The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-26
AN AUBURN TREss.



sight, she was so entirely and refreshingly
| different from all the other girls l had ever
met and had met quite a number, having,
although sisterless, seven cousins of the
fairer sex, each OF whom was constantly dis
| covering some charming" friend or friends
to whom Cousin Tom" really must be in
| troduced. But by only two or three of these
charmers had Cousin Tom been enslaved,
and then his chains were of the lightest, and
had broken easily after very short captiv-
| ity. And so my five-and-twentieth birthday
found me still heart-whole, and being heart
whole. with no despotic she to decide for ME,
wondering where should spend my summer
vacation. 1t was to be longer one than
| usual, for Uncle John, in whose publishing
house I was employed, had kindly placed the
| whole month of August at nv disposal. In
| return, as he was pleased to say. for my close
attention to business since the beginning oil
the year. l didn't want to go to one Of the
| fashionable resorts for | was not although
| my cousins had done all they could toward
making ne one) fashionable man. And
| then, again-which was perhaps more i'm
| portant reason-I couldn't afford it.
| Il wish 1 knew of some pleasant farm
| house." said to my office chum, Lon For
dyce, "where there would be no other board
| ers taken; where the nearest neighbor lived
at least mile away; where there were plenty
of old trees about; where fellow might
swing in hammock from morn till dewy
! eve The chose, and read and smoke and
dream the time away to his hearts content;
and where new, unskimmed milk, fresh eggs,
crisp vegetables. ripe fruit, and tender chick
ems were realities not myths. But where,
oh! where can such Arcadan bliss be found?
Pve read of il in stories and newspaper ad-
| varfi r. httfI f11rka dy WI
had met it OF anything like tin their
search for summer board and lodging, mean.
Quite the contrary has been my own expert
ence; in fact, disgustingly the contrary"
| All the time had been speaking, Mouse
| had been listening attentively Mouse was a
twelve-Year-old boy belonging to our depart
ment, his real name being Roderck, but that
had been almost entirely forgotten since Lon
| and [ rechristened him; and the new title
had been conferred upon him on account of
his noiseless way of moving around, his
small, bright, dark eyes, and his general, as
we thought, mousy appearanee), and as l
finished l turned suddenly upon him and
| asked:
What are you standing there for Mouse?
Have you nothing to do?'
"Plenty, sir, he answered, ''but l was a.
thinkin' our folks might take you. They've
got a nice farm, and big trees, and new
Chickens and eggs and fruit and vegetables
and cows milk, and everything you said you
wanted 'ce pit an accordion and / guess they
could get that"
"An accordionl'' repeated I, in great as
constituent What in the world do you
mean?"
Accordion bliss" whispered Lon, and we
| both burst out laughing; but Mouse kept his
ground, and regarded me gravely until l be-
gan talking again.
"Your folSs?' said I, and il struck me that
l had never thought of the quiet little chap
| in, f1I1 h.,
don't your folks live in the city?'
'''No sir. They live at Nutwood 1 stay
here with Aunt Hannah, cause I'm to be
business man. Tim-he's nine-hes to be
farmer. And there isn't any house 'cept the
Larrups's shanty for more'n mile. And
I'm most sure they'd let you come and stay
as long as you wanted to. And there's
ducks"
"Doyou know, Lon this sounds very prom
! ising%' said l.
"May be as deceptive as the advertise
ments. for all that" said Lon. 'Not inten-
tionally so, of course, but Mouse being a
boy, and the farmhouse the home of his
1 childhood"
Nothing easier than for me to find out all
about it, interrupted 1. ''Ili take run
| down there tomorrow" (Which happened to
be Saturday, afternoon. And Mouse, if
4 you like, you may go with me-"
THANK you, sir" said Mouse, his bright
eyes sparkling with pleasure and then he
\ silently disappeared, while Lon and | fell to
work as though our very lives depended upon
1 getting certain amount done in certain
4 length of time.
The next afternoon found Mouse and my
self on board of an express train speeding
/ away to Nutwood. 1t was after O'Clock
when we arrived at the small station for |
had not been able to start as early as l had
| intended, and nearly when we came in sight
LAT 1aro oil faela Cd ga
just beyond which stood low, broad, COM
fortable-looking farm house.
That's our house and our barn; and
there's Phil. feedin' the chickens" said
Mouse, in the sprightliest tones | had ever
heard from him; and turning to glance at
the youth "Phil" who was feeding the
chickens, 1 saw the prettiest girl had ever
seen, standing in the wide doorway of the
barn. On her head she wore bewitching
mobcsp made of dotted cambria, beneath
! the frill of which an intensely auburn wavy
bang fell almost to her auburn eyebrows
| Her dress was made of the same material as
the cap, the sleeves being rolled up nearly to
the shoulders, displaying pair OF beautiful
| ly rounded arms, and she held the corners of
a large white apron in one hand, while from
it she dispensed the supper of the fowls with
the other ''By Jove!" thought T. cit was
worth the journey from New York to see
this lovely, truly rural picture alone" And
| then said in aC inquiring manner to Mouse
"Phil?"
Eyes, sir, Philippa. She's my only sister"
And Philippa seeing us at this moment
did not utter a shrek and fy as many
damsel wot of would have dene, but flung
the remainder of the corn from her apron
and came smiling toward us, walking with
an easy grace that told plainly that she had
never undergone the martyrdom of tight
| high-heeled shoes.
This is Mr.. Lovejoy. Phil, said Roderick
| a. 20 10 l.
| for month"
You are very welcome" said she, at the
same time Offering me small brown hand
to which some of the corn flour still chung
and looking at me with a pair of clear hazel
eyes. Frederick has often told us of your
j j ! IL -