Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-07-21
The Old Trees Secret.

the roomy, old-fashioned house, my
little wife and I, from the dusty cob
webbed garret to the neglected cellars,
and we now stood at the back of the
garden, critically surveying its ap-
pearance.
1t was low, two-story house, built
in the shape of a T., with cluster
of tall chimneys in the middle and
the three gables hidden in ivy. II
had once stood quite out of town,
which had since gradually crept to-
ward it, until what had been a road
was now become street of strag-
Cling cottages gnd villas, extending
to the high waA inclosing the ground.
The lawn was shaded with old trees
and the garden choked up with thick
cts of lilac and SNOWFALL. The old
lady, Mrs. Gage, who had for forty
years resided here, leading very Sc
cluded and invalid life, had taken no
pains to keep the place in order, and
she and the property had decayed to-
gether, until recently she had died
and the place was for sale.
''It looks dreadfully gloomy and
neglected." said Cecie, gazing up at
the back windows. ''Mrs. Morris,
next door, says that for twenty years
no one has occupied those upper
rooms; and see how the ivy has
bound together those shutters on the
left. But it is beautiful old house,
and / know that we can make it
bright and cheerful. And then the
garden-what a delight it will be to
the children and to ourselves, too.
We will take it, won't we, Charlie ?"
There was no resisting her plead
ing coaxing manner. So. that very
evening / went to see the agent, and
before the week had elapsed the
house was ours. #aa aa f
With what zeal and enjoyment we
entered upon the transformation OF
our new abode. The masses of ivy
were torn down from the gables or
judiciously trimmed every door and
window was thrown wide open to the
fresh air and sunlight; and paint
and paper, muslin curtains, and
bright carpets and India mating
made the house delightful to behold.
| This much accomplished, we turn
ed our attention to the garden. 1t
was already June, and the season too
far advanced for much improvement,
but we pulled down the rotted arbors,
| thinned out the thickest of roses and
lilacs, and / caused a little round ia
BILE and some rustic garden seats to
be placed under an old tree at the
| further end of the central walk.
Here, on returning from my office on
the warms sunny evenings, we would
sit-Cecie engaged with some light
stitching, and I with cigar, books
and papers, reading to her, while our
little ones ran wild up and down the
garden walks.
ssThis is thoroughly delightful
remarked, one evening, 'sHow is it,
Cecie, that we have managed to live
eight years of housekeeping life with
out a garden?''
"Yes," she answered radiantly.
sit is delightful. Living so much in
the open air one seems to take q new
growth, like flowers. Only" and
here she glanced uneasily around
"Only Charlie, / think-I fancy
that this is not exactly the spot fol
our all fresco boudoir.' y
ssWhy not? 1t faces the walk; il
commands view of the house an6
the whole garden. And these branch
es hanging so low and clothed in ivy
make a nice canopy above us. Wha
is it that you object to-"
ST scarcely know. But somehow
/ have never liked this tree
| 1t was very old tree under which
we sat, with a huge gnarled trunl
| growing in sloping position nea
the garden wall, and covered will
ivy. About eight feet from the groun(
the trunk separated into three branch
es, and here the ivy had matted it
self in an impervious mass, conceal
ing the decayed branches with th'
exception of the eXtremlties, whicl
here and there protruded from th'
green mass, white and bare.
| "They look like skeleton fingers,
said Cecie, glancing up, "and it gives
me the horrors. I think the tre'
ought to be cut down. 1t always re
minds me of a graveyard OF a haunt
| ed house,"
| I did not at the time pay much at
tention to her remarks. But som,
days after she again suggested tha
our garden table and chairs shoult
be removed to some other spot.
| Il don't know why it is, she said
uneasily, "but always feel nervous
here. fancy there is something pc
culiar about the place-in the rustlins
of the ivy and in the very atmosphere
/ often find myself starting and look
ing around with vague sense o
something horrible. | hate the sigh
of that tree, with Its distorted shap
and bare, skeleton arms"
| l rallied her upon being fanciful
but promised that the ssskeleto
arms" of which she complained. shoul
be cut off. She sat silent for a me
ment, then said, seriously:
~ ssCharl1p did If xavar oocnr tn va