Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-05-30
HIS OWN PROPERTY.

weather,
end singing, and loving, all come back to-
gether!
For green leaf and bios Ohr'
The "Oh!" was in quite a different
KEY, and did not seem to harmonic with
the rest of the song. Ellie Fairfax was
equally surprised and disgusted to find
that she had an unexpected auditor-a
young man, who stood in the middle of
the path, with an amused smile on his
face that wcs quickly supplanted by de-
corously grave expression as he saw that
he had attracted her attention.
~ beg your pardon" he said, lifting
his hat, ''but I have completely lost my
self in these woods. Can you tell me if
there is any possible way of getting out
of thema 1 begin to think that have
been bewitched."
He was rather good looking young
man, dark and slight, with spruce neat
air that exasperated Ellie, who was in
stantly conscious of having come prim-
rosing, with the boys, in her Oldest
clothes.
Nevertheless, she was young person
IF dignity and decision, as behoves the
only and elder sister of large family of
boys, SO, despite her perilous position
,m;d encumbering hazel boughs, she drew
herself up and answered severely:
81 suppose you are aware that these
woods are private property, and that you
are trespassing?"
Greatly, am extremely sorry if have
trespassed on your property" said the
stranger.
His air of extreme regret somewhat
Modified Ellie, who answered in less
forbidding manner:
ooh, it is not ours, but we have leave
10 come here while the owner is abroad. !"
Herewith she emerged slowly from
the clinging bushes, and arrived on the
path little disheveled, being more in
tent on preserving her primroses than her
raiment. In spite of her old winter
gown AID her general untidiness, she was
very pretty girl as she stood in the
broad green ride with the spring sun
shine falling on her through the leafess
trees, and bringing out the cold tints in
her abundant brown hair.
II am afraid l can't direct yov, for
you would only lose your way" she said,
looking up the stranger with her frank
gray eyes. "But we are Just going
home, and can take yoa as far as the
gate, if you like"
He accepted the offer with alacrity,
and Ellie, turning from him, made the
woods ring with shouts of tBoys! Boysn'
Ahat brought her brothers scurrying out
Df the underwood like rabbits in all
directions.
"This gentleman has lost himself in
Ahe woods, and undertook to show him
Ahe way out, she said confidently to the
eldest boy, Bob, as he came up exhibit
ing evident surprise at finding her witt
a companion.
"The owner must be very good -natureG
to let you plunder his woods like this,
the stranger remarked, with an amused
smile, as the party set forth, laden with
flowers and roots.
''Mr. Hayes has nothing to do with it,
returned Bob promptly. "When hi
comes back expect we shall be turned
out, so we are making a new fernery ant
getting roots for the garden as fast Us We
can"
The young mans amused laugh at tn,
ingenious explanation made Ellie feel
little guilty.
81 don't think we do any harm really,
she said. "And this is our first sprin:
in the country, so that we can't help go
ing mad over the flowers and accumulat
ing them wholesale"
The stranger assured her that he wa
certain that they were doing no harm
and entered warmly into the plans for tn
new fernery. The boys clustered sroun'
him, telling him their plans and ad
ventures, won by his frank. interest ant
amusement. Ellie walked on in front
enjoying the beauty of the woods in thei
spring dress and listening idly to cage
voices behind her. She could not hel
liking any one who got on so well wit
the boys, and by the time they reache
the gate she felt quite friendly towar
the intruder.
"We part here, I suppose" she sai6
facing round as they entered the meade,
beyond the woods. "That path to til
left leads to the village. But shoul
recommend you not to trespass here agai
or you may get hopelessly lost"
81 will take care in the future; al
much obliged to you," said the youn
man, gravely.
But he stood watching, with loo
half amused, half admiring, as Ell
moved onward, a tall, 1.-the young figur'
amid her body guard of boys.
"What jolly chap! wonder if l
lives near herc9" said Jim, as he slippe
q grubby paw into his sisters arm.
"Yes, he does; so / asked him to con
and help us with the ferncry, and he sal
he would" said Bob.
| "Oh, Bob! You didn't" cried Eli
"Yes, did. l expect he is one of Il
Taylors from High Cliff, and Mrs. Mo
rison said they meant 20 ccl,' said Bo1
unabashed.