The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-03


was one of my cousins on my moth
er's side-he turned up his nose:
That you belonged to the nobility, I
knew" he said. but that your wine
also is entitled to the family coat of
arms is something new to me. / am
sorry. but. of course. you don't under
stand what I mean"
AS a matter of fact l did not under
stand him in this and in a good many
other things he said.
What do you do all day." he asked
with an expression OF i'll concealed
! contempt. nothing at all happens in
this lonely nest"
What did you want to happen?
think it is lovely here and always en-
joy myself when l am here.
And how, / would like to know"
We'll. 1t is my vacation. have moth
ing to do. ! am free as a bird and
can roam wherever / please and just
now the big black cherries are ripe,
and can eat as many as | want to-"
ITO pick cherries! Do you consider
that pleasure? Good Lord, what
kid you are"
i was Onended.
Guido laughed, took out his cigarette
case, lit a cigarette. and offered me
one. too.
why don't you take it, he said.
You are over fifteen now, and will
graduate next year. l have smoked
ever since l was thirteen, but, of
course, l was a different kind of
fol u-h had OF hot
given up cherry picking"
He laughed again, twirled his nous
tache and sauntered back to the
house. l smoked only a few whiffs of
the cigarette and then threw it away.
Should go and eat some cherries? No,
would not do it. When Guido says
it is ridiculous for a young man of
my age, of course I won't do it, but
will just go down to the trees to tell
our neighbours girls that l have given
up picking cherries.
The girls were sitting in one of the
big trees, the fourteen-year-old Erny
high up on forked branch, while NAL
va, who was seventeen, was on a low
err branch and said she had eaten all
she could possibly get down.
why, is it you, Hans?" both cried.
How are you Malva, how are you
Erny?"
"Servus," came from above. Come
up here"
NO." I said abruptly.
Why"
Because l don't care for climbing
trees or eating cherries any more"
"Why not?"
Because only children care for
those things"
"Well and them"
II am no child no more"
Malva let go the branch, slid down
the trunk. smoothed down her skirt
and looked at me with angry eyes.
And who says so, if may ask"
Il say so, and my cousin Guido. too"
Your cousin is a fool"
"He is not. He is student and a
baron too"
"And a fool besides"
you don't know him at all"
81 don't need to and don't want to-"
She stamped her foot. Her eyes
were full of tears, and she looked for
SO she turned and ran away.
While 1 was looking after her. Erny
came down from the tree. She stop
ped right in front of me, did not know
what to say and bit her lip in her en-
barrassment
DO you really mean you are not 60
ing to pick cherries any more?
Yes"
Are you very angry with Malva?"
Yes. because she called my cousin
stupid fool
HIM"
THAT is An insult"
We'll, did not call him that"
NO, you did not, I know"
Then you are not angry with me?"
mo. not with you
Then come down here again as you
used to-
"No!"
Il don't mean to pick cherries. Just
to sit ard talk"
She held out her soft little hand.
Yes. will do that"
"Au revoir; tomorrow then"
"Where?"
"Over by the long wall"
/ But you must come alone, without
Malva."
Yes"
Goodbye Erny."
Goodbye Hans"
l did not tell Guido about this l
was very cold to him and did not want
him to know | had given up eating
cherries because he had laughed at
me, but made believe that really did
not care for such childish pastimes
any more.
met Erny every day. sometimes in
the beechwoods. sometimes in the
meadow, sometimes under a big tree
in the park. We changed our meet
ing place every day, that Malva should
not catch us.
Once Erny brought her hat full of
cherries.
While I was eating and thinking of
Malva, Erny laid her arm around my
neck.
Say. Hans. Why are you mad at