The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1903-04-23


"Aunt? Is she wellY'
Jonas Alwyn showed momentary
confusion before the boys clear
glance. Then he said hastily:
"Well-oh, yes; but she amt to home
jest now-won't be fer several days"
Time sped swiftly. There was SO
much to see and to do! True, his un.
cle's disposition varied from extreme
cheeriness to fits of moody abstra ctiOn
He proved to be SO skillful a cook that
he filled his nephew with wonder.
"I'n bet aunt's pancakes don't beat
yours" he remarked one morning, his
mouth full of light cakes and siruI
making the compliment a trifie indis
tinct.
Jonas started, then pushed away his
coffee as though something had affect
ed his appetite.
"They're a sight better" he said 80
gloomily that Herbert laughed out.
right.
II didn't think you'd be sensitive on
the subject. uncle. When she comes
I'll tell her what you said. Have you
heard from her lately?
| MOI 10 say ldtely. -
"Mother thought she was here when
you wrote" went on Herbert.
His uncle rose excitedly.
aye don't mean it," he declared We
hemently. mo; We don't mean it.
cause We don't know nawthin' about
1t. But she amt set foot in this house
for eight year come next November"
Herbert rose. pale in his turn.
I'm sorry" he faltered. Il never
knew-mother doesn't know-that any
thing had-gone wrong"
"Everything's gone wrong" said his
uncle miserably. Suddenly he clutched
his nephew and hurried him to the
door, then down in the pathway where
he faced him about before the two
fruit trees.
"This one" said his uncle. waving
his right hand much as If he were i'll
PRODUCING duchess. lis Miranda Sweet.
and this one" wave to the left and a
frown. sis Miranda Sour ~
Herbert smothered desire to laugh.
ooh! Named after my aunt?',f
"Jest SO! Them two are seedlin's,
an l planted 'em the spring she went
away. It's mighty queer that they
come true ter the names l give 'en!
AS ter her goin'-that WuZ misunder-
standin'. She's got prop'ty of her own,
about ez much ez l own. an she's
| Twin on it ten miles away. l amt
he choked a little-"I amt seen her
sence that spring mOrnin' when she
an me had 1t out in the kitchen. !
watched her bunnit 60 round the turn,
an'-an' l amt heard word of her
'cept what the neighbors let Drop"
"Since she's only ten miles away"
said Herbert with all the straightfor-
ward confidence of youth, II should
go to her and tell her it was just a
misunderstanding" -
'"That's jest what l can't do" re-
turned his uncle with extreme mOodi-
ness. EVERY time l start, an I've
started more'n onct. suthin pulls me
back. l do b'lieve it's Miranda Sour"
miranda Souri,? -
"When she went away, l named
them two seedlin's fer her-Miranda
Sweet" his voice faltered. Ito mind
me of how purity she looked the day
she an me stood up before the preach
er. She was the pink cheekedest and
softest eyed gal in the hull village
then.
81 named that tree Miranda Sour"
the old man went OH doggedly, ito
mind me how set an contrary your
aunt kin be when she's a inclination
that away! That tree has got all of
Miranda's aggravatinest ways = the
Airt of &c
jest perzactly like the fling Miranda
could give them skirts of hern when
she was swishin' past We an wouldn't
listen to reason"
Herbert hit Miranda Sour sharp
blow with a stick.
81 wish a worm would gnaw you. /
wish hurricane would blow you
down." .s. ,a
"No SIGH luck" said Jonas in tones
which expressed a certain mournful
pride in his forecasting. mo sicb
luck. She'll keep on a-growin', an
Miranda an me will keep on gittin'
furder an furder apart"
Herbert looked round furtively, then
sided up to his uncle.
"Cut her down." he whispered, one
eye on Miranda Sour to see If she over
heard.
"Cut her DOWN. exclaimed Jonas
angrily. 'Cut down an apple tree ez
cost me all that trouble! BY gum, I'll
do nawthin' of the kind! It's all yer
aunt's fault that them trees is there,
an there they kin stay fer me-"
Preoccupied himself, Jonas never de-
tected the purpose throbbing in Her.
berts whole being nor even observed
the guilty glance that his nephew stole
at him when the boy asked with as
sumed calm If he might go fishing in
stead of accompanying Jonas to mill.
"Jest as We like" said his uncle,
somewhat surprised "Ain't no good
fshin' round here, but I s'pose throw
In the line in the water'll satisfy ye."
Herbert waited until his uncle had
been gone a full half hour; then he
few round to the wood pile and seized
the ak, his heart throbbing to suffoca-
ton. He hurried back to the front
yard, glancing right and left. There
was no one in sight. He looked at
Miranda Sour, the representative of
"the ungodly." Yes, it was no fancy.
Her leaves rustled an insolent chal-
lenge. He sprang to her side and sunk
his ak deeply in her new smooth bark.
After that the blows fell fast and
furiously. In less than fifteen min
utes she lay quivering and signing at
the feet of Miranda Sweet.
With desperate strength he dragged