Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-03-21
UP A PLUM TREE.
Imprisonment, Rescue and the
Triumph of Love.

"Please, SIR" said old zeruiah, the
house-keeper, there's man up in the
plum-tree"
Cup in the plum-treer repeated Mr.
Brown "And what's he doing up in the
plum-treel 1t amt the time o. year for ripe
plums."
mo" said Zeruiah, giving the frying
pan that she was cleaning an extra scrape
with the knife, :" taint time o. year fol
plums to be ripe. But it's always time o
year for young men to make fools of them
selves, and the third branch Of that 'al
plum-tree is on line with the window Of
Arabella Arden's room"
"Ehp said Mr. Brown, dropping his
newspaper and opening his eyes very wide
LAS true as you live, sir" said Zeruiah
"But that was precisely what my brother
sent her down here for" said Mr.. Brown
contracting his bald forehead into innumer
able wrinkles. "To keep her out OF Hubert
Wynton's wayn
"Humphr said Zeruiah. "The world is
wide, but it amt wide enough to keep two
fools apart"
"Up in the plum-tree, is hel" said Mr.
Brown, with sardonic smile. "What sor
of looking fellow is he, Zeruiahl"
WALL" answered the old woman, still
holding the frying-pan as Minerva of ole
might have held her shield, " the leaves i:
thick, and my sight amt what it once was
but he's got light-colored clothes on, as was
never cut in Bean Hollow; and his hat
that lays out on the grass, has got city
makers name in it."
"Goodl" nodded Mr.. Brown. "Yor
ought to have been a detective, Ruey
They would give you good wages, I'll bet Z
big apple. Where's the hat!'
81 brung 1T in and put it on the hal
table," answered Zeruiah.
Every well. Go out and chain Caesar
under the plum tree. Give him gooC
length of chain, Ruey Then come bacl
and move all Arabella's things into the
west bedroom. I'll take the end room my
self. If there's any serenading, or poetry
reciting, or any thing of that sort, I'll have
the henofit - - rovo0lfn
= slow smile broke out over Zeruiah's 8
wooden face.
"But what'n you tell herl" said she.
"Tell herl 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 Pete's. Every
thing must be moved before she returns.
And pull the shade down, so the city chap
won't suspicion what we're up to-"
OF trudged Zeruiah, who, in spite of her
having first seen the light on the rugged
coasts of Maine, was at heart true Span
ish duenna, and took grim delight in frus-
tratng the intents of Cupid.
Bella Arden was young and pretty Bella
had dared to ridicule her old-fashioned
ideas. Bella had nick-named her "Medusa," 1"
and, though Zeruiah had not the least idea
who "Medusa" was, she dimly suspected
that it was no complimentary 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 roomm
"Well, you see, my dear" said Mr..
Brown, craftily, 1--WE an idee that the east
room will suit my rheumatism better. You
don't mindl"
"Oh, not in the leastl" said Bella, cheer
fully "And III go right to work and ar
range the things that that cross old Zeruiah
has flung about so recIlossly. Oh, by the way,
uncle, there was no letter for me, sup
pose" as she glanced at the weekly paper
lying unfolded on the table, for see
they've brought the mail"
"No, my DEAR" said Mr.. Brown, "no let
ters."
And the cows came with tintling bells,
home from the fern-scented pastures, and
the sun sank behind the maple swamps,
and the purple dimness of twilight began to
brood over all things, and sull Hubert
Nynton, prisoned up among the tossing
plum boughs, waited in vain for some
prospect of his release.
"Confound these good peoplep' SAID he
10 himself. "What on earth have they
chained that savage beast here for just
nowi And l believe must have made a
is not Bella's room at all. A
stout old man has sat there, reading the
paper, all the afternoon, and l haven't
dared 70 stir, for fear of being shot for a
burglar I've seen the darling once or
twice picking flowers in the garden, and
water from the spring, but /
haven't ventured to call to her, for fear of
bctraying my hidlng-place. Shades OF
Episurus how good that frying chick smells
Coffee, tool I'd give kings ransom for a
cup of itm
Poor uubertl He could not stir for fear
Of rousiag Cesar's deep low-pitched bark
and compromising himself and Bella, but he
grew sitter and more cramped with every
second OF his enforced vigil,
"phey must take the dog TO his kennel
before long,n he thought, as the dew suf
fused the air with moisture and the night
birds began TO wheel about the luxuriant
branches OF the old tree.
But presently Zeruiah came out with a
tan pan OF water and platter Of bones TO
break CUesar's fast.
" Is it all right Rueyl" said Mr. Brown
in a sort of stage-whisper, from the kitchen
door.
IAN right, sir I" Zeruiah answered.
And then, in lghtning-fash, as il were.
Hubert comprehended il all
He was entrapped. That weazen- faced
old woman and the malicious elderly uncle
of his beloved were in l0ague 20 be his
'c.a ll' N'f hi u.lf