Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-03-02
NO TRESPASSING.

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
more than the coy green film they had adj
ventured when 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 Oh tho other side of the gate lead
ing into the wood was a poplar, caring
nothing for the we'll being of the violets
Nesting at it's 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 it was on the poplar that the notice
board was fixed.
A 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 stray
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 it's silent, over
brusque message. But the sun shone with
bright yet tempered warmth, a 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 tho violets and the willow
bloom and of all the young greenness I'M
derfoot and overhead, and tho 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, a young man, came along
the road, and although he could not see
the smile on the lips and eyes of tho maid
her face being turned from limit 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:
"Would there be the option of flne?''
she asked gravcly as she pointed to the
board fixed to the poplar stem.
81 think it probable, - he answered in a
tone which was only serious.
''Much?" she inquired.
"Not exceeding 20 shillings l 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 60 upon his way. There
was the five barred gate to be climbed be-
fore the theft could be committed, and
maidens crave no spectators for such feats
Thank you," she said at length in a
tone Of flnality, and she turned her shout
der to him and faced the wood again. But
the man, IT lacking perception, did not
lack kindly heart.
81 am the--the person who would have
to summon you it, you were found trcspass-
ing" he remarked. She turned to him
again, with chagrin and defiance strug
Cling in her eyes for mastery Son the
OIL IN, h, y,o,
son who could prevent the trespass de
fiance conquered chagrn 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 dived in his velvet coat pocket for the
paddock key
II hope" he said as he proceeded to I'M
lock the gate, that you will lose nothing |
of the pleasure by this prosaic entry"
"No," declared the maid, with half
sigh of regret, II have grown away from
that fraudful age when five barred gate
is primarily a mighty thing to be climbed
especially when it sants toward one. 1t
no longer represents to me the beetling
crag which must perforce be surmounted
to reach the enchanted castle beyond. Be-
sides which, she added, II think-I say
think-my ordinary nature is honest,
though apt to chafe when''-she spoke
somewhat democratically m "when the
flowers are wild"
They had passed through the undecorated |
portal 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.
g Tis better so-when youth is passed."
she answered, signing. And then she |
bent her pretty head and looked demure.
So they wendell down the sunlit slope |
with their faces turned toward pleasant |
ness, and tho blossoms growing in the |
wood were lossened by many score, and |
the lark above the wheatfleld was many u |
mile nearer heaven.
why does he not 60 upon his wayW
thought the maiden as she stopped over
the lush leavod primroses growing by the
little rill, swapping their crisp stems with
out single scientic qualm for the lives
she thus laid low. But tbs his duty,
after oil, to lock mo out again, as twas
his courtesy which let me In. BY rights
should not hinder him.
But the young man was no unpleasant
companion, and withal somewhat useful,
for willow stem fights for its blossomy
head, enduring the stripping Of Its youn,
skin and the sacrifice Of Its soft, almon,
scented blossoms one by one rather thaA
YIELD and a pocketknife Ia seldom AMONG
the gewgaws Of maiden.
x 1'ha ntnkinn nf vtn1ntc Il n n1oxr s,a~.