Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1882-08-31
Selected Sfory.
Mable's Revenge.

"Wl(l, said Squire Dermody
his eldest son one morning, as the
were seated at the breakfast tabl
some one has been in the orchar
again and broken the limbs Of thre
Of my choicest Rartletts, and l war
it stopped"
The Squire spoke very decidedly a
he glanced st the Dermody heir,
handsome young man Of twenty-five
for the Squire was very angry at thi
moment, because Of the depreciation
of some un.ncw.a Young miscrean
among the fruit which he valted S
highly.
1--we done my best, father .ep(ie,
the son, "to catch them at it, but cal
never find anyone near the orchard
It's mystery to me where they come
from, unless it S jim himself who doe.
the stealing"
jim wcs the hired man living in &
tenement house On the place; but the
Squire did not think he would har
the temeIlty tosteal his fruit and dam
age his pet trees, for he had more than
once known to his sorrow what it was
to offend bis employer. 50 he gave
an impatient sniff, babe his son keep
his eyes open and catc' the real offend
er, adding that if he caught him be
was to give bin a severe tlogging.
1T $ some Of those young mlscre
ants from town that are shooting all
my squirrels, and they deserved to be
hanged, said he.
Late in The afternoon of this same
day, as tho heir was walking near the
orchard, apparently obvious o: every
thing bit tbs ho"uty Of tue distant
landscape, bis altehtioh WAS suddenly
arrested by cracking Of the limbs
near the edge ofthe orchard, and with
a single bound he was over the fence,
and directly under the tree whence
the sound came.
Looking up into the branches lie
discovered what caused hm to hest
tate with surprise and, PERHAPS anoth,
er sentiment. a young girl Of eDoHr
sixteen, black haired, black eyes
sparkling with the excitement OF mis-
chief and feal combined, sat on larbe
limb Of the tree, grasping a smaller
limb above her head. and evidently
The 'Slnires choice fruit to
the best Of her ability. She was bare
footed and bare headed and looked
vcritabIe little Girsy.
Bat VIII had been told by his Faith
.r That the thief was to be summarly
dealt with, and such blind obedience
had the father eSaclel Of hia son tha'
he never once thought there We're any
circumstances which Won
excuse him. The 'SQuire's word to
his son was his law, and sooner than
disobey him he would have undergone
any frightFhl ordeal So, choking
down the sentiment the bewitchingI
picture had momentarily aroused in
bis heart he ordered the offender to
descend.
Still defiant. the picturesque orchard
robber slid deity down from her
perch, when her cattor seized her
FIRMLY by the arm.
MY father said was to 1og d
Ihlel, salu he.
II Ii hot a thief, and you dare not
tlog mel And the pretty face flushed
with anger.
But | caught you in the act of
stealing my fruit, and | must punish
you. What's your name, and what
made you break the limbs of those
pear treesY'
A slan,e Of scorn was her only re-
ply.
"Will YOU answer me or not?" he
continued; and then angered by her
persistent silence and looks Of defiance
aided by the recollection Of parental
commands, he struck her light blow
acl oss the shoulders.
The graceful form quivered as the
switch fell but it was with pride, not
pain, since the stroke could not have
hurt ahy. The black eyes flashed
as she wlested herself from
u ,c Crracb