New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-20
PLAYHOUSE IN Il TREE.

So,o ,,,.,a nsorlo whose home is on the banks OF
the Hudson have a playhouse up in the ueeIops VI
which they are fonder than Of all the other play
places they ever had. II began by being Just
scrt of rough board shanty around the dropping
limbs Of A uothery old apple tree, standing close
reighbor 20 a huge oak that ever so long ago found
its way into the orchard 1t was 50 much more
fun 10 81. among the grabbed branches, swing on
the timber ones and play tea party on shingles
n-opped I'd across the fiat twisted than 10
play with the finest possible furniture whose feet
rested stupidity on the ground or floor as II did IN
any ordinary home OF the grownups who had way
OF vaIuing things according to the money they cost
So one whole long summer the small people OF this
home among the Hudson hills had the finest times
imaginable with cushions and dolls dishes and all
sorts OF make-beeve contrivances among the lean
Ing apple limbs screened from the eyes Of curious
grownups who simply could not understand the
attractions Of such habitaton. as compared with
the comfort of bought payhouses and well fur
nished nurseries.
But the eyes Of the small people who played there
were so bright. their tempers so sweet and their
cheeks so rosy when they came back from their
apple tree tent that their papa concluded such
homes must be the best daytime kind for little
folk and began thinking what improvements he
could make for the summer to come. The result
was that a real treetop house was built the next
spring. way UP in the branches of the rough
barked oak that neighbored the old apple tree and
was reached by a laurel wood ladder. with grape
vine banisters winding about the trunk.
And such times those small people had there
after, Such tea parties and Publications the
treetop house witnessed! Grownups were invited,
and at times children from other hillside homes.
and the treetop house became really famous.
Some very funny things happened there some
times, For instance, there the day that
Isabel. who nearly eight and loved to play
prayer meeting. had gathered a ribbon box fuA OF
grassEoppers for a congregation and Tommy,
who was something like seven, had q cocoa box
just crawling fur OF anE4eHOrms against to-
morrows fishing expedition, and both these treas
slowed away under the reception room
settee in the swinging treetop house. Nobody nap
pened TO remember this, however: there were al
ways many things to think about that won
derlul farm. until late that afternoon. The little
progress in the tTeetop house. Such peals Of laugh
dows among the branches, Dgnifed Mrs. Alison
and very proper looking friend from the city had
climbed up the hardwood staii to what was
going Oh, and appeared at the doorway just as
Ned" Allison knocked the settee, and with
II the tops of the boxes beneath II. Earthwornls
covered the floor and grasshoppers filled the air.
The gTownups shrieked and fed. and the chill
dren were far from pleased.
"They's crawled into my shoes" cried Dolly
Allison.
There's worms in my hair under my sunbonnet.''
bawled the baby.
Who but a girl would have put grasshoppers
IN box like that?" stornled Tommy. One OF EN-
nearly went down my fTOat."
And all my congregations gone walled Isabel;
they 90 sit upon their hind legs and sing the