The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-11-01
"COUSIN TOM"
"Mary. I am astonishedI"

OF course, the grave, elder sistel
was astonished. In truth and In fac
she lived in chronic state OF astonish
ment, for Mary was always doini
something to astonish her friends ane
relatives.
Miss Ruth could scarcely credit thu
evidence of her own senses In the hazI
glow of the August morning, whel
she came out of the shadows Of tn
little south porch and discovered tina
yonder moving object, half way VI
among the branches Of the huge ol'
pear tree, was not spray Of leaves
nor a cluster Of sunny checked pears
swinging In the blue empyrean, bu
Miss Mary Thorne. comfortably perch
ed In the crook Of the old tree, he
curls all hecked with the sifted ray O
sunshine that came down through th
shifting canopy Of leaves, and a boo
In her hand.
81 don't csrel" said the little damsel
laughing saucy defiance "It's tn
incest place in the world up here.
feel just like bird, with the leave
fiuttering against my face and tn
wind blowing so softly, and l inten
to stay here. Wouldn't you like
come up here, Ruthy ? It's easily don'
Just put your foot on that knot, an
then"
Ruth, who was thirty and weighed
hundred and sixty pounds. brlstled- u
with amazement.
MARY Thorne are you crazyr Con
down this instant"
"Indeed 1 shan'ti" said naugh'
Mary, tossing the silky shower of ha
away from her forehead, and glancir
down with eyes that shone and sparkle
like two blue jewels.
"But we are going"
Eyes, understand You are all 6
ing in triumphaI procession to the dep
to render an Ovation to the great Pr
fessor La Place, the Sisest, sagest al
grandestof mankind, ,towhom the Thor
family have the unutterable honor
being second cousins, and to esco
him solemnly to a months sojourn
Thsrne Hall. Oh, dearl" eiaculat
Mary, IT wish l could run away a.
hide somewhere. / hate this parag
of prim precision. / shan't marry hi
If he asks, and mean to behave
badly that he won't dream of 1t. N
am not going with you. 1 hate t
close barouche, and it's too warm
ride on horseback. / shall stay
home"
And Mary settled herself so snug
with one tiny, shppered foot swingi
down, and her pretty head close to
nest Of blue speckled birds eggs, th
Ruth gave it up, with a sigh of d.
pair.
swell, then, have it your own We
you incorrigible romp. 1 wish y
weren't too big to shut up In a da
closet, or to have your ears well boxed
''It is a pity, isn't itP" said Ma
demurely,
"Of course 1t ls, Maryt II CouI
Tom Bradley comes this morning,
sure to explain to him why we are I
sent-and behave like a young laC
mlndp'
San rightp' said Mary dauntless
"I always liked Tom. We used
have grand romps togetherl''
She sat there in the old pear tr
prettier than any hamadryad that mii
have haunted the messy old veteran
the garden, her cheeks touched W
sunshine and carmine, her dimpled
apart, now reading line or two fr
the book in her lap, now looking
rapt in girlish reverle, into the blue 8
as 1t sparkled down through the g
moving leaves, and now breaking i
a soft little warble Of song, to VIII
the very robins themselves put I'll
heads to one side to listen.
The carriage had driven away Il
since. She had watched 1t beyC
the curve of the winding road
dark mantle of shadow was slowly
lowing the creeping sun-glow acr
the velvet lawn below, and the eli
s in the old church spire among the
off woods had chimed out eleven.
And still Mary Thorne sat there
. those forked branches of the old p
% tree.
Suddenly there floated into her lie
sanctum a pungent, aromatic OF
which made her look curiously
ward, shading her eyes with one hs
the better to penetrate the green foil
below.
Not the late monthly roses. not
amethyst borders of heliotrope,
the spicy geraniums mono of Il
distilled that peculiar smell,
= "My patience | -" said little Ma
sits a cigar"
A cigar 1t was, and the owner tn
of-she could Just see white II
coat and tall head covered with bl'
wayy curls - stood on the porch 8
sv quietly smoking and indulging l
heightened view of the garden slo
"That's Tom BrsdleyW said N
.o hsr.alf. snow. II he thinks