The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-08
COUSIN TON.

VI course, the grave, elder sister was
astonished. In truth and in 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 hszy
glow of the August morning, when she
came out of the shadows of the little
south porch and discovered that yondes
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 aecked with the sifted rays
Of sunshine that came down through the
shiiting canopy of leaves, and book in
her hand.
Il don't carer said the little damsel,
laughing saucy defiance. "It's 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 30 softly, and intend to stay here.
Wouldn't you like to come up here,
Ruthyf It's easily done. just put your
foot on that knot, and then"
Ruth who Was thirty and weighed
hundred and sixty pounds, bristled up
with amazement.
MARY Thorne, are you crazy. Come
down this instant"
Indeed | shan'tl" said naughty Mary.
tossing the silky shower of hair away
from her forehead, and gIancing down
with eyes that shone and sparkled like
two blue jewels.
"But We are all going"
Eyes, understand; you are all going
in triumphal procession to the depot to
render an 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 solemn
ly for months sojourn at Thorne hall
Oh. DEAR" calculated Mary, II wish
could run away somewhere and hide. l
hate this paragon of prime precision.
shan't marry him if he asks, and l mean
to behave 50 badly that he won't dream
Of it. No, 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 tiny, slippered foot swinging
down, and her pretty head close to nest
of blue speckled birds eggs, that Ruth
gave it up with sigh of despair.
swell, then, have it your own way,
you incorrigible romp. I wish you
weren't too big to shut up in dark
closet. or to have your ears well boxed,
at is pity, isn't itf' said Mary, de-
murely.
''Of course it is, Nary If cousin Tom
Brady comes this morning, be sure to
explain to him why we are absent-and
behave like young lady, mindp
"All right" said Mary, doubtfully.
81 always liked Tom. We used to have
grand romps together"
She sat there in the old pear tree,
prettier than any hamadryad that might
have haunted the messy old veteran of
the garden, her cheeks touched with sun
shine and carmine, her dimpled lips
apart, now reading line or two from q
book in her lap, now looking up, apt in
girlish reverie, into the blue sky to
listen.
And still Mary Thorne sat there
in those forked branches of the old pear
tree
Suddenly there foated into her leafy
sanctum 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.
my ga'iencep said little Mary, 'its
A cigar it was, and the owner thereof
she could just see white linen coat
and q tall head covered with black, wavy
curls-stood on the porch steps quietly
smoking and indulging in heightened
view of the garden slopes.
that's Tom Bradley said Mary to
herself. "Now. if be thinks I'm coming
down out of this delicious, cool place to
sit up straight in the hot parlors, he's
mistaken Toni" she called out, in q
silver accent of imperative summons.
and then burst into merry laughter at
the evident amaxement at which the
stranger gazed around him, vainly try
ing % conjecture whence the call had
proceeded. "You dear, stupid Cousin
Toni she calculated. Don't stare of
toward the cabbage beds Look straight
up here. You may come up if you please;
there's plenty of room for both. You
are Cousin Tom, aren't your she con-
tinued, = sudden misgivings crossed heE
mind.
"Of course I am; and you are Mary,
suProser'
Catch hold of this branch-therel Now
shake handy You saucy fellow didn''
ay you might kiss mep
well, / couldn't help it; and, besides
aren't We cousiusf' said Mr.. Tom, swing
ing himself comfortably into . branch
just above Mary.
"Why. Tom, how you have changedp
ejaculated the young lady, pushing bach
- ensis With one hand, that she might