The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-03-02
PYRAMUS AND THISBE.

1t was very hot, sunny afternoon. SO
still was the summer breeze which usually
found its way over the high hills until it
reached Farmer Bowers porch, there to
coquet with the prairie roses which
climbed up its trellised sides that now
every leaf was motionless, and indeed
quite pale with the heat and dust. Every
body in the old house was evidently taking
an afternoon rest, for dull quiet reigned
all over. Even Towser lay curled up in
the shadiest spot out on the lawn, and
grandma, who scorned to Ego to bed in
daylight" nodded in her arm chair close
by the open door.
Really, life had very humdrum, COM
monplace, tame sort OF look. At least
kathie Bowen thought so, as she came
est of crimped lilac muslins and most be-
wildering of new chip garden hats, all
field flowers and daisies. A hopeless,
despairing little sigh came from the region
of the ruff1es round her bodice as, looking
all around for pair of open eyes to adj
mire her pretty new costume, she beheld
only tight-shut lids about her. Every
thing was so different from what she had
looked forward to and dreamed of for so
long. Surely, after four years course
of diligent study at boarding school and
finally graduating day in which one
stands "head," a girl may be pardoned
for imagining that life before her will
be brilliant succession Of gold days, in
which the various accomplishments and
studies of which she is supposed to be
mistress will serve to illuminate and
glority her own part in the festive scene.
"School was out" and kathie was " fin
ished' and at home, but alas! it was all
very quiet and uninteresting. Life'
had not begun brightly-at least as Ka-
THE had pictured it-for a country home
is not usually the background for series
of dashing panoramas. OF course she
was glad to be at home and see all the
dear ones, but there was NO one to whom
she could show off her varied knowledge
of history, philosophy, French and mu-
sic-no one, at least, but father, mother
and grandma. There had been secret
little hope in the depths of Kathie's heart
all along that Phil Somers, who lived on
the farm across the creek, and with whom
she had fiirted ever since she was a baby,
would be one of the first of the Bowen
vile beaux who would welcome her
home and fall at her feet in alteration;
but in spite Of this hope all of the young
men in the county had f1uttered around
her but Phil, and she had been home al
most month without catching sight of
his brown eyes and curly hair. 1t was
certainly very singular; and, what was
stranger, when she had casually asked
once or twice about her old friend and
playmate, her father had replied very
CURLY, II know nothing about the fell
low,' and her mother looked very grave.
Grandma solved the mystery one day,
however, by telling Ksthie that Pills
father and hers had qua-leled over a
piece of meadow land, and in consequence
there had arisen GOODNESS and stone
wall.
1T beats my time" said grandma,
how men like James Somers and John
Bowen-boys together and lifelong friends
it beats my time how they could come
to hard words at last, and all about a lit
tic piece of grass. Blood relations, too;
their grandmOthers were own cousins, and
therefore the good feeling and property
were never meant to be separated by q
GOODNESS nor stone wall; but there it is,
higher than your head, and likely never
to be made up neither!' Kathie compre-
hended grandma's 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 heartand an angry little toss of her head,
that, listening TO grandma, she determined
then and there that, aided by her knowl.
edge Of history, philosophy, and French
she had corrugated the verb aimer-
and in spite of the GOODNESS or the stone
wall, she would manage to see Phil Som
ers before the month was . full moon old.
Forbidden fruit h the sweetest, and if
Phil had been forbidden 10 c0mes to her
he was the very one she sm0et wanted to
see now. -.
1t was for purpose, therefore, that the
fresh lilac muslin and new chip hat were
donned so early this day. Kathie re-
membered very well that it was Phil Som
ers' custom On hot summer afternoons to
hang his hammock on one of the boughs
Of the old ,ntalbefry tree down by. the
brook; therefore in the direction Of the
brook Kathie Bowen determined to take
her stroll that day. To be sure it was
very hot, sunny afternoon, but what did
that matter to . girl with . big buff par.
as; ssqi II in n1 he, hssd-!t rpansin s.esa'
"Well, L aSdSal q te wicked stone
wall don't acedaaiy takefn the old mul.
berry tree" The exclamation was made
TO Towser, who had wakened from his
nap to follow his mistress in her walk,
and his wagging tail gavsgpEnDf of his
ment. - g q -
les, the great, tall, purple-berried tree,
under which Kathie and Phil had held
picnics and airations II fyg6he summers,
was now on the enemy's ground, and ON
the other side IF A hi0l, stone vail vhirh