The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-07-23

blue eyes fixed on him, he'd have done
it any man of taste would.
81 PROMISE" he said, and they shook
hands on it.
What oozy place for a chat, that
gnarled old tree and when 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 the
network of tiny boughs, and read poe
try to his pretty cousin. And Mary
sat there, and thought how very hand
some Cousin Tom was, and how much
he bad changed in the ten years that
had elapsed since she had seen him
last and she wondered whether Tom
was engaged to any pretty girl-some-
how she hoped not Now, why
couldn't Tom have been rich like that
horrid Professor La Place, instead of a
young medical student, and"
And when the large black eyes were
suddenly lifted to hers, Mary felt as
though he had read every thought of
her mind and blushed scarlet.
"Come, Tom," she chartered to hide
her confusion, "we've been up here
long enough. Help me down, and l
will show you the old sundial 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. And how nice it was to have
the stately head bent down so courte-
ously to catch her soft accents--for
somehow Mary had forgotten her sauci-
ness, and grown wondrous shy.
A rumbling Of wheels-it was the
returning carriage, and Mary clung to
TOMS arm.
s'The awful Professor - she whis-
pered, snow, cousin Tom, be sure you
stand by me through everything"
"To my life's end" was the whis-
pered answer; and Mary felt herself
crimsoning much, as she strove to re-
press the tell tale blood.
| Butthere was no one in the barouehe,
save Mr.. Thorne and Ruth, as it drew
up on the grand sweep, between the
two cousins.
"Where is the Professor
"He was not at the depot" said Ruth;
"and--"
But Mr.. Thorne had sprung from the
carriage, and clasped both the stran-
gers hands in his.
"La Place is it possible? Why, we
have been looking for you at Mill Sta.
tion."
81 am sorry to have Inconvenience
yon. sir" was the reply "but l came
fT6fSS nv fTS way of Wharton, and walked
over this moflrn
"Never mind now, YOU % are safely
here" exclaimed the old gentleman
"Ruth, my dear-Mary-let me intro
duce you to your cousin, Professor La
Place !"
Mary had dropped his arm and stoot
dismayed.
"Y on told me you were Cousin Toni
$50 l am Cousin Tom, that is m.
name and relationship. Now Mary,
and the dark eyes sparkled brimful, O
depreeating archness, "don't be angr,
because l do not take snuff or wea
speotacles / beg the other Cousin
Toms pardon, wherever he is; but
am very glad he isn't here Mary, bs
just, and don't hate Cousin Tom, be
cause his other name happens to bt
La Place."
He need not have been so apprehen
sive, for in the twilight walk beside the
sun-dial that very evening, she con
fessed that she did not find Professor
La Place such terrible ogre after all
quiet the contrary, in fact. And h'
succeeded in convincing her that h,
liked his impulsive little cousin Mar,
all the better for those pear tree con
fidences
But, no doubt, it was very perplex
ing thing to have tsoo Cousin Toms
and SO, about six months subsequently
Miss Mary contrived to obviate tha
inconvenience by allowing one of then
to assume a nearer relationship, and ii
spite of all her asseverations to the
contrary, she is Mrs. Prof. La Place.
.B Muggins recently reproached {
friend for reading that copperheat
sheet, the N. Y. World.
alt begets religious frame of mind, ,