The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-02-18

all about a little piece Of grass. Blood
relations, too; their grandmothers were
own cousins, and therefore the good
feeling and property were meant
to be separated by a~coolness nor a stone
wall; but there it is higher than your
head, and likely never to be made up
n~either!" Kathie comprehended grand
mas curious explanation much easier
than she had understood her fathers
short answers or her mothers grave
looks, and it was with a hot thrOb of
her heart and an angry little toss of her
head, that, listening to grandma, she
determined then and there that, aided
by her knowledge of history, philoso-
ply, and French-she had corrugated
the verb aimer-and in spite of the cool
ness or the stone wall, she would man
age to see Phil Somers before the month
was a full moon old. Forbidden fruit is
the sweetest, and If Phil had been for
hidden to come to her he was the very
one she most wanted to see now.
1t was for a purpose, therefore, that
the fresh lilac muslin and new chip hat
were donned so early this day. Kathie
remembered very well that it was Phil
Somers's custom on hot summer after
moons to hang his hammock on one of
the boughs of the old mulberry tree
down by the brook; therefore in the di-
rection of the brook Kathie Bowen de-
termined to take her stroll that day. To
be sure it was a very hot, sunny after
noon, but what did that matter to q girl
with a big buff parasol in her hand and
a romantic encounter in prospect?
swell, l declare, if the wicked stone
wall don't actually take in the old null
berry tree!" The exclamation was
made to Towser, who had Weakened
from his nap to follow his mistress in
her walk, and his wagging tail gave
proof of his understanding and share of
her establishment.
Yes, the great, tall, purple-berried
tree, under which Kathie and Phil had
held picnics and flirtations in bygone
summers, was now on the enemy's
ground and on the other side of a high
stone wall which Kathie couldn't begin
to see over even on tip-toe. The ham,
mock and Phil were evidently there,
too, for there was Il curl of gray smoke
and the scent of a c~igar-and where
there's smoke under n tree there's a
man! What should she do? She
hadn't quarreled with any body. She
wanted Phil to know she was at the old
spot, and still she didn't wantto ''speak
first" I
Suddenly she recollected she had
heard Phil say oncc that if he should
see a lilac ribbon bow in Egypt he would
think of her. 1t was her favorite color
and she wore it nearly always. Quick
ly taking a little knot from her throat,
then, she tied it round q piece of bark
and threw it over the wall. A startled
exclamation, followed bya rattle among
the stones, and presently al opening
appeared in the wall close beside Kathie,
through which she heheld at last the
brown eyes and curly hair of her old
lover.
81 knew you would come to the old
tryst, Katie Darling" whispered he
through the hole; "and so when the
men built this hateful monument of our
fathers enmity l watched every day,
and saw that these stones should be
movable, that I might have a sight OF
and a word with you ii you ever came
down to the old tree. For so bitter is
the feeling between myfather and yours
that was forced to promise 1 would
never cross over on to your land until
the feud should be broken. l fear it is
a lifelong one. \ wanted to see you
once more before 1 60 away, and so l
have waited here every day to say good
by"
son, Phil, is it so dreadful What
shall l doP You must not CO." And
then followed n shower of tears that
threatened to spoil tho pretty lilac mus
lin, and could not be wiped awaythrough
a chink in a wall.
"Do you care SO much, KathieP
There, | am glad it has happened. 1
mean because it proves to me that you
have not forgotten your old friends, for
if you had you know you would not care
if they were going away. Will you tell
me, dear, do you careP Do you care
for me, Kathiep"
Kathie came very close to the rough
stone wall, and a timid, whispered,
breathless little "yes' floated through
the opening. Then there was a longer