The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-08-20

Ormistan, with the offending lorgnette
held up to her eyes.
'But the effect is so lovelyw
"Mistletoel" repeated Colonel Hay,
who was halfway up stepladder,
draping a United States flag over the
doorway. "Why, saw a whole tree full
as we drove from the station. / could
easily get it for you"
"Could you9" Miss Ormistan's pale
eyes glistened. "But we couldn't think
of troubling you9"
the world" said the gallant cavalier.
'I'm a regular cat for climbing"
eyes, but" Mrs. Ormistan began,
when she was checked by glance from
her daughter, who afterward explained
her policy.
''Let him get it, mamma" said fair
Dorinda, ''it will keep him from flirting
with the Fairlie girls, and give him
something to do. And he isn't supposed
to comprehend how disobliging the Co
rams are. For all he knows, the tree is
in our woods; and the mlstletoe will
produce such an effect against the pink
gray walls!"
So Colonel Hay went foraging, with
blithe step and careless whistle, little
knowing what he did.
~ WONDER" he mused to himself, as
he strobe along, whereabouts those
pretty Miss CoIams live? 1t was some
where in this direction that Miss Dorinda
took me that summer day. l should like
to call on them while I'm down at the
Hall. That tallest Miss Coram had a
face like the Sistine Madonna. I've al
ways secretly wished to see it again.
l do hope they'll be at Dorinda's party.
Halloal here's my old mistletoe tree, and
the ladder lying under it, too. Well, l
should do discredit to my school-boy
training if couldn't climb any tree 60
ing under such conditions as thisl'
Like squirrel he sprang up the lad
der and made his way into the upper
boughs Of the tree, clipping bunch after
bunch of the lovely green parasite from
the hoary gray trunk and flinging them
down on the frozen surface of the snow
below.
1t was most fascinating business, for
even as he climbed, some still more
tempting cluster CLEANED higher up.
The sun, red and round as an orange,
poised itself for a second on the serrated
edge Of the woods, and then dipped
down, leaving warm glow where, but
now, the level light had streamed-and,
almost in an instant, as it were, the whole
landscape seemed stepped in a sober pur-
pie.
"It's growing dark" said Colonel
Hay, to himself. ~ believe I'd better
come down"
At the same moment clear, fresh
young voice--a mezzo-soprano of the
most approved type-called scornfully
out:
'I've caught you, have II A thiefl
wonder Miss Ormistan could countenance
such a contemplate action as this Why,
do you know could put you in Jail for
this2 Stealing my mistletoe in broad
daylight But won't have you arrested.
I'll simply teach you lesson. You may
stay up in that tree and consider it, at
your leisure, until l get ready to let you
como down."
And, balancing the ladder lightly on
her strong, young shoulder, George
Coram walked off with the ease and com
posure of a nineteenth century Amazon,
leaving the gallant colonel transfixed with
dismay.
"It's the Madonna" he said to him
self. "pd know that face anywhere
and the sweet, full voice! What does
she meanl can't be trespassing, or
Miss Ormistan would have warned me. Is
it joker or does she really mean to
leave me up here to freeze to death2 It's
too far to jump, and don't dare to risk
slide down the trunk. Well, there's
no help for i'll must just wait here
until assistance arrives on the scene. A
pretty predicamentl Whew how the
west wind shrieks across the frozen lake
Going to teach me a lesson is shel Well,
I'm learning it!'
"Oh, George, how could youw cried
the more pacific Kitty, when she heard
her sisters tale of triumph. "Why the
poor man will freeze!"
"He needed heroic treatment" said
4 George, her brown eyes shining mirth-
fully. "The idea of his daring to steal
our beloved mistletoe!"
"But dare say he only obeyed Miss
Ormistan's ordersl" pleaded Kitty.
"Then he must take the consequen-
ces," retorted George. "But it is grow
ing awfully, awfully cold since sunset,
and if you'll go with me, Kitty, I'll take
the ladder back and let him come down.
See how bright the moon is shining. 1t
will be a regular adventure!"
"Poor Miles" said Kitty, laughing.
"He'll have the worst kind of a rheuma-
tism tomorrow.
~ didn't think of that, ," said penitent
George.
And, standing under the tree, she
called out in her sweet soprano voice:
"Dliles Miles here's the ladderl You
may come down now. l trust that this
little incident may make an impression
on you in the futurel"
Slowly the culprit descended.
Sand, Miles" added George, as his
foot touched the top round of the lad
der, "my sister and / have brought you
a pail of hot coffee to drink, so that you
won't take cold. wish you no harm, as
presume you only obeyed your mis-
tress's orders, but it's time you learned
to discriminate between our grounds and
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