The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-20

tadeSW
 Nonsense. Marys Why. he is only twenty-six" !"
 |" don't care kpow he is rheumatic and wears spectacleS, for all that. And, Tem-now if you'll never, never, breathe word of this---"
 :" I won't, upon my honor!" said Tom.
 We'll, then, papa has actually got the idea into his dear old head that would make nice wife for the professor, and"
 Mary turned away with crimson indig- nation flashing in her cheeks.
 "lt is too bad of you to laugh, Tom. l never, never will marry that man
 ;" l wouldn't if were you" conscled Tom. "But, Mary, wait and see the man befoie you decide. He may be quite decent fellow"
 "No p said Mary, shaking her head and biting her cherry lips firmly. l hate him beforehand"
 "What spiteful little puss you are r said her companion, laughing.
 "No, Tom, Pm not" And the blue eyes became misty. I love papa and Ruth dearly, and love almost every body. 1 like you, Tom, but /: hate Pro- lessor La Place. And want yua to promise, Tom, that you'll be my friend and not allow him to tease me into walks, or rides, or tete-a-tetes of any kind. Will you ?"
 Would heP If she had asked him to precipitate himself out of the pear-tree upon the steps below, with those eyes fixed on his, he'd have done it: any man of taste would.
 CT promiser' he said, and they shook hands on 1t.
 What a cczy place for a chat that gnarled old tree was.
 And when they had talked over every. thing they could think of, it was the most natural thing in the world that Tom should recover the book which had slip ped down into the network of tiny boughs, and read poetry to his pretty cousin, in the deep, musical voice that maidens love to listen to.
 And Mary sat there watching :ne pret- ty curls blowing to and fro on his broad, white brow, and the long black lashes al- most touching his olive cheeks and she thought how r.ry, very handsome Cousin Tom V s, how much he had changed in the cn years that had elapsed since she had met him, and she won dered whether Tom was engaged to any pretty girl somehow she hoped not Now, why couldn't Tom have been rich, like that hor-id Professor La Place, in- stead of poor medical student, and
 And when the large black eyes were suddenly lifted to hers, Mary felt as though he had read every thought in her mind, and blushed scarlet
 "Come, Tom," she chattered, to hide her confusion, "we've been here long enough. Help me down and will show you the old sun dial that we used to heap with buttercups when we were children.' j A rumbling of wheels it was the re- turning of the carriage, and Mary clung to Toms arm.
 "The awful professor P she whispered Now, Cousin Tom, be sure you stand by me through everything"
 "To my life's end l" was the whispered answer.
 But there was no one in the carriage save MT. Thorne and Ruth.
 It drew up on the grand sweep beside the two cousins.
 "Where's the professor2"
 "He was not at the depot" said Ruth, and"
 Bu, MT. Thorne had sprung from the carriage and clasped both the stranger s hands ip his.
 La Place, is it possible! Why, we have just been looking for you at Mill Station"
 am sorry to have inconvenienced you, sir" was the reply; "but came by the way of Wharton, and walked over this morning"
 "Never mind now, so you are safely herew exclaimed the old gentleman. " Ruth, my dear-May, let me intro- duce you to your cousin, Professor La Place"
 Mary had dropped his arm, and stood dismayed.
 "You told me that you were Cousin Tom p
 "That is my name, and believe I am distant cousin by relationship. Now, Mary" and the black eyes sparkIed, !" don't oe angry because don't take snuf or wear spectacles. beg the other Cousin Toms pardon, whoever he is but am very glad he isn't here. Mary, be just, and don't hate Cousin Tom because his other name happens to be La Place"
 But no doubt it was a very perplexing thing to have two Cousin Toms; and SO, about six months subsequently, Miss Mary contrived to obviate that inconven- fence by allowing one of them to assume a nearer relationship; and in spite of all her assertions to the contrary, she is Mrs. Professor La Place.
 For it is solemn fact in this world that whenever girl says she never, never will do thing, she is pretty sure to do it the first chance she gets and Mary is no exception to the general rule. -Cf1eiHaaH 7ImSS-SIay.
 She Saved Him