The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-08-23

swinging himself comfortably into a
branch Just above Mary,
"Why, Tom, how you have changedp'
calculated the young lady, pushing back
the curls with one hand, that she might
better view the playmate of her child
hoods days. ''YOur hair never curled
50 before; and what nice moustache
you've got. 1 shouldn't have known
you, TOm."
Nor said Tom, roguishly.
And you've grown so tall. declare,
Tom, you're Splendid
The gentleman laughed.
Il could return the compliments if /
only dared. But where are all the rest
oI my relations2 The house below is as
empty as haunted hall"
"Al gone to welcome that horrid,
poky old Professor La Place, who has
graciously indicated his willingness to
pass a few weeks with us. Tom, do
hate that professor"
Hate him? What fOr?"
"Oh, L don't know, Pm surei He is a
snuff-dried, conceited old wretch, and
will wager n box of gloves he wears
ispectacles.n
Nonsense, Mary, why he is only
twenty-six."
'I don't care; l know he is rheumatic,
and wears spectacles for all that And,
Tom-nOw, If you'll never, never breath
4 word Of this-''
u WON'T upon my honor" said Tom.
"Well, then, papa has actually got the
idea into his dear old head that 1 should
make a nice wife for the professor, and
[ and" Mary turned away with crimson
indignation flashing in her cheeks. sTt
is too bad of you TO laugh, Tom! /
never, necer will marry that man."
Il wouldn't, If were you" eonsoled
Tom. But, cousin Mary, wait and see
{ the man before you decide. He may be
quite decent fellow.u
NO" said Mary, shaking her head,
and biting her cherry lips firmly; az
hate him beforehand"
"Whata spiteful little pussy you arer'
said her companion, laughing.
NO, Tom, Pm not" and the blue
eyes became misty. 81 love papa and
Ruth dearly, and / love almost every
body. l like you, Tom, but hate Pro-
lessor La Place. And / want you 10
/ promise, Tom, that you will stand my
friend, and not allow him to tease me
into walks, or rides, or tete-d-tctes Of any
kind-will you ~
Would he? If she had asked him to
precipitate himself out Of the pear tree
2
eyes fixed on his, he'd have done it;
any man of taste would.
81 PROMISE" he said, and they shook
hands on il.
What n coy place for n chat that
gnarled old tree was. And when they
had talked over everything they could
think of, il was the most natural thing
I'm the world that Tom should recover
tie book which had slipped down into
the network of tiny boughs, and read
poetry to his pretty cousin, in the deep,
musical voice that maidens love to lis
ten to; and Mary sat there watching the
getly curls blowing to and fro on his
DroadI white brow, and the long, black
lasnes almost touched his olive cheek;
ana she thought how very ccrg hand
some cousin Tom was, and how much
ne had changed in the last ten wears that
had elapsed since she had seen him last. |
and she wondered whether Tom was en-
gagged to any pretty girl; somehow she
hoped not.
Now, why couldn't Tom have been
rich like that hOTrid Professor La Place.
instead Of a poor 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 eonfu-
sion, "we've been up here long enough.
Help me down, and will show YOU the
old sun dial that we used to heap up
with buttercups when we were chill I
dren."
What a tiny, insignificant little Mary
she felt, leaning on the arm of that tall /
cousin! And how nice il was to have
ihe stately head bent down so courteous
~ 10 catch her soft accents, for, some
how, Mary had forgotten her sauciness.
and grown wonderOusly shv. A rumble
OF wheels; it was the returning carriage.
and Mary clung to Toms arm.
The awful professoru' she whispered.
NOW, cousin Tom, be sure you stand |
by me through everything
TO my life's end, J" was the whispered 1
answer; and Mary felt herself crimson \
ing much as she strove TO repress the 4
tell-tale blood.
But there was no one in the barouche |
save Mr.. Thorne and Ruth, as il drew
up TO the grand sweep beside the two
cousins.
Where is the professOr?n
HE was not at the depot" said Ruth;
But Mr.. Thorne had sprung from the
carriage, and clasped both the strangers
hand in his.
la Place, is it possible? Why, we
nave Just been looking for you at Milk
station"
II am sorry to have inconvenienced
you, sir" was the reply; "but 1 came
by the way Of Wharton, and walked
over here this morning"
"Never mind now. so Won are safely
here. exclaimed the old gentleman.
"Ruth, my dear-Mary-let me intro
duce you TO your cousin, Professor Ia
Place.
Mary had dropped his arm, and stood
dismayed
You told me you were cousin Tom?n
80 / am cousin Tom; that is my
name and relationship. Now, Marv,n
and the black eyes sparkled brimful Of
deprecating archness, "don't be angry
because I don't take snuff or wear spec
tacles. l beg the other cousin TOMS
pardon, whoever he IS; but / am very
glad he isn't here. Mary, be lust, and
don't hate cousin Tom because his other
name happens to be La Place.
He need not have been so apprehen-
sive, for, in their twilight walk beside
the sun dial, that very evening, she con-
'essed that she did not find Professor La
Place such a terrible ogre, after all;
quite the contrary, in fact. And he sue !
;eeded in convincing her that he liked
his impulsive little cousin Mary all the
)etter for those pear tree condolences.
But, no doubt, il was very perpleX- {
ng thing to have two cousin TOMS, and
%, about six months subsequently, Miss
,lary cOntrived to Obviate that incOn- I
'enience, by allowing one of them 10
Ssuu1e n ueorar rralafiOnShin. and Snifa