Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-05-23
BY Lou LAUREL.

~ anu aSh hhdunind III we indyn Jake Jne
new basket and then we'll bring her some
butternuts; and, see here" she called after
Laura, task her if she won't put up little
lunch.'
Laura didn't need Harry's hurry up"
for she ran to the house and was soon back
with the basket, and so tempting lunch that
every morsel was eaten before they reached
the peak.
"Nlamma was real good to put in these
seed-cakes," said Laura, swallowing the last
mouthful.
"That's so, said Harry, 81 always thought
she was woman of great presence of mind"
| don't know exactly what the boy meant
by this remark, only he certainly intended
the highest praise, and it sounded remarka-
bly, learned to the girls.
"I'm so glad you came today" said Mary,
dancing along in the golden sunlight, "we1l
have splendid time and "splendid
time" they had, in spite of stained and
pounded fingers and the basket was filed
just as they heard the dinner horn.
The brook they crossed was model lit
tie rill and ran merrily round the stones in
its way, as if itknew these same stones made
"crossing over" easy for these young people
but Harry, wishing to show off, found a
more difficult place, saying, "What will you
bet, girls, | can't jump ashore from this
stone ?" He made grand start to be sure,
but stopped little short of the shore, when
he succeeded in showing off beyond his de-
sire even, by splashing and Hounderine
about, and then out he cambered, as wet as
water could well make him, while his empty
basket went serenely sailing down the stream
struggle.
"Dear me, what shall we do" cried Laura
"What shall we do ?" echoed Mary.
"Well,' replied Harry, shaking himself
and looking about Il shall get the basket
and hammer with this crooked stick, and the
fish may have the butternuts for their din
ner," and he regained the admiration of the
girls-which his inglorious fall had some
what dampened-by coolly and dextrously
hooking out the basket and hammer. Their
they all hastened home, where Harry wa,
soon arrayed in dry clothes. Uncle John tolt
him he looked like scare-crow.
"Never mind" said Mrs. Heaton, "yor
can play in the back yard while your clothes
are drying"
So after dinner they went to the bach
yard, where they found huge pile of pump
kins.
"Behold the Rocky Mountains" sale
| Harry, with a grand flourish, and on it.
summit we will raise flag for Hayes ant
Wheeler" and Laura's apron, tied to RAKE
handle, did duty as flag, and was soon fiut
tering in the breeze. "Three cheers fo
Hayes and Wheeler" said Harry; and tire,
cheers were given right Justify. "Now tire,
for the father of our country, who fought
bled and died on Bunker Hill" You see
Harry was woefully ignorant OF the Father
of his country" and Laura noticed it; but t.
Mary it was high-sounding speech, ant
she hurrahed accordingly.
"The cannon will now be fired three times,
said the master of ceremonies" and h,
threw a small pumpkin against the shet
with loud "bangw The second cannon
ball was discharged with three reports a,
the girls joined, or rather followed Harry
bang"
BY this time they were getting excited, al
the best of older politicians have beer
by another kind of report, as the pumpkin
went with crash through bedroom win
dow, taking part of the sash.
The noise brought Mrs. Heaton to tn,
window, saying, why, children, what hav,
you done 7"
"Oh, Aunty, did't mean to, cried Harry
in sore distress sit some way slipped out
of my hands before | saw where it was go
ing to; and oh, dear something mean il
happening to me all the time to-day" ant
| he had half mind to cry.
"You see" explained Laura, 1--WE wer,
firing off the cannon and the pumpkins were
the balls, and ! don't think he was much Il
blame see, mamma, he feels awful bad"
"Well, WE'LL" said kind Mrs. Heaton, al
suppose it's no killing affair; so don't cry
only be a little careful perhaps you had bet
ter go up in the orchard and play"
To this they all agreed, and when once
there Harry forgot all about his politica
troubles and no wonder, for though it wasn
much of an orchard for apples, you might
go the round world over and not find sc
charming place to play in. 1t was on 4
steep hill-side-wild and woody for an or
chard 1t was, and endessly suggestive Of
plays in every nook and corner. The on,
chosen by Harry was tangle of frost grape
vines and virgins bower near a large rock
and the vines and rock together made kline
| of grotto or bower. The rock was full Of
crevices and projections which to Harry,
mind suggested grocery store And herr
he sold oysters in the SHE'LL which looked
for all the world like fat stones but tn,
girls sailed, peppered and yinegared then
from the caster (Which was a honey suckl'
gone to seed), and pronounced them deli
cious." As for fruits, they couldn't ask FOL
a kind so rich or rare that Harry didn't i'm
mediately produce, saying, It's splendid.