Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-06-07
AN AUBURN TREss.

1 fell half way in love with her at
first sight, she was SO entirely and re-
freshingly different from all the other
girls I had ever met, and had met
quite number, having, although sis
terless, seven cousins of the fairer sex,
each Of whom was constantly discover
ing some charming friend or friends
to whom "Cousin Tom really must
be introduced. 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 cap
tivity And so my five-and-twentieth
birthday found me still heart-whole,
and being heart whole, with no des-
potic she to decide for me, wondering
where should spend my summer va
cation. 1t was to bea longer one than
usual, for Uncle John, in whose pub
fishing house l was employed, had
kindly placed the whole month of Au-
gust at my disposal, in return, as he
was pleased to say, for my close atten-
tion to business since the beginning Of
the year. I didn't want to go to one
of the fashionable resorts, for I was
not although my cousins had done all
they could toward making me one) a
fashionable man. And then. again
which was perhaps more important
reason-I couldn't afford it.
81 wish 1 knew of some pleasant
farmhouse said to my Office chum,
Lon Fordyce, where there would be
no other boarders taken; where the
nearest neighbor lived at least mile
away; where fellow might swing in
a hammock from morn till dewy eve'
if he 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 chickens were reali-
ties, not myths. But where, OIL where
can such Arcadian bliss be found?
I've read of it in stories and news
paper advertisements, but l never
knew anybody who had met it or any
thing like tin their search for sum-
mer board and lodging, I mean Quite
the contrary has been my own expert
enee; in fact, disgustingly the con-
trary."
All the time 1 had been speaking
Mouse had been listening attentively
(Mouse was twelve-year-old boy be-
Longing to our department, his real
name being Roderick; but that had
been almost entirely forgotten since
Lon and I 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 appearance), and as 1 finished 1
turned suddenly upon him and asked:
"What are you standing there for,
Mouse? Have you nothing to do?'
PLENTY, sir" he answered ;"but 1
was a-thinkin' our folks might take
you. They've got nice farm, and big
trees, and new chickens, and eggs, and
fruit, and vegetables, and cows milk,
and everything you said you wanted,
'cept an accordion, and 1 guess they
could get that"
"An accordion !" repeated /, in great
establishment. "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 I began talking
again.
"Your folks r. said I, and it struck
me that l had never thought of the
quiet little chap in connection with
folks before. "Why, don't your folks
live in the city?"
"No, sir; they live at Nutwood L
stay here with Aunt Hannah, cause
I'm to be a business man. Tim-he's
nine-he's to be farmer. And there
isn't any house, 'cept the Larrups'
lshanty, for more'n a mile. And I've
told 'em how good you are to me, and
I'm most sure they'd let you come and
stay as long as you wanted to. And
there's ducks"
"Do you know, Len, this sounds
very promising2" said 1.
May be as deceptive as the adver-
tisements, for all that" said Lon. s.Not
Intentionally so, of course, but Mouse
being boy, and the farmhouse the
home Of his childhood"
Nothing easier than for me to find
out all about it" interrupted I. 9Th
take run down there tomorrow ;"
(Which happened to be Saturday,
tafternoon. And, Mouse, if you like,
you may go with me-"
Thank you. SIR" said Mouse, his
bright eyes sparkling with pleasure J;
and then he silently disappeared. while
Lon and l fea to work as though our
very lives depended upon getting a