Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-12-22
ONLY A RED PLUME.

Eustave) is the way the Loan exhibition
catalogue has it, 1t hangs in one corner
the east gallery in the Academy of De
lgn 1t is picture of feather, of furs,
bf bodice of black, and incidentally
portrait of womans face, oval, dark,
large eyed red Tipped.
Smith, the artist, passes it by. Tie
knows it well. So do Mrs. Jones, the
critic, and portly Brown, the collector. It's
only admirers are three chattering misses.
These make way presently for the very old
gentleman and madame, his wife, and go
into another gallery to chatter some more.
He is tall and spare. His cheeks are
pink, and his hair is silver white. Ma
tlame wears her hair in three little curls
on each side of her face, like the other
lady-she of the court of King George
framed in the next gallery. And both
pause before the lady of the scarlet plume
whose face turns back the years for each.
''Her very face" the old gentleman
muses., and as he muses. he sees young
ster in his school days and beautiful girl
whose glorious hair is crowned by red
plume. 1t is near an old stone house by
the sea, and the youth is himself. He was
home from school for his summer holi-
mother had died, and she had come to
make his home her own. He learned this
after he reached the house. He didn't
know it when he jumped from the wagon
at the gate and started up the path that
led through the grove to give his mother
surprise. He was therefore mystified when
"a little maiden stepped from the arbor
and held out her hand.
"You're Richard, aren't you?'
YES" he said.
"Tm Cousin May. I've heard great
deal about you, and want you to like
me, because | am going to live with Uncle
Richard and you"
And he did like her from that moment.
| They walked to the house hand in hand,
and from that day Cousin Richard and
Cousin May shared their sports. They
rowed together on the bay, and Richard
taught her how to swim. She rode his
pony and spoiled his dog with kindness.
They built little boats and set them adrift,
thin paper sails spread out to the wind
and their sharp prows pointed toward the
reef beyond which rolled the surf. They
ltramped over the hills hunting for birds
nests, looking for rabbits burrows and
/ following the idle squirrel along the OLD
stone wall They gathered wild flowers
d anu lOur Iedleu ClONer. udJ Is Ju6 way
the summer passed. He was II. Cousin
May was three years younger.
But the red plume!
} At the thought of it the old gentleman
smiles, and in the painted face he almost
sees an answer.
! The red plume 1t was the last night
of his holiday. He left for school early
the next morning. John had carried his
trunk down stairs, and it stood open in
the hall waiting for the treasures that his
mother would stow away after he had
gone to sleep-frosted cakes and apples
and little purse, IA round, fat little purse
that jingled when it was shaken.
g., Cousin May had slipped away in the
afternoon, and he had spent an hour or
more in searching for her He found her in
the arbor near the gate, where be had met
her first. Her eyes were red, and when
he called she hid her face and pretended
that she did not hear him. When he came
behind her and put his arm around her
waist she boxed his ears, laughed and ran
away When she was out of reach, she
stopped and put On the scarlet plume.
1t was of maple leaves, red with the
early autumn frost, and it trailed from
the crown over the side of her hat and fell
on her shoulder. half hidden in her black
tangled hair
Not the same plume the painted woman
wears, hut like it in color and grace, very
like it, only pretrer.
Then she laughed again, and permitting
herself to be caught the cousins walked
back to the house, and she was gayer than
he had ever seen her before.
zone would think, little May, that you
were glad to zee me go away" he said as
they stood at the door.
II am, if you are glad to 60"
You know Pm not. You know p
and he caught at her hand. But she dart
ed away with another laugh and ran NJ
stairs blowing him kiss from the tips
of her fingers.
Unhappy Cousin Rchardl And agar
the old gentleman signs.
After tea they sat by themselves in thu
corner of the library under the big lamp
and May was strangely good to him. Sh
talked about Ais pony and made rash prom
ises as to his dog-the spoiled dog. Sh
said that she would write 20 him and ever
promised TO send her picture by and by
and then she asked.
''Do You read hands, Cousin Richard?'
Il could read your hand, ." he said.
AS well az the old gypsy docs,"
Just as well. Try me"
Take it, and besure that You read mic
things, or III be very angry with you"
n Angry with him for reading bad thing
) in that hand Foolish Cousin Mayl An
If the old gentleman smiles once more at til
}. very idea.
y Take it, Not that way, clumsy Sc
c Now tell me how long I'll live, an
{ whether ri marry a handsome man wit
:. horses and carriages and curly hair
|. Richard s hair was straight as stretche
fiddle strings-"and always be happy Ca
you tell me all that?"
"Your life line," said Richard gravely
= tracing the narrow crease with his finger
lis long and clear You will live to /
very old -
Il want to live to be very old, lib
grandma, and wear Il beautiful black sill
dress I've always wanted that. Go OF
Will marryY"
you will have horses, and carriag
and horse to ride and dogs, and "A yacl
that can sail out on the sea, and you wi
live in an old stone house in grove
trees, ahd'-
'Wnl my--my-husband have cur