Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-05-22
A Righteous Retribution.

| Miriam Green, L am astonishedp salt
Aunt Jane.
Oh, but, Aunt Jane, | couldn't he'll,
it, said Marian laughing.
But, at the same time, colored yer,
red, and hung down her pretty head.
There was no denying this offense
1t was patent to all the world - or, a
least, to all that part of it who NIGH
happen to be on the edge of Ravel
| Woods.
There was Miriam Green up in til,
top of the old-oak tree, which reared
its proud crest, and Absalom among it!
gold leaved brethren, her curls all tan
gled, her apron filed with treasures o.
dark-g green mistletoe There was Aunt
Jane, standing in the little open clear
ing, with hands uplifted, eyes opened
in the widest of disappearing glares
and sonbonnet fallen over backward OF
her shoulders.
Your frock's all torn enunciated
the old lady.
4 can easily mend it again.
And your hair blown into tangle.'
oh, Aunt Jane, that is nothing!
pleaded Miriam
And your bonnet hanging halfway
down the treef grasped Aunt Jane,
growing more indignant as the full
weight and extent of Miram's enormities
dawned upon her mind. When you
knew 1 forbade you to Think of such a
think as climbing treer
Dear Aunt Jane began the offend
err
But the old lady would listen to nc
argument.
You were sixteen yesterday, said
she. You are old enough to know bet
ter. And you shall be made to know
betterl will punish you for this piece
of inexcusable hoydenismP
Miriams blue eyes grew big.
Surely Aunt Jane couldn't shake her,
or shut her up in the garnet with page
of Watts Hymns to learn, or-worst
alternative of all-put her on short
allowance of apple-pic at dinner.
For pretty Miriam was still child
enough to regard any of the occurances
as serious misfortune, and one greatly
to be deprecated.
But while she was yet in the agonies
of apprehension, the question was de-
finitely determined by Amt James adj
vancing to the foot of the oak-tree and
pulling away the ladder that had served
as means to reach the first bough, a
ragged mass of foliage some twenty feet
up from roots. Below that, the trunk
extended as perpendicular and free of
side growth as a telegraph pole.
'Therer said Aunt Jane, since you
were so anxious to climb the tree after
mistletoe, you may remain there and
think it over at you leisure. | will
come back this evening and put back
the ladder
Miriam uttered little cry.
please, Aunt Jane, don't go Off she
appealed. I'll never do so any more
Please forgive me, just this oncel'
But Aunt Jane was memorable. With
slow majesty, she strobe out of the
opening and was gone, even while Mir
Jams piteous voice quivered on the
air
oh, dear! oh, dear! what am to do?'
said Marian to herself. i couldn' t
jump down without breaking my arm,
or ankle, or something and here / am
all alone in this wilderness
There she sat perched on a horizon
tai bough, clinging to the taper-trunk of
the tree, and swayed to and fro in the
gentle October breezes. 1t had been a
most fascinating position few minutes
ago; now it was frightful and perilous
in the EXTREMIST degree
Was it an hour? was it ten hours? or
possibly only fifteen minutes? Like
the Prisoner of Chillon, our poor little
captive had lost all power of calculat-
ing time. But just as the round sun
hung like ball of orange flame above
the western woods, there was the sound
of quick footsteps crashing over fallen
twigs and crisp autumn leaves below.
It's John Ford coming home from
hunting Marian said to herself, with
quick breath. oh, l do hope he won't
see mel %
See shrunk close to the trunk of the
tree, and tried to seem as much like a
big bunch of mistletoes as possible
But it was useless. John Ford's keen
eyes were to well used to woodcraft and
all pertaining to it, to overlook her
He stopped short at the entrance to the
glade.
Miriam Green!' he exclaimed.
Yes, said the girl, laughing little
Historically Zaccheus he
And | am Zaccheus and now | cam
get down.
OH said Mr.. Ford. The ladder
fell, did it?'
Yves, said Miriam, truning very
red. The ladder fell down
III put it up for you, said Ford.
Dol said Marian, laughing to herself
as she thought of Aunt Jane.
He swung the ladder promptly w
against the trunk of the tree.
Now, its all right, said he I'll just
go over to see that the dogs haven't
frightened Mrs. Morcy's young turkeys
and wait for you outside the woods,
In five minutes Miriam Green was b,
his side, rosy and breathless, still cling
ing to her apronful of misletoe
oh. | am so much obliged to you
she said, earnestly.
1t was rather an awkward predieamen
wasn't it?' smiled he
What will Aunt Jane say2' said Mi
riam, Involuntary.
| She'll be very much alarmed. won
She?
No, confused Miriam. She tn
is-Oh, Mr. Ford, cant deceive yoi
about it,
And she told him all.
| OF course. it was very wrong to dis
obey her, she added. but
Ny poor little Miriam! Ny sweet
| frightened darling! cried John Ford
passing his strong arm around her waist
She was perfect dragoness to tormeu
you sor
But belong to her, said the girl, in
nocently. i have no other home but he
| house.