The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-05-17
Going A StrawberryIng.
BY MARY oRAoE mALprNE.

]
that stretched its protecting arms over
the old farmhouse.
How stupid we all are" yawned
Fanny, throwing down her book and
desisting from the attempt to capture
a fly that persisted in alighting on her
nose. Glow | do wish it would thun-
der, or something would happen to
wake us up"
40, goody! there's Cousin Kate com
ing cross lots Now for some fun 70
And dropping her work, away scam
pered Josie down to the garden gate
to meet her.
/ Kate Wilde, or wild Kate, as every
body called her-and it must be con
fessed that she had well earned the
title came along, swinging her hat in
her hand, AS was her usual custom. her
light elastic step showing that she was
/ troubled with neither corns nor their
concomitants, tight shoes. She was q
medium sized girl, with clear, bright
complexion, brown eyes, and hair
about the same color, and which, do
her best, never would stay "done up,
like the other girls, but, defying the
restraint of comb and net, persisted in
resolving itself into spiral curls around
the neck and temples; style of Golf
fure not ut all unbecoming to the
bright, piquant face of It's owner.
"Now, girls" she said, depositing
herself upon tie steps of the piazza,
and brushing back the moist hair from
her temples, don't all of you begin to
exclaim how terribly hot it is; for one
can see that by just looking at you !
declare, if you don't look as wilted as
so many cabbage leaves As for me-
it is just such weather as like; it fair
ly makes me grow p
And she looked as though it did, as
she sat there with her glowing cheek.
and sparkling eyes, the very picture o.
health, fun and frolic.
I've come to invite you to go "a
strawberrying with me as soon as il
gets little cooler | know place
where they are as thick as they cal
hang, and as red and ripe as cher
ries.
Where p inquired a chorus of vol
ces.
'Down in Pebbly brook meadow
not quarter of mile from here. Yo,
know where it is, Josie; we went a
9 berrying there last summer"
Yes; bat you know Deacon Barnes
owned it then. Squire Graves is s,
cross He told Bob. and the Harding
j boys that if he ever caught them in hi
grass again he'd set his dog on them.
"Hrmph Perhaps he'll set his dol
on me ," said Kate, with toss Of he
head. II should really like to see hin
do it But pshaw he won't meddl,
Q with us girls. Not but what he's ugl,
! enough to do most anything, but he,
/ be ashamed to- Say girls, will yol
60? shall, for one; for don't meal
that all those delicious berries shall g
/ to waste for the want of some one t
pick them"
r After a little more coaxing and per
suading, Kate carried the day, as sh
generally did, and it was finally agree
that she was to meet them there i'm
T. mediately after tea.
a At the appointed time Kate mad
her appearance, basket in hand, bu
bare headed, to the astonishment q
! the girls, who were waiting for her o.
i the porch.
"Where's your hat?' was the i'm
mediate inquiry.
4 "The last saw of it, it was goin
+ over the DAM" was the cool reply
"a puff of wind took it off my head a
was crossing the bridge. But
wasn't going clear home again;
, thought that / could borrow some
! thing here, or else tie handk erchie
over my head"
Il know what I'll do !" she exclaim
! ed, triumphantly, as she spied pll
of hats that Josie had been braiding
IN wear one of these. 1t will be jus
the thing"
i $50 will [! SO will we ALL" wa
the merry response
And following Hates example, the
I arrayed themselves in the coarse stray
hats, very generally worn by men am
d boys, during the warm weather, !
!. their outdoor labor.
II Thus equipped, with many laug
at the transformation it effected, es
pecially in connection with their jack
cts, profusely ornamented with but
tons, they set out upon their exped
ton in high glee.
- Squire Graves, the owner of Pebbly
brook meadow and the fertile land
adjoining it, had been a resident {
Greenville but few months, durin
which he had kept himself very seclud
ed. turning cold shoulder to tn
rather ofiicious but well-meant over
lures of his neighbors "t0 be sociala
bic" as they called it. There was hi
tie known in regard to his antecedent'
with the exception that he was ma
of considerable means and unblemlsh
: ed character. On passing throug
e the place he had been attracted by tn
. beautiful situation of small farm tina
: was for sale. He bought it, and teai
inc down the old farmhouse, built
Il commodious and pleasant mansion
where he lived in solitary state wit
no one but his housekeeper and on
: man servant, rarely going into publl'
except to church.
uo was not generally liked; the me