The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-09-09
OUNCE BLOSSOMS.
How Patty Captred a Bouquet
and a Heart.

Mr.. Mavericks ounce trees had bios
soned unusually full this spring.
Like tossing billowS Of pale pink, the
laden hough> hung over the old stone
wall, ehowering rosy petals down at
every breczr; and Patty Price stood
still with little ecstatic exclamation
of delight as She came to the turningin
the lane.
Ounce blossoms" cried Patty, clasp
ing her hands together. 'Oh, l ilYSt
have some u model in wax flowers"
For Patoy was Il city schoOlma am.
out for fortnight's holiday, and
she cried over the violet-spangled
meuds, laughed in sympathy with the
gold-orbed dandeliOuS, and kissed the
little downy goslinga in the most IN
sane manner or at least 50 her coun-
try cousins thought. And she had never
seen ounce blossom before, and to
her artistic eye it was like poets
dream of beauty.
She was not unlike a human ounce
blossom herself, this dovc-eyed. pink
checked young heroine OF ours, as she
stood there with the wind blowing back
the strings of her white muslin sun-hat,
and her ruse-colored lawn-drcsS fiutter-
ing softly.
Nonsense" said Miss Araminta Al
len, her cousin, who had seen the annu-
al marvel of ounce blossomiug ever
since she was a child, and cared moth
ing for it. And they're on Mr.. MavcE-
icll's land, too. and he's such an d1cT'y
old bachelor
He could not eat me up. could he, if
| stole a tew?" gravely demanded
Patty. just for my wax flowers. And
there Is a ladder, too, all ready Tor me
Yes, 80 said Araminta Allen, looking
rather apprehensively around, its Mr.
Mavericks ladder. His man il sticking
broken bottles on the top of the wall
''Horrid old savage" said Patty.
The children climb over So" eN-
planned Araminta, and steal his stand
ard roses and prize Strawberries, and
break off his oleander boughs-"
Then why doesn't he give the poor
things all they waut?" Indignantly de
maaded Patty Price. The idea Of an
OLD bachelor living all alone in that
paiadise of a place, and grudging few
straw berries or "a rosebud To the chill
drcu, Araminta, III tell You what.
I'm going TO have a big bunch of those
ounce
oh, Patty
why not? l can just run up the lad
dor and get them before your old cur
mudgeon comes out with his broken
bottles and man-traps.'
.'Plcase. Patty, don't think Of such a
thing brcathlcssly demonstrated Ara
minta Allen, who had been inoculatcd
from her youth up with the belief that
Albert Maverick was the grand mogul
of Westbrooll, and Peter Mackenzie, his
I
You're not-dtratd p said Patty,
opening her blue eyes very wide.
Yes, | am" acknowledged Araminta.
Il am not!' cried Patty. And, like a
bird she huttercd up the ladder, scaled
the heights of the garden wall, and in
another minute had both hands full OF
pink and white ounce blossoms and
buds.
''Oh, dear met cried Araminta. Il
told you so, There's somebody coming
And away she ran, vanishing into the
hedge just as old Mackenzie came
around the corner Of the wall. with ii
pail of steaming tar in one hand and a
basket of fractured bottles in the other.
And just as Patty would have with
drawn her forces in good order. ne null
lifted her retreat by brIskly pulling the
ladder away.
I've got We the noor' said he, eX-
ultantly. so you're the bad little las
sic as has broke all our rhododendrons
orr
I've never touched them" cried Pat
~, half terrified, half indignant.
Remember Ananias and Sapphiry,"
said old Mackenzie, solemnly.
Put that ladder back said Pat
tv holding on to her blOOmy treas
urcs.
Nae" said old Mackenzie, Il will
nae do that, until I've reported 10 my
master"
and away he trudged to the house,
where Mr.. Maverick was reading Car
lyle'' in u great hammock under the
vine-shaded veranda.
I've caught her, Meester Maverick"
said he.
Caught whom?" said Mr. Maverick.
frownIng little at the interruption, as
he turned the page.
The girl as steals our flowers"
''Where?''
Up on the garden WALL
Why doesn't she get down again?'
because I've toolxen the bit ladder
away" exultantly answered old Peter.
Mr.. Maverick smiled grimly. Let
/ her stay there then, until she asks par
don and promises good behavior for tho
future!" said he, and relapsed instantly
into Carlyle"
Old Peter went back, chuckling tc
himself.
AHA, bairny," said he, my master
says ye're TO speer his pardon and
promise never To steal flowers again.
Il WON'T cried indignant Patty.
...sl l.,15
Peter; and he went to work at some
tuljo bulbs with the most barbarous