Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-09-15
"That is true. "

"a woman may do what she likes it
is all silly and childishness, like the
of kitten or the anger Of II
young canary A man shouldn't mind,
if he is anything Of fellow, and, Of
course, he doesn't mind really"
my dear Tom" asked with some sar
casm, why do You seek my society if |
am 50 silly?'
u "why do you seek mine?" retorted
Tom quickly. -
"Why did you come into the dining
room, Miss Letty?"
Il didn't seek"
"Oh, yes, you did. Well. you are ii
dreary, lonely child, and---don't contra
diet, Tishy-and I pity you and want to
cheer You up. Besides, you are not bud
looking, though you are my cousin.
There's soft sawder for you Why, you
have been taught in books, Letitia, that
womnns beauty is the handspring of
mems great deeds What poor little
weak hand it is y added Tom, incohcrent-
ly, taking my feeble member into his
large bronzed palm.
II don't want it kissed, though" said
|, angrily snatching it away just in time
to avert the catastrophe. ''How dare
you, Tom T.
az dare to do all that may become n
man. replied Tom, grandiloquently.
"Do go and dress, Lefty. Better drive
with cousin and the bitter herb of to-
bacco than dull afternoon and only the
stalled OK of cold beef TO comfort you
who is silly now ! But you have
eaten no cold beef yourself"
II stuffed myself with late breakfast
Besides, you are like sanity vision-l
see you better when l am fasting. Down,
Sambo, down. sir. Now sit up and beg
Of course you must put on your best man
nse- ads from from E5 HsSteS for the sake of tins
My aunts dog-cart was vehicle in
which she would never trust herself, and
which was therefore kept solely for the
use of Tom. As for Jerry, she was q
good, quiet beast Her name WAS origi-
nally Egeria, but the stable-boy had con
tracted and vulgarized this appellation,
much us the Aryan races have amalgama-
ted the noble Sanskrit roots into .theii
divers modern tongues.
Jerry trotted on affably, and my cousin
as we passed between the high hedges
that wore the green mantle of spring
discoursed with erudition of the neigh
borhood.
80 you see, Lettice," said Tom, fol
the fifth or sixth time, that when the old
squire died, he had got all his property
comfortably packed into n ring fence
and when his first wife's step. daughter
succeeded to heI great-aunt, who, as
told you, was the squire's second cousin
once removed-why, Letitia, l do believe
you are nearly asleep you were actual
ly nodding |"
"You are 500 entertaining, Tom.
How pretty the wild violets are -
DOG violets, you mean"
II don't choose to call them So.
GAS you please. A violet or letsuc,
by any other name-Letty, l want to ask
you one thing
well ?"
why are you so contradictions ant
quarrelsome?
II never was called quarrelsome be
fore, Tom. never am quarrelsome, ex
cept, perhaps"
"Whcn you nre with me. understand
Well, l have a fellow-feeling. You rul
me up uncommonly."
"And you annoy me constantly"
II get angry with You perpetually."
II dislike you positively. Really, deal
Tom, you don't mind my speaking thu
truth 2"
mot in the least it relieves my mind
Do You know, | have often felt quit,
alarmed at the strength of my aversion
for you
ut cannot exceed mine for you"
"Well," said Tom with half sigh
this is the first subject We hsve eve
agreed on. Let us be satisfied, Tishy, tt
think that we can agree on something.
Strangely enough, however. no woman
wishes to be dsliked. even by the objec
of her own detestation.
II wonder why you dislike me, Tom 2
asked after n pause. 1t was foolish o
me to ask, for of course Tom would an
swer in his usual bantering way. Blu
no, he spoke slowly and almost softly
81 don't know, Tishy. 1t is owing tc
some intricate law Of moral repulsion,
suppose-a sort of natural antipathy, tn,
absolute reverse of elective affinity, IL
fact.
| II do no, like thee, DR.. Fell
| The reason why cannot tell"
But why do YOU dislike me Letitia 81
"Oh, because you are rough and rude
and bearish and obstinate, and general,
vexatious and detestable," I answered
with energy.
Tom laughed. His momentary soft
ness had evidently departed. He pushed
back from his brown forehead the wool
len Tam O. Shanter that imprisoned hi
crisp, curly locks he turned an amuse,
glance toward me, aud then he huge,
himself and laughed in the absurd boist
erous manner that vas peculiarly his own
displaying two rows of strong white teeth
the most perfect, surely, in all the world
Here, hold the reins, cousin mine, ant
will relieve you ofmy detestable compa
ny for bit"
He flung himself out of the dog cart a
he spoke, and proceeded to walk up tn
steep hill. Tom was singularly active an,
1.-the also he had noble bearing. A
the present time, he was clad in the mos
disgracefully old and badly made clothe
it was possible to wear; his shor
rough coat was ragged and ill-fitting
the sleeves and collar OF his shirt wer
frayed at the edges, but there was an air
almost a majesty of grace about him tina
would have beftted a paladin of romance
and that was plainly visible despite hi
garb. As he strobe on, his big sunburn
hand resting on the mares shaggy name
whlstling as he went for very light heart
edness and Joy of life, l could not he'll
wondering why ! disliked Tom 30 much
and whether indeed it was possible t
reconcile II thorough hatred of our cou
sins with certain curious pleasure i
their society. | wish that l could pu
my meditations into words, for Tom
benefit. Surely there was such thin
ms progression by antagonism. What
pity, thought !, that women are 30 wea
at definition and argument.
In the very midst of my metaphysics
wonderings, Tom looked carelessly bac
over his shoulder, and my eyes met his
He laughed, he absolutely laughe
again, n contemptuous mocking laug
that Jared upon my feelings. With
look OF whitening scorn ] leaned back i