; just pnt your
foot that knot, and
Ruth, who was thirty, and weighed hum
dred and sixty pounds, ,bristled up with amaze
ment.
s.MAry Throne, are you crszy! Come down
this instantl''
II shan't,'' said naughty Mary, tossing the
silky shower of curis away from ber forehead,
and glancing down with eyes that shone and
sparkled like two blue jewels.
''Bat we are going
eyes, | understand You are all going in
trumphal procr to the depot, TO render
an ovation to the great Professor La p lace,
the wiscst, sagest and graldest OF mankind, to
whom the Throne family have the unntterabie
honor of bring second cousins, and to escort
HIM solemnly to a mouths sojourn al Throne
Hail. O, dear :" calculated Mary, Il wish
could run away somewhere and hide. l hate
this paragon of prim precision! 1 shan't mar
ry him if he asks, and 1 mean to behave so
badly that he won't dream of it No, | am
mol going with yon. hate .he close barouche,
and it's toe warm TO ride on horseback. ]
shall sta at home -
And Miss Mary settled herself so shugly
with one tiny sIppered foot swinging down.
and her pretty head close to nest Of blue
speckied birds eggs. that Ruth gave it up
with sigh OF despair.
'sWell, then. have it your own way, you in
corrigible rompl I wish you weren't too big
to be shut up in dark closet. or have your
ears well boxed !"
ssIi is pity, isn't it, said Mary. demurely-
.sOf course it is, Mary if Cousin Tom
Bradley comes this morning, be sure and ex
plain TO him why we are absent. and behave
like a yonng, lady mind %
.sAll right said Mary, dauntrssly. al
ways liked Tom /! used to have grand romps
together when we were children
She sat there in the old pear tree, pretter
than any Homadryad that ever might have
haunted the mossy old veteran of the garden,
her cheek touched with sunshine and carmine,
her dimped lips apart, now reading line or
two from the book in her lap, looking
up, rapt in griish reverie, into the blue sky
as it sparkled through ever moving leaves,
and now breaking into soft little warble of
song that made the very robins themselves
put their heads to one side To listen. The
carriage had driven away long sirce-sie had
watched it beyond the curve of the winding
road the dark mantle of shadow slowly
following the creeping sun glow across the
velvet lawn below, and the old church spire
among the far off woods had chimed out elev-
en-. And still Mary Throne sat there in the
forked branches of the giant pear trse
Suddenly there foated up into the leafy
sanctuary. pungent, aromatic ordor. which
made her lean curiously forward, shading her
eyes with one hand, the better to penetrate
the green foliage below. Not the late month
ly roses, not the amethyst borders of hello
trope, nor the spicy geraniums, none of these
blossoms distilled that peculiar smell!
s.My patience !'' said little Mary, s.it's
cigar"
A cigar it was, and the owner the.eof-she
could just see white linen Coat and tall
head covered with black, wavy curls-stood
on the porch steps, quietly smoking, and iu-
dulging in a heightened view of the garden
slopes.