The National tribune., 1882-12-14
LIGHT LITERATURE,
MR.. LARKSPUR'S ROMANCE
rBg Helen HHttacyl

T. 81
inc arrl.- for cidcr-maSing. The trees were
weirb.-i down with heavy fruitaco. and about
tna:r sturdy trunks the clover, all dappicd
with pink. was blowing in velvet waves.
3Ir. Ia~ksugr's orchard was ample and pro-
lie. his fields, pastures gardens all thriving
AID luxuriant. his worldly possessions plentiful
cnoprh. Nevertheless Mr.. Larkspur, though
prouc. as a usual thing, to bear thankful
heart and cheerful coIntenance, was at this
time uot al ali bright OF yiaage or merry Of
spirit.
Lifting hi, head from a half-bushel basket of
garnet-anG-goid fruit he could see between
great. lazily-l,aning tree trunks and across a
grassy lane. the pretty bit Of cottage belonging
to his nearest ncighbor, Miss Rowcna Davis
tucked in amidst sugar naples and silver-leaycd
poplarS like brown chocolate drop in fringy
paper And Mr.. Larkspur thinking Of Miss
Rowena, sighed
They Were only neighbors now. There had
been time when they were good friends
remarkably coed friends. But that was before
q certain obnoxious Capt. Skaggs had come TO
Baxter's Crossroads; before Mr.. Larkspur had
said unkind things on his account to Miss
Rowena, and she had said ,unlind things to
him: before their crowning battle wherein he
had bitterly observed that she was rather more
ola coouette than became her years, and she had
retarted, with hasty inelegance that, as far as
years were concerned, pot should not call a
kettle black
And from that point matters had stood stock
still until the previous Sunday at Church, from
which time Mr.. Larkspur began to think he
had some reason for suspecting that Miss
Rowena was repenting of her folly and obsti-
macy. He gathered the idea from trifes-a
half glance, quickly withdrawn; a faint,
peach-bloomy blush; and, now he came to
think Of it, she had fingered just outside the
gate after meeting, where he might easily have
joined her, as she, perhaps, wished to give him
the opportunity of doing.
He regretted now that he had not done so,
instead of poling off with Mrs. Deacon Cotton
wood and listening to the interesting history of
the Deacon's five " biles."
Mr.. Larkspur sighed again as his eyes roamed
over Miss Rowcna's pretty domain and down
to her blackberry patch just the other side of
the lane-a thicket Of tangled, trailing bushes,
with tufts Of wild, rank growing grass waving
high, like pIumes; and there it rested, for
sun-bounet Just above a feathery bunch of
grass, looking like big pink flower growing
there
It Itwoul1n't he very hard to step across the
lane and speak to her. There was 30 use in
keeping up a foolish quarrel; someone had to
speak first, and
Without giving himself time to back down
from his purpose, Mr.. Larkspur scaled the
fence 2ad crossed the lane. He was half in
clincd to run away again when he got within
speaking distance Ior what if she had taken
fresh oftcuso at his having lct slip the oppor-
tunit. or main Up he had given him, and
scorn his t.-Gy ". ..ures:
However. iie eacoa-I-e ed himself by selecting
pos. on .,he-e iouri-Hin@ wild grape vine,
clagnhcrl~ 'r.o a r'~'lc-r carling a the edge
Of tho 70 ~ .c-g-n hin a lite, and
break ne .r--e of -a,T...u. looks aild sharp
words. =aoa.i ,u "a bc hia PARTON.
His a".r n...G un and down uorvouslr at,
sight rf TIA b.urr'. "a j. deep cape and
full fri. aat f.. Hsh-Inan .acgue below
even U:e Vel bssY4 a.r.r,d calico apron
dimlv seen uu.el ,he dloopin- grass and vine
sprays.
Thg back o' u. sonnet wg7 toward him. and
tim ha,Le' ,.s- dos. side her, half-fuIl of
the purplc-ripe -sin.
- nice at g.oon. ,Iiss Ena," said Mr.. Lark
spur, cxporimenta.i.-.
But Miss Ruwvua was either too deeply alb
sorhed to hear or WAS not prepared TO meet any
advances, for the sun-bonuct gave 10 sign of
turning III his direction. Eut determined not
to be too easily discouraged, now that he had
made beginning, bIr. Larkspur bravely ele-
waited his voice and proceeded;
Right smart of blackbcrries this year, amt
there"
Still no word and only slight nod of the
bonnet rewarded him.
"Sulky," said Mr.. Larkspur to himself
"She's mad about Sunday Bein as ! am to
blame, then III 90 ahead. say, Miss Ro."
A very faint motion Of the bonnet.
eve used to be good friends, didn't we,
Ro?"
A little droop of the bonnet
And there amt no use Of our fussing now,
is there
ImmovabIe grimness on the part of the
bonnet
4 say, is thero?" still persisted Mr.. Lark
spur
cJllI no response from Ihe bonnet.
"Ena," desperately, "speak-say something,
can't you, if il is only to scod?'
No effect whatever on the bonnet. A wagon
came rumbling up the lane.
"Tu not stay here like fool no longer"
vowed Mr.. Lark spur. "Good-by, Miss Ro-
an it's for goodr
With one glance at the bonnet, which he
thought nodded slightly, he hurried away.
"Ef she wants TO stay mad now, she kin stay
mad, he declared. I've did all kim
"You amt got nary grain Of sperrit Rowena
Davisw asserted Mrs@Levi Davis, stumpy lit
tie woman with freckIed face and shrill
voice. why don't you take Captain Skaggs
and be done with IT, hey?"
We'll" said Mss Rowena, deliberately, q
don't for scvcrl reasons, one bein' that he amt
asked me"
"SLucks. said Mrs. Levi, vigorously plung-
ing her dasning nerdle into a gray yarn sock
belonging to her liege. you know hits only
a queshun OF tlme-might rs well make up
your mind; YOU know you like him"
yes" admitted Rowena, with little sigh
a ike him well enough, but"
q believe you're a-pInin' for that owdacious
Larksnur" observed her sister-im-law, sharply.
u kuowcd it sayed you hedn't no sperrit !!
Won't do you 10 good, noway. He won't never