The daily gazette., 1875-11-06
IN A CHERRY TREE
BY LAURA McNALL.

cider mill, for nearly century, and the
ascension of its gnarled trunk was no
easy matter. | had rushed into the or
chard to avoid company. | had come
from the city for quiet and comfort, and
when grandmother told me there would
be visitors at tea, | told her to count
me out, seized volume Of Tennyson
and fed. found a small pie0e of board
and placed it against the tree for a step,
and corrageously commenced the ascent
1t was tough work, and slipped and fell
back several times, but perseyerei and
gained the trst branch in triumph
My hands We're bleeding profusely
from several scratches; my tuted organ
dy dress was torn in fearful rents; my
Grecian comb and one OF the braids of
my luxuriant hair lay on the ground
beneath me; but these were only minor
troubles, for | was monarch of all | sur
veyed,' and could, if | chose, like a robin
reach the topmost branch and eat my
pieces and bound up my wounds: thea
unbound my flowing tresses ard prepared
to eat.
late until the lacing of my No, Is cor
set gave way, and then sighed that there
was not room for more. Out on one of
the longest limbs there was little nook
formed and shaded by smaller limbs,
which looked like secure resting place.
1t was long distance and nec-ssitated
careful climbing; but felt equal to the
task, and as | drew myself cautiously
over the rough bark. laughed gleefully
to myself and wondered what my city
lovers would say to my new accomplish
ments if they should see me.
There was Mark Elliston, an exquisite
OF the most excruciating kind, could
imagine him holding up his hands, e1-
claiming in his silky efeminate voice,
Why, declare. Oh, Miss kaie, you
astonish ueah" | was always astonish-
ing him as for that matter. He had
been making love to me for months. and
it needed but the monosylable Yes
from my lips to be mistress Of his hand
some establishment. And although the
girls all envied me, and my mother said
| was fool, it was dimly pressed upon
my mind that when | married | wished
to marry a man, not poodle, although
said poodle might have more money
than he knew what to do with; and so,
although | said No to his entreaties,
said it so softly and SO coquettishly that
he still remained my cavalier, picked
up my handkerchief and carried my
flowers. | must have some one to per-
form these small civilities for me, and as
| liked him as well as anyone, why he
could be my waiter boy. even if | didn't t
want to marry him.
told him once if he would do any
thing worthy of note, anything to
| make his name known among men as
something more than a lookeron in the
world, l might possibly rescind my
refusal. And there did really beam a
spark of intelligence in his blue eyes
as he replied:
"Miss Kate, ah, shall oHe day
paint your picture in manner which
will astonish every one, all
NO doubt every one will be aston.
ishee; but please to remember when
addressing me that my name is Kate
or Miss Montrose, and not katah, land
left him looking rs forlorn as if his
grandmother had died.
When | left the city made grand
mystery of the place where intended
spending the summer; and after great
preparations and much talk Of my
long journey, left home just at dusk
in grandfather's carriage, and, after
a ride of six miles was landed ut the
old brick house where l first saw the
light. was only eighteen, but was
already bored with the fashionable
world and its dissipation. SO here |
was up in cherry tree, and, drawing
the volume of Tennyson from my
pocket, commenced to read "Maude, ="
when | heard noise and voice, and
looking toward the cider mill | saw on
a board which reached from an upper
door of the mill into the tree Frank
Cousin Frank-the tease and torment
OF my life.
"What do you want out here? Why
couldn't you have stayed in the house,"
cried, angrily.
BE careful, Kate, he replied. "or
you will fall and break your neck.
"Mini your business" retorted :;
Il don't care if do fall and break my
neck, tossing my head as spoke.
But tossing the head when standing
on the ground, and tossing it when
one is uncertainty seated in cherry
tree is different affair.
When | tossed mine | in some way
TOSSED my whole body, and my i'm
pious words were scarcely out of my
mouth when there came a crack and q
crash, and, instead of being in the
cherry tree, was on the ground under
good sized limb, probablytn search
OF my COMP anu my braid OF halr, Tor
don't know what else l came down
in such hurry for. heard loud
ha-ha from the board, and found that
| had breath enough to scream out:
~ on hateful thing-I am dead. My
neck is broken and you don't care one
bit.
Finding that things were so bad,
Frank came to my assistance. soon
heard voices all around me, and, com.
ing to myself, found that was sur
rounded by grandmother's company,
among them Mark Elliston. Poor
Mark he looked really sorry, but the
rest of them were endeavoring to hide
their merriment, and did cut a sorry
| figure. Just imagine Inc, q city belle,
in my condltion-hair floating on the
breeze, face dirty, muslin skirts en-
tirely annihilated, grasping with both
hands soiled, bleeding Tennyson, or
account of my scratched hands.
have never forgiven any of those
people except Mark, bccase he looked
| sorry AZ tor Frank ha Ioacnit dor,