The Penn's Grove record., 1884-03-08
a ON.


Wi itbh 'iStA5 4 TAI
said Aunt Jane.
'Oh, but, Aunt Jane, I couldn't help
it!'' said Miriam, laughing.
But, at the same time, she colored
very red, and hung down her pretty
mead.
There was no denying this ofIGnsG.
IL was patent to all the Wohd-or, at
least, to all that part Of it Who might
happen to be on the edge of Raven
Woods.
There was Miriam Green up in the
top of the old oak-tree, VII laas reared
its proud crest, an Absalom among its
gold-leayed brethren, her curls all
tangled, her apron filled with treas
ures of dark-green mlstletoe. There
was Aunt Jane, standing in the little,
open cleering, with hands nplifted,
eyes opened vi the widest Of disap
proving glarcs, aud sunbonnet fallen
over backward III her sboulANEs.
Your frock's all tornr' enumerated
the Old lady.
~ can easily mend it again.
"And your hair blown do a tan
GLE"
"Oh, Aunt Jane, that is uothingr'
pleaded Miriam.
"And your bonnet hanging halfway
down the treel" gasped Aunt Jane
growing more indignant Is the full
weight and extent of Miriam's n
mites dawned upon her mind. ''Wlen
you knew / forbade. you TO thhllo
such a thing as climbing a treel,'@
Dear Aunt Jane began Che Of
fender. m
But the old lady would listeliAp no
argument. ~
"You were sixteen Yesterday said
she. ''You are old enough to know
better, And you shall be made to
know better! | will punish you for this
piece of inexcusable hOydenism!M
Miriam's blue eyes grew big.
Surely Aunt Jane couldn't shake
her, or shut her up Iii the garnet with a
page of Watts Hymns" to learn,
or-worst alternative Of all-put her
on a short allowance Of apple pic at
dinner.
For pretty Miriam was still child
enough to regard amy of these occur-
rences as a serious misfortune, and one
greatly to be deprecated.
But while she was yet in the agonies
of apprehension, the question was de-
fnitely determined by Aunt James
advancing to the foot of the oaK-tree
nd pulling away the ladder that had
erved as a means to reach the first
Dough, a ragged mass of foliage some
twenty feet up from the roots. Below
that, the trunk extended down us per
pendicular and free of side growth as II
telegraph pole.
''There!" said Aunt Jane 'isince you
were so anxious to climb the tree after
mistletoe, you may remain there and
think it over at your leisure. l will
come back this evening and put back
the ladder"
Miriam uttered little cry.
"Please, Aunt Jane, don't go Off"
she appealed, ''Ill never do 50 any
more. Please forgive me, just this
oncel"
But Aunt Jane was ineXorable. With
slow majesty, she strobe out of the
opening and was gone, even while
Miriam's piteous voice quIyered on the
air.
"Oh, dearl oh, dearl what am l to
do?" said Miriam to herself. II
couldn't jump down without breaking
my arm, or ankle, or something; and
here | am all alone in this wilder
There she sat perched on a horizon
tai bouglr, 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 a few
minutes ago; now it was frightful and
perilous in the EXTREMIST degree.
Was it an hour was it ten? or pos
sibly only fifteen minutes? Like the
Prisoner of Chillion our poor little cap
tive had lost all power of calculating
time. But just as the round sun hung
like a ball of orange-hame above the
western woods, there was the sound of
quick footsteps crashing over fallen
twigs and crisp autumn leaves below.
ats John Ford coming home from
hunting" Miriam to herself, with
a quick breath. do hope he
won't see mel"