Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-05-05

nets footsteps over the grass.
As she reached the belt of woods close
to the opplC-orchord, she paused in dis
may at the sound of sweet, high pitched
voice.
It's Linnetw she involuntarily ex-
claimed. "And she's scolding some-
body. Dear me, whom can it bc1 Sure
ly not Ajax"
"You arc thief" she could hear Lin
net cxclaim-"a robber! Let that bar
rel of apples alone, say. / don't care
whether you arc Squire saudford or not
That barrel of apples is minc!"
And as Rose drew near, she could see
this dimpled young Amazon resoluteIy
defending the barrel of apples, with her
single strength, against Squire Sandford
and his stoutcst farm laborer.
She stood there, with one slight hand
on the red checked fruit, which was
trimming over the borrcl-hoops, and be-
fore her the tall squire and his herculean
aid-dc,comp were helpless.
'If you will allow nc to explain"
pacilically began the squire.
81 will allow nothing" declared Lin
net. ~ repeat, these apples are mine.
Touch them, at your peril"
Thus far the young heroine was a con-
Qucror But alas. in that very moment
Of victory Nemesis was at hand. There
was the dull sound of trampling hoofs,
then sullcn below, and Ajax himself,
bursting through II weak spot in the
fence, was upon them.
Lnnct Dcssoir collapsed, so to speak,
at once. She forgot her hcroism, her
lignity-cvcrything but her danger, and
flew, for rescue, to Squire Sandford,
shricking:
"Savc nc! save ne"
The Farmland doggcd behind the
wagon; but Squire San ford never
Quailcd, but held her rcsolutcly in his
arms.
"Do not be afraid" he said, almost as
if he hal been speaking to a frightened
child. "Nothing shall harm you, little
one"
For an instant, things look very black;
then Squire sandlord spoke gently once
more.
"Do not hold my arm so tightly" said
he, "Lct me get at my revolver. must
shoot the brute! No, don't be so terri
fed. Do not you hear me say that moth
ing should harm y0uN
And then the problem resolved itself,
as problems often do. Ajax, butting his
huge head against the barrel of lady-ap'
pies, sent them rolling in all directions,
and caught his horns in the barrel itself,
clTcctually binding him. lie set off at a
wild gallop down the hill, believing as
he went, and there he met his fate in the
shape of two or three men with rum
ming moose of rope and good stout
chain.
"IIcllo, pet" shouted Farmer Heb
ron's voice. "WhNt'S the mattCrl She
hasn't tainted, has She squirc?"
And Linnct, realizing that she was safe,
blushingly withdrew from Mr.. Sandford's
shcltcring arms, and ran TO her uncle.
81 am 50 much obliged to you, sir"
she whispered, "And plcasc-plcasc
don't mind what I said about the apples.
liou arc guitc welcome to them"
"IIcy2 Applcs!' said Mr.. Hebron.
"Why, Linnct didn't you know that |
cartcd the barrel of apples that the
squire gave you home last night"
Linnct grew crimson all over, and fled
to Roses faithful breast for consolation.
II shall never dare to look that man
in the face again" she bcwailcd herself
ooh, dcar-oh, dear, what must he have
thought of ma!'
But of course Mr.. Sandford considered
it only righ and proper to call that cvc-
ming, and inquire how Miss Dcssoir
found herself; and really the meeting
was not half as embarrassing as Linnct
had fancicd it would be.
They had good laugh about AjaS
and the apples; and Linnct confessed
how drcadfully frightened she had been.
"And with reason" said Squire Sand
ford. "Thcrc was a second or two ir
which we were in very serious danger. .
"But YOU will forgive me about tho
applcs?" said Linnct, with pretty, coax
ing earnestncs7.
"Oh, yes, l will forgive you about th'
applcsm Squire Saldtord laughingly
returned.
And in that moment Linnet thought
what a very pretty color his eyes were,
decided that he couldn't possibly bt
thirty years old.
"Isn't it strange" said Rose Hebron,
"that we have lived ncighbor to Squir;
Sandford all these years, and he has ncv
cr been more than ordinarily polite tc
mc2 And here comes Lianct, and quar-
rcls with him at five minutes notice, anc
calls him all sorts Of names, and now
they arc engaged to be married, and !
am to be the bridesmaid
"Not at all strangc!" said Miss Dcssoir
''To me it seems a. rice and natural a.
possible. But you are mistaken abou
his age, Rosy. lie is only twenty-ninc
And if he were hundred and twenty
nine, should love him all the same"
"Of course" said Rose; that is wha
all engaged girls say."-Helcn Fores
GidreS.