Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-23

H4-1e1zI garden-SO sweet ana cletli V""O
a blackbird, perching on cherly
tree, paused, with his bill deep in great OK
heart, to hear
"Trix! Trix! Oh, Trix!"
"Here!" answered another and deeper tone
And the glossy leaves of a neghboring cherry
tree stirred, showing pair OF torn boots a,lu
scarlet stockings swinging from one Oh Cne
topmost boughs. Lots ripe this morning
Come up, Tessie."
ooh, | can't" And the first speaker,
little, fair-haired girl, stopped, breathless from
her chase through the boxbordered paths
that led from the old stone manorhouse, hall
visible through the spreading oaks beyond.
1--WE been looking everywhere for you, lrlx'
Come down.
Not yet" was the gay answer. "Hod
cut your apron, Tess, and catch. Those ro-
guish blackbirds will get ahead of us if we
don't take our share"
And great shower of ripe cherries came
tumbling down upon Tessies head and shoul-
ders- before she could demonstrate.
ooh, DON'T don't, Trix! You won't care
for cherries any more than l do when you
hear what has happened. Something awful
"Eh!" said Trix, sharply, as. with leap
and a scramble she landed at Tessie's side.
Your cat has eaten my canary, Iessie-l see
it in your face"
"No, no; though it's most as bad, said
leSslS, Iutluuy.
"'IIize has been in the sugar barrel, and
Nam Chloe is going to whip her, guessed
Trx, excitedly.
mo, indeed-though Nam Chloe is angry
enough to whip any ybody, replied Jessie, with
a shake of her head
''Dasher has broken his leg-or his neck,
faltered Trix.
mo, no; no one is hurt at all Somebody
has come"
"Company!' groaned Trix. "And we'll have
to fix up, and have regular dinners. It's old
Doctor Jeffries, and he'll count our pulse and
sound our lungs"
Worse than Doctor Jeffries," said Tessie,
solemnly.
Then it's Squire Grey, and we'll have to
shout through his ear,trumpet all evening,
"Oh, dear, no! The squire is nice, if he is
deaf, !" said Jessie. It's it's"
Aunt Prue!" said Trix, falling back in a
tragic attitude against the trunk of the cherry
tree. "Tessie Talbot, don't tell me it's Aunt
Prue! She is never due until August or Sep
tember. 1t isn't Aunt Prue?
A series of solemn mods was Tessles only an
swer.
''Aunt Prue! Oh, how dreadful! Are you
quite sure Tessie? Is she only coming, or has
she come%
Come said Tessie, deciseively. drove
up to the door Just now while / was down
in the strawberry bed. She, couldn't see me
for the currant bushes; and she had big
trunk, and little trunk, and three band.
boxes. She's come to stay-a month at least"
And poke and pry into everything, said
break out with smallpox and frighten her
"0h, Trix, DON'T That's awful wicked, {"
said Tessie, in a shocked whisper.
''I can't help it, declared Trix. 81 always
do get wicked when Aunt Prue is round She
puts me criss-cross somewhow-"
"Just like Miss Mullan does her patterns,
when they won't come out straight" said
Tessie, with little laugh. Maybe that's it,
Trix. Aunt Prue wants to cut us into her
pattern and cam"
"No, she can't" said Trix, with determin-
ed little nod. "She can't cut me out her
pattern, Tessie. She might do something with
you, but she never can with me-"
And as the two sisters stood together under
the old cherry tree, keen observer could tell
at glance that Trix was not very far wrong.
There was but years difference in their
ages, but there seemed much more.
Twelve years ago their far-haired mother
had died, leaving tniy day-old baby to keep
her name and image fresh in the loving hearts
around her.
And little Therese-or 'Tessie," as she had
But year before Tessie's sorrowful com
ing there had been another arrival at Moss
House.
Manor bright little black.eyed girl,
who seemed born only to joy and gladness,
and who was a dimpled miniature of her
strong, proud soldier father.
He had himself called her 'Beatrix-which
means happy and blessed-and ever since
merry Trix had seemed worthy of her
name.
She was tall, slender girl of thirteen
now, with great black eyes, sparkling with
mirth and mischief. and short black curls,