Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-08-24
A SUCCESSFUL RUSE.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
fPlease, SIR" said old Zeruiah, the
housckeeper, "there's a man up in the
plum tree"
''Cp in the plum tree?' repeated Mr..
Brown. And what's he doing up in the
plum tree? 1t amt the time O. year for
ripe plums."
No" said Zeruiah, giving the fry
ing pan that she was cleaning an extra
.scrape with the knife, " faint time O.
year for plums to be ripe. But it's al
ways time O. year Tor young men to make
fools Of themselveS-andt the third branch
of that 'ar plum-tree is on a line with the
window of Arabella AIden's room"
''Eh?' said Mr.. Brown, dropping his
newspaper and opening his eyes very
wide
@As true as you live. sir" sad Zeruiah.
~'But that was precisely what my
brother sent her down here for" said
Mr.. Brown, contracting his bald fore
head into innumerable wrinkles. ''To
keep her out of Hubert Wynton's way ="
''Humphn' said Zeruiah. F'The world
Is wide but it amt wide enough to
keep two fools apart"
''Cp the plum-tree, is he?' said Mr..
Brown, with sardonic smile. what
sort of looking fellow is he, Zeruiah?"
oval" answered the old woman, still
holding the frying pan as Minerva of old
might have held her shield, ''the leaves
is thick, aud my sight ain't what it once
was; but he's got ight-colored clothes
on, as was never cut in Bean Hollow;
and mis- hat, that lays out on the grass,
has got city makers name in it."
Good" nodded Mr.. Brown. You
ought to have been detective, Ruey.
They would give you good wages, I'll
bet big apple. Where is the hat?"
II brung it in and put it on the hall
table," answered Zeru; ah.
every well. Go out and chain Caesar
under the plum-tree. Give him a good
length Of chaiI, Ruey. Then come back
and move all ArabeiIas things into the
west bedroom. LU take the end room
myself. If there's any serenading, or
poetry-reciting, or anything of that sort,
I'll have the benefit of it myself"
A slow smile broke out over Zeruiah's
wooden face
But whatIl you tell her 20 said she.
Tell her? Why that the end room is
a better aspect for my rheumatism, " said
Mr.. Brown, chuckling. ''And make
haste, or she'll be back from Widow
Poets. Everything must be moved be-
down, so the city chap won't suspicion
what we're up to-"
Off trudged Zeruiah, Who in spite of
her having first seen the light on the rag
ged coasts Of Maine, was at heart true
Spanish duenna, and took grim delight
in frustrating the intents of Cupid.
Bella Arden was young and pretty.
Bella had dared to ridicule her old fash
toned ideas. Bella had nicknamed her
-"Medusa,' and though Zeruiah had not
the least idea who ''Medusa" was, she
dimly suspected that it was no compli-
Tmentary term. And therefore Zeruiah
WAS not sorry to see the pretty Boston
girl ''come up with" as she phrased it.
why, Uncle Brown" cried Bella,
when she came in, with her fair hair
blown about her face, and her cheeks
Redeemed by her brisk walk across hill
and hollow-''why have you changed my
room?'
well, you see, my dear" said Mr..
Brown, craftily, ''I've an idee that the
east room will suit my rheumatism bet
ter You don't mind?"
4'Oh. not in the leastr' said Bella
cheerfully ''And I'll go right to work
aud arrange the things that that cross
old Zeruiah has flung about so recklessly.
Oh, by the way, uncle. there was no let
tiers for me, l suppose" as she glanced
at the weekly paper lying unfolded on
the tab e. ''For l see they've brought
the mail"
E'No, my dear, said Mr.. Brown, no
letters"
And the COWS came, with tinkling
bells, home from the fern scented pas
lures, and the sun sank behind the
maple swamps, and the purple dimness
of twilight began to brood over all
things, and still Hubert Wynton,
prisoned up among the tossing plum
boughs, waited in vain for some prospect
OF his release.