The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-20
1. COUSIN TOM"
!" Mary [ am assonished I"

Oi course, the grave, elder sister was astonished. In truth and iM fact she lived in chronic state of astonishment, for Mary was always doing something to astonish her friends and relatives.
 Miss Ruth could scarcely credit the evidence of her own senses in the hazy glow of the August morning, when she came out of the shadows of the little south porch and discovered that wonder moving object, half way up the branches of the huge old pear tree, was not spray of leaves, nor a cluster of sun-cheeked pears, but Miss Mary Thorne, comfort ably perched in the crook of the old tree, her curls all hecked with the sif.ed rays of sunshine that came down through the shifting canopy of leaves, and book in her hand.
 "l don't care P said the little damscl, laughing saucy defiance. its the incest place in the world up here. feel just like bird, with the leaves futter- ing against my face and the wind blow ing so softly, and I intend to stay here. Wouldn't yo0 like to come up here, Ruthy1 It's eassiy done. Just put your foot on that knot, and then"
 Ruth who was thirty and weighed a hundred and sixty pounds, bristled up with amazement.
 "Mary Theme, are ycr crazy7 Come down this instant"
 Indeed shan't ]" said naughty Mary, tossing the silky shower of hair away from her forehead, and glancing down with eyes that shone and sparkled like two blue jewels.
 p,,t aVM all
 @Yes, l understand; you are all going in triumphal procession to the depot to render aa ovation to the great Professor La Place, the wisest, sagest and grandest of mankind to whom the Thorne family have the unutterable honor of being second cousins, and to escort him solemnly for a months sojoun at Thorne hall. Oh, dear," ejaculated Mary, {" wish could run away somewhere and hide. hate this paragon of prime pre- cision. l shan't marry him if he asks, and mean to behave so badly that he won't dream of it. No, l am not going with you. hate the close barouches and it's too warm to ride on horseback. shall stay at home"
 And Mary settled herself so snugly, with one tipy, slippered foot swinging down, and her pretty head close to 3 nest of blue speckled birds eggs, that Ruth gave it up with a sigh of despair.
 Well, then, have it your own way, you incorrigible romp. wish you weren't too big to shut up in a dark closet, or to have your ears we'll boxed"
 is pity, isn't it?'' said Mary, de- murely.
 "Of course it is, Maryl Ifcousin Tom Bradley comes this morning, be sure to explain to him why we are absent-and behave like young lady, mind p
 All r;ght!' said Mary, dauntlessly. 1 always i'-ed Tom. We used to have grand romL t1e sther."
 She sat in the old pear tree, prettier than al hamadryad that mi ght have haunted the messy old veteran of the garden, her cheeks touched with sum- shine and csrm;ue, her dimpled lips apart, now reading line or two from a book in her lap, now looking up, rapt in girlish reverie, into the blue sky, as it sparkled down through ever-moving leaves, and now breaking into a soft little warble of song, to which the very robins themselves put their heads on one side to listen.
 The carriage had driven away long since. She had watched it beyond the curve of the winding road the dark mantle of shadow was slowly failing the creeping sun-glow across the velvet lawn spire among the far-off woods had chimed out eleven.
 And still Mary Thorne sat there in those forked branches of the old pear tree.
 Suddenly there fioated into her leafy sanctum a pungent, aromatic odor, which made her lean curiously forward, shading her eyes with one hand, the better to penetrate the green foliage below.
 Not the late monthly roses, not the amethyst borders of heliotrope, not the spicy geraniums-none of these blossoms distilled that peculiar smell.
 cigar"
 A cigar it was, and the owner thereof she could just see a white linen coat and a tall head covered with black, wavy curls-stood on the porch steps quietly smoking and indulging in a heightened view of the garden slopes.
 "That's Tom Bradleyi" said Mary to herself. "Now, if he thinks Pm coming down out of this delicious, cool place to sit up straight in the hot parlors, he's mistakenl Tom!" she called out, in a silver accent of imperative summons, and then burst into merry laughter at the evident amazement at which the stranger gazed around him, vainly trying to con lecture whence the call had proceeded "You dear, stupid Cousin Tom l" she ejaculated. "Don't stare of toward the cabbage beds. Lsok straight up here. You may come up if you please :; there's plenty of room for both. You are Cousin Tom, aren't you?" she continued, as sudden misgivings crossed her mind.
 "Of course l am and you are Mary, suppose27
 Mary herself Up with you, Tom l! Catch hold of this branch-there Now shake hands-You saucy fellowl didn't