The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-16
"CoUSIN TOM"
MARY, I am astonishedm


OF course, the grave, elder sister was
astonished. In truth and in fact, she
lived in chronic state of astonish-
ment, for Mary Thorne was always do
ing 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 aud discoved that
yonder moving object, half way up
among the branches of the huge old
pear tree, was not spray of leaves,
nor cluster of sun checked pears,
swinging in the blue empyrean, but
Miss Mary Thorne, comfortably perch
ed in the crook of the old tree, her curls
all fiecked with the sifted ray of sun
shine that came down through the
shifting canopy of leaves, and book
in her hand.
~ don't care" said the little dsmsel,
laughing saucy defiance. It's the
incest place in the world up here. I
feel just like bird, with the leaves
fattering against my face and the
wind blowing so softly, and I intend
to stay here. Wouldn't you like to
come up here, Ruthy? It's easily
done. Just put your foot on that knot,
and then"
Ruth who was thirty and whighed a
hundred and sixty pounds, bristled up
with amazement.
"Mary Thorne, are you crazy? Come
down this instant"
Indeed I shan't!" sail naughty
Mary, tossing the silky shower of curls
away from her forehead, and glancing
down with eyes that shone and sparkled
like two blue jewels.
"Brt we are all going"
eyes, I understand; you are all geing
in triumphal procession to the depot TO
render an ovation to the great Profes-
sor 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 to months So
journ at Thorne Hall. Oh, dear''
calculated Mary, 81 wish could run
away somewhere and hide. ! hate this
paragon OF prim precision. l shan't
marry him if he asks, and | mean to be-
have SO badly that he won't dream of it.
No, am not going with you. / hate
the close barouche, 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 o
nest of blue-speckled birds eggs, that
Ruth gave it up with a sigh of despair
We'll, then, have it your own way,
you incorrigible romp. I wish you
weren't too big to shut mp in dark
closet, or have your ears we'll boxed. ;"
1t is a pity, isn't it?" said Mary,
demurely.
"Of,course it is, Mary! Ii Cousin Tom
Bradley comes this morning, be sure to
explain to him why we are absent-and
behave like young lady, mind"
"All right" said Mary, dauntlessly
"I always liked Tom. We used to have
grand romps together!"
She sat there in the old pear tree,
prettier than any hamadryad that evel
might have haunted the mossy old vet,
eran of the garden, her cheeks touched
with sunshine and carmine. her dim
pied lips apart, now reading line ol
two from tie book in her lap, now
looking up, rapt in girlish reverie, into
the blue sky, as it sparkled dowr
through ever moving leaves, and now
breaking into soft little warble o.
song, to which the very robins them
selves put their heads to ono side te
| 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 following
the creeping sun glow across the velvet
lawn below, and the clock in the Gle
ochurch-spire among the far-off woods
had chimed ont eleven.
And still Mary Thorne sat there il
| those forked branches Of the old pear
tree.
Suddenly there foated into her leaf,
sanctum a pungent, aromatic odor
which made her lean curiously for
ward. shading her eyes with one hand
better to penetrate the green foliage be
low.
Not the late monthly roses, not tn,
amethyst borders of heliotrope, nor the
spicy geraniums-none of these bios
SONS distilled that peculiar smell.
"My patience" said little Mary; "it
cigar
A cigar it was, and the owner there
of-she could just see white liner
coat and a tall head covered with blacl
wavy curls- stood on the porch step
quietly smoking and indulging in
heightened view of the garden slopes.
"That's Tom Bradley" said Mary t.
herself Now, if he thinks Tn com
ing down out of this delicious, coo
place to sit straight in the hot parlors
he's mistaken! Tom" she called
out, in silver accent Of imper
ative summons, and then burst int
merry laughter at the evident amaze
ment with which the stranger gazet
round him, vainly trying to conjecture
whence the call had proceeded. "Yo,
dear, stupid Cousin Toni" she ejacula
ted. Don't stare off toward the cab
bnge bed. Look straight up here
You may come if you please; there i
| plenty of room for both. You ar
Cousin Tom, aren't you?" sha contin
ued, Us sudden misgivings crossed he
mind.
"Of course I am; and you are Mary
| Isuppose?"
Mary herself. Up with you Tom
! Catch hold of this hranch-there! No,