Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-01-27
OVER THE GARDEN WALL.

money. am tired of grubblng along in
shabby gentility, tired plain fare, mean
clothes, thick boots, and short pockets.
Pom my soul if this sort of life continues
much longer, I shall get tired of my ex-
istence"
Nonsense, Beryl! You are the most
contented among us. Poor papa declares
you are the light and life ofthe old home,
which, for all its poverty, is a happy
one, because we love one another"
"Old home, you call it. Why, we have
not been here five years. 1t takes as
many centuries to make home"
"This villa,makes but poor husk even
BY the by, Laurie, how can we raise the
wind to buy BERTHE new suit? IT'S al ]
very we'll for the dear lad to pretend he
likes to show his linen, but am sure he
was ashamed of his short sleeves
ut church on Sunday. Pity he
can't wear bracelets. Talking of church
reminds me Laura, you must not make
eyes at the curate. admit he is no end
ola nice fellow, but he is poor and we
must marry money for the sake of BERTHE
and the dad"
sit does not strike me we shall marry
at all as we are placed, Beryl. The men
we would marry are above us, and the men
who would marry us We are above. So
between two stools we are likely to come
to grief. Pass me the string, these beans
are getting top heavy. | hope it will be
as fine as this tomorrow, since we must
60 to this picnic given by papa's employ
ers. IF had nv WILL instead of going
with our best bibs and our fuckers we
would go in rags to reproach them for
the wretched salary they give the dear
old dad"
''You forget, dear, that papa began at
the wrong end of his life. The work he
could undertake might be done by
boy of eighteen, SO it would not be fair
if he were to be paid above his abilities,
and l think it very kind of Mr.. Brace to
invite u.s."
"What weak mortal youare, Laurie.
How is your lace progressing. Mrs
King said she was sure she could sell it
for you. What is there for the dads
dinner? Cold meat. Oh, I'l go and
mince it for him. BERTHE said he would
not be home till ten tonight, so it's no
use prowling for him."
AS the young girl tip-toed to nail
bean teldril to the top of the high wall
that divided their garden from another,
a young fellow with sunburned, Jolly
face, laid aside his pipe and said to him.
self.
What a jolly voice that girl has, and
what lot of mercenary mischief she
has been talking. l wonder if can get
a peep at her! If her face matches her
voice, she ought to be worth looking at"
Truly she was comedy little creature,
with her pretty, plump shape, sunshiny
gray eyes, and curly faxen hair. Her
features were far from faultless, but her
complexion was pure, and she had such
q merry look one forgot to be critical
Her sister was more lovely, perhaps, |
but could not be more lovable; her calm, |
Madonna beauty had a twilight charm |
beside the morning glow of her sisters |
less perfect but brighter looks.
ga plump little partridge, and looks |
sweet-tempered. Unjust scrape acQuaint- |
ance through my friend, the curate. 1t |
will help to pass the time while those
lawyers are settling my business, which |
/ don't believe they will do till have
given them the last siX-and-eight-pence
l possess. Tommy, you must go to |
church, my lad; to-morrow's Sunday. |
And who knows but the rosy beauty in
the holland frock may not invite you
over the garden wall before the week is
out"
''Allow me to introduce my friend,
Mr.. Conroy, you, Miss Stewart. He is
a near neighbor of yours
Laurie bowed. Berry, was hanging be-
hind for BERTHE! She came up in time to
see sunburnt face from which PAIR of
wicked brown eyes twinkled, and to hear
Il 4 -
he would be Christainlike, to love ones
neighbor as himself. Then she was in
troduced, and, feeling this fine fellows
eyes upon her, she was grateful to think
the muslin frock she wore was in its first
crispness.
Mr.. Conroy seemed more taken with
handsome Berthe than his sister, for he
fell behind with that youth, and disgor-
ged his reeking brain of all the sea anec-
dotes he knew that promised to grow
stale through silence. BERTHE was flat
tered by such notice from a man who
seemed to be a heroe, since he had sail
ed so many years on the adventurous
sea. So charmed indeed was the lad
that the droxsy afternoon found him
sitting or the high wall that divided the
gardens, on the chance of seeing his in
teresting friend.
= Mr.. Stevens, the curate, looked in af-
ter church, in that quiet evening hour
which is music's own. Mr.. Stevens was
q hearty, ugly young athlete, very unlike
the usual run of curates; an earnest,
honest, intelligent fellow was Felix Stew
ems, whose manhood was crowned by
manliness. He had a clever, plain face,
and the most persuasive tongue imagin-
able.
The man who has a tongue, I say, IS no
man
If with his tongue he cannt win a woman.
Had Felix felt certain some day in the
premise of the future; the face of Laurie
shone in a dear domestic world that
lived only in his hopes.
There was much pleasant chat carried
on that night over the garden wall, and
Mr.. Stewart, weary, wan-looking old
man, listened to the hum of the young
voices and dreamed of his lost youth,
and the gentle wife who made it happy.
Weeks rolled On, and the young peo-
pie became very friendly. Then
dawned the long-looked-for day of the
picnic. The girls were up betimes, hur
rying over their morning tasks. Tom
discovered his divinity shaking mats
in the garden, with a buster on her
faxen head and her sleeves tucked
away from her pretty, rounded arms.
EoilS W It'll IlSlclyj |
"Ah you won't know me presently.
TITS clear case of Cinderella"
She blushed with pleasure when her
friend gingerly lowered a basket over
the wall containing heap of choice
flowers and two pairs of tempting seven
buttoned gloves.
81 really think it is wrong to accept
Them" said the delighted girl, "But we
want them so badly [ really think we
must take them and confess ourselves
awfully indebted to you for such pretty
present" i
81 should be awfully hurt ifyou would
not accept such simple, friendly offer
ing as that, Miss Beryl"
"Of course you would; so should I, if
had to refuse such reasonable gifts.
Shake hands, Mr.. Conroy, and believe
me awfully grateful. Willyou notice if
any one calls, if you are at homer"
eyes, and more than that; if you will
leave the back door unattached I'll tum-