The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-11-01

"Why, Tom, how you have chang
edl" calculated the young lady, push
ing back the curls with one hand, that
she might better view the playmate of
her ehildhood's days. Your hair new
er curled so before and what nice
mustache you've get shouldn't
have known you, TOMB
MOP" said Tom, roguishly.
"And you've grown so tall IL de.
clare, Tom, you're splendid !"
81 could return the compliment, If
dared. But where are all the rest of
the famIlyP The house below is as
empty as haunted hall"
''All gone to welcome that horrid,
poky old Professor La Place, who has
graciously indicated his willingness to
pass few weeks with us. Tom, l do
hate that professor.
"Hate himl What for7'
"Oh, don't know, I'm sure. He is
asnuff-dried, conceited old wretch, and
I'll wager box of gloves he wears
spectaclesr'
Nonsense, Marys Why he is only
twenty-six."
II don't care; know he Is rheu-
matte and wears speetaeles, for all that.
And, Tom-now If you'll never, never,
breathe word of this"
81 won't upon my honori" said Tom.
"Well, then papa has actually got the
idea into his dear old head that wo uld
make nice wife for the Professor,
and"
Mary turned away with crimson in.
dlgnation flashing in her cheeks.
''It is too bad Of you to laugh, Tom
| never, never will marry that man."
81 wouldn't If l were you," consolet
Tom. "But, Mary, wait and see tn,
man before you decide. He may bt
quite decent fellow"
''Nol" said Mary, shaking her heat
and biting her cherry lips firmly. So
hate him beforehand.
"What spiteful little puss you arep
said her companion laughing.
"No, Tom Pm not" And the blu,
eyes became misty. 81 love papa ant
Ruth dearly, and love almost every
body. 1 like you, Tom; but 1 hat,
Professor La Place. And / want yoI
to promise, Tom, that you'll be m!
friend, and not allow him to tease M
into walks, or rides, or tete-a-tetes o
any kind. VIII your"
Would hep If she had asked HIM t,
precipitate himself out of the pear-tre,
upon the steps below, with those blu
eyes fixed on his. he'd have done it; an.
, man of taste would.
! "I promisel' he said, and they shool
hands on it.
What cozy place for chat tina
: gnarled old tree was.
And when they had talked over every
, thing they could think of, it was th
l most natural thing in the world tina
( Tom should recover the book which hat
slipped down into the net work Of tin
, boughs, and read poetry to the prett
cousin in the deep, musical voice tina
a maldens love to listen to.
g And Mary sat there watching tn
= pretty curls blowing to and fro on hi
:, broad, white brow, and the long, blac
lashes almost touching his olive cheeks
:. and she thought how very, very hant
o some Cousin Tom was, how much b
had changed In the last ten years tina
}, had elapsed since she had seen HIM, an
It she wondered whether Tom was engage
i to any pretty girl; somehow she hope
b not. Now, why couldn't Tom hay
s been rich, like that horrid Professor L
q Place, instead of poor medical stl
}, dentp
:, And when the large, black eyes wei
" suddenly lifted to hers, Mary felt &
o though he had read every thought i
h her mind, and blushed scarlet.
IT HCome. Tom" she chartered, to hiC
her confusion, ''we've been up hel
g long enough. Help me down and
d will show you the old sun dial that "
10 used to heap up with buttercups whe
l. we were children.
IS A rumbling of wheels; it was the r
X turning carriage, and Mary clung
+ TOMS arm.
''The awful professorl" she whi
N pered. snow, Cousin Tom, be su
II you stand by me in everything"
ITO my life's endl'' was the whi
y pered answer.
r, But there was no one in the carriai
+ save Mr.. Thorne and Ruth.
d, 1t drew up on the grand sweep besit
se the two cousins.
"Where's the professorps
le "He was not at the depot" ga
Dr. Ruth; "and-"
Sc But Mr.. Thorne had sprung from t
carriage and clasped both the stranger
hands In his.
LA Place, is it possiblel Why. '
g. have just been looking for you at M
81 Station"
K, 81 am sorry to have inconvenience
ps you, sir, was the reply; but l came
a the way of Wharton, and walked ov
's' this morning.
ry 'Never mind now, so you are safe
m hansln acclaimed this old Rentlsma