The Portland daily press., 1896-11-25
NO TRESPASSING.


cuted. F" The branches of the sycamore
tree by the gate leading into the wood we're
thick and strong and of mighty spread.
Moreover the leaf buds were bursting from
their paler sheaths, shedding spots of shade
upon the quickening earth beneath, while
pretending to hide their sturdy parent
stem. Down the slope of the wood, too, as
far as the eye might see the elms, beeches
and hawthorn bushes wore something
moro than the coy green film they had ad-
ventured wltn first the charm of apparel
had been stirred in their sap by the frolic-
some touch of spring. Their tint was de-
cided now. their leaves almost shapely.
Even that gallant, the sun god, was forced
to recognize their power to check his bold
glances and hide from him some of the in
nocent little blossoms straining up from
their brown cradles to meet his kisses. But
the tree on the other side Of the gate lead
ing into the wood was poplar caring
nothing for the we'll being of the violets
nestling at its roots nor for the hiding of
Its own bare stem. "Let me reach you,
you wonderful blue heaven its branches
seemed TO plead as they stretched toward
the sky with never one doubling curve.
And 1t was on the poplar that the notice
board was fixed.
winsome maid stood by the gate lead
ing into the wood and rested one arm on
the top bar, and she gazed down the slope
with wishful gaze, realizing the patches
OF primrose leaves and blossoms, the strag-
Cling violet roots, the pale Towering will
low, the catkins, the speedwells, the spot
ted orchis leaves. Then she turned her
face to the poplar and read its silent, over
brusque message. But the sun shone with
bright Jet tempered warmth, lark rose
from the field of young wheat on the other
side of the road, the spring was in the air,
in the song of the bird, in the heart of the
maid, in the breeze, too, which blew softly
from the south, for on that breeze came
the scent of the primrose, mingled with
the scent of the violets and the willow
bloom and of all the young greenness un-
derfoot and overhead, and the maiden
turned her eyes quickly to the woods again,
while small but reckless smile crept to
her lips and eyes. "And anemones, too,"
she murmured as she noted their trembling
blossoms and fresh green leaves.
Then man, young man, came along
the road, and although he could not see
the smile on the lips and eyes of the maid
her face being turned from hint is
possible that the pose of her head may
have aroused his suspicious, for as he drew
near her he stopped and looked expectant.
The ears of the maid had scarcely needed
the footsteps, but they noted the following
silence and she faced about before the
smile had died and while her thoughts
were yet entangled in the woods. Then
slowly an impulse came to her, and she
spoke:
th0r ha hA n,tf ~
she asked gravely as she pointed to the
board fixed to the poplar stem.
''I think it probable, - he answered in a
tone which was only serious.
"MuchP" she inquired.
"Not exceeding 90 shillings, should
fancy.
The maiden sighed. "The price is high,
but imprisonment would be longer, and
I must have them"
Then there followed short silence dur
Ing which the man looked at the maiden
with hesitation, but the maid wished that
the man would go upon his way. There
was the fiss barred gate to be climbed be-
fore the thets could be committed, and
maideas crave no spectators for such feats
Thank you,'' che said at length in
tone Of flnality, and she turned her shoul-
der to hiEa and faced the wood again. But
the man, If lacking perception, did not
lack kindly heart.
81 am the-the person who would have
to summon you if you we're found trespass-
ing" he remarked. She turned to him
again, with chagrin and defiance strug-
Cling in her eyes for mastery. "On the
other hand,' he continued, "I am the per-
son who could prevent the trespass" de-
fance conquered chagrir for the moment
-"by giving you permission. Pleasure
came as arbiter, and the maids eyes held
nothing but an honest smile as the young
man divsG in his velvet coat pocket for the
paddock key.
81 hope" he said as he proceeded to un-
lock the gate, fthas you will iose nothing
of the pleasure By this prosaic eEivrX."
no." deuii.red the maid, with a half
sigh of re4:ro@, 81 have grown away from
that fra;t0@+i age wssn five barred gate
is prin:as;ts u u431nty thing to be climbed
especially when it slants toward one. It
no longea aes c3le1ts to me the beetling
erag whie.l Ii ust perforce be surmounted
to reach the enchanted castle beyond Be-
sides which," she added, II think-I say
I think-Iny ordinary nature is honest,
though apt to chafe when''-she spoke
somewhat de1uocra tically - "when the
flowers are WilG. ="
They had passet! through the undecorated
portel toward the goal of her desires, and
the young man laughed unaffectedly as he
hoped that she would find the wood en-
chanting rather than enchanted, with
more OF peace and less of peril.
& 'Tis better so-when youth is passed."
she answered, signing. And then she
bent her pretty head and looked demure.
So they wended down the suplit slope
with their faces turned toward pleasant
ness, and the blossoms growing in the
wood were lessened by many score, and
the lark above the wheatfeld was many a /
mile nearer heaven.
"Why docs be not go upon his wayP" |
thought the maiden as she stopped over
the lush Ieavcd primroses growing by the
little rill, sn&pping their crisp stems with
out single scientic qualm for the lives
she thus laid low but It's his duty,
after all, to lock me out again, as twas
his courtesy which lot me in. By rights I |
ehould not hinder him..
But the young man was no unpleasant !
companion, and withal somewhat useful, |