Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-11-07
THE PLAYHOUSE
IN THE COPSE

Don't you think, Cuthbert, that 1t
would be nice to make our wedding
trip to your old home in the country
You could show me all those places that
were familiar to you as a boy. the
swimming hole, the two beaches you
have so often told me about all cut
over with names, that little copse with.
IN which you played at housekeeping.
Yes, Rosa, dear; quite approve of
your plan" Then he sat silent and
thoughtful. With woman's quick eye
she detected sad memory.
The wedding over, they took train
for the village in which Cuthbert
Deane had been born and from which
five years before he had gone to seek
his fortune In the city. His widowed
mother was living on the old place and
being averse to travel had declined to
be present at the ceremony, saying she
would be at home to receive the bridal
couple. The first day after their ar
rival they visited every object Cuth-
bert had told his wife about, most Of
them being very much as he had left
them, except that some of them had
dwindled. The distance from a win
dow in his room to the ground, which
used to be very great, now seemed SO
trihing that he could jump from it
without injury; the swimming hole was
no bigger than a bath tub. AS to the
beeches, he could reach their lower
branches.
But the little copse," said Rosa, "the
inside Of which was fitted up for chiId's
housekeeping-aren' you going to show
me that?'
Cuthbert looked serious and said
nothing. Had he not changed his ez-
preston she might have forgotten all
about the copse; as it was her curiosity
was excited.
well, Is there any reason why
should not see it?'
ut Is not on this place; it is ten
miles away"
"Can't we drive thereY
I'VE could were it not for the rains
which have softened the road. Besides,
the copse is on the grounds of one
who He paused.
ut may have been cut down." she
said, seeing that he did not go on.
mo, it is there still"
"How do you known
"Please, Rosa, don't talk any more
about the copse"
rrbo xrorrr fo r~lorooJ ~ hos I,,,o
band inquiringly, then turned the sub
ject.
A few days before their expected de-
parture Cuthbert announced that a
matter Of business he wished to attend
to while at home would necessitate his
driving to the county seat. Rosa asked
If she could not go with him, but he
told her he might be detained over
night and there were no suitable &C.
commodations for her in the place. He
kissed her and, jumping into buggy,
drove down the road. Ten minutes lat
er Rosa jumped into another vehicle
and followed him.
Cuthbert, after driving awhile, drew
up on the edge Of wood where he
tethered his horse, then walked toward
a house near by in the center Of large
grounds. He did not enter by the gate,
but, circling, climbed a fence in the
rear and proceeded to clump of tall
brush. Going directly to an opening,
the location of which he knew exactly,
he entered an open space.
A stranger coming upon such place
might have supposed 1t to be the grave
of an Indian girl child, with her play
things to amuse her in the Indians
heaven. There were bedsteads. bureau
and enormous dolls; indeed. the place
was furnished as II it were a little
house. The brush intertwined above
and a ceiling Of straw had been thatch-
ed to turn the rain. In the center Of
the space was a grave, but it was the
length of an adult. At its head was a
stone, on which were the letters: