South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-01-30


ejacuiated the young lady, pushing
back the curls with one hand, that shc
might better view the playmate Of her
chifsihoo,t's days. Your hair never
curled 80 before; and what q nice mus.
tache you've got! I shouldn't have
known you Tom
mo! said Tom. rosuishly.
And you've grown 80 tall / declare,
Tom, you're splendid
Il could return the compliment, IL
dared. But where arc all the rest Of
my relations? The house below is as
empty as . haunted hail.
All gone to welcome that horrid, po-
Ky old Professor La Place. who has
graciously indicated his willingness to
pess few weeks With Us. Tom do
hate that professor
Late him what for?'
oh. don't know, I'm sure! He is
snuff dried, conceiled old wretch,
and I'll wager box Of gloves he wears
spec.acies.'
Nonsense. Mary; why. he is only
twenty-six...
Il don't care, Iknow he is rheumatic,
and wears spectacles. for all that. And.
Tom-now. ifyou'll never, never breathe
word Of this
Il won't upon my honor sail Tom.
We'll, then, papa has actually got
The idea into his dear oil head that
should make nice wife for the profess.
or, and-and-' Mary turned away
with crimson indignation flashing in her
cheeks. 1t is too bad Of you to laugh,
Tom! l never, never will marry that
man.
Il wouldn't. il I were you,' consoled
Tom. But. Cousin Mary. wait and see
the man. be fore you decide. lie may
be quite decent fellow
No said Mary. shaking her head,
and biting her cherry lips firmly; II
hate him beforehand
what a spitcful little pussy you are r.
said her companion, laughing.
No, Tom. I'm not" and the blue
eves became misty. Il love papa and
Ruth dearly, and love almost every
body. l like yoa, Tom. but hate Pro-
lessor La Place. And want you to
promise, Tom. that you'll be my friend,
and not allow him to tease me into
walks. or rides. or tete-dtetes Of any
kind-will you p
Wonld he? If she had asked him
to precipitate himself out OF the pear
tree upon the steps below. with those
hlue eyes fixed on his. he'd have done
it (; any man OF taste would.
III PROMISE" he said, and they shook
hands on it.
What coy place for chat that
gnarled old tree was And when they
had talked over everything they could
think of, it was the most natural thing
in the world that Tom should recover
the book which had slipped down into
the network OF tiny boughs, and read
/ poetry to his pretty cousin, i'm the deep,
musical voice that maidens love to lis
ten to; anil Mary sat there watching the
jetty curls blowing to & sfo on his broad
white brow, and the long black lasbes
almost touching his olive checks; and
she thought how very, rery handsome
Cousin Tom was. and how much he had
changed in the last ten years 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 tina: horrid 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 confu
sion, we've been up here long enough
Help me down, and will show you the
] nj ON nj hot ~
with butter-cups when we were chill.
dren.'
A rumble OF wheels; IL was the re-
turning carriage, end Mary chung 10
Toms arm.
The awful professor = she whispered
Now, Cousin Tom, be sure you stand by
me through everything
10 my life's end was tie whispered
answer.
But ;heFe was no one In the barouche
save Mr.. Thorne and Ruth; it drew
upon the grand sweep beside the two
cousins.
Where's the professor?
lie was not at the depot, said Ruth
and
But Mr.. Thorne had sprung from the
/ S"' i"Sc' hhV Cihspeu OOtu the stranger
hands i'm his.
La Place, is it possible! Why, w
have just been looking for you at Nil!
Station
am sorry to have Inconvenience
you, sir, was the reply, but came by
the way Of Wharton, and walked oveI
this morning.
Never mind now, so you are safely
here y exclaimed the old gentleman
Ruth, my dear-Mary-le me intro
duco you to your cousin, Professor II
Place..
Mary bad dropped his arm. and stood
dismsyed.
You told me you were Cousin Tom
80 | am Cousin Tom that is ms
name and relationship. Now, Mary,
and the black eyes sparkled brimful o