Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-28
I he

q" mere letting of Muttlc Deeplng
strange was no unimportant event but
the inhabitants of Great Decping. Nut
tie Deeping (possibly a corrupting of
Middle Deeping) and Little Decping
we're stirred to the very depths of their
being when the news came that 1t had
been let to German Princess. The
women at any rate, awaited her coin
ing with the liveicst interest and
curiosity. emotions dashed someway
from their fine height when they
learned that Princess Elizabeth Of
Casscl-Nassau was only thirteen years
and seven months old.
The Twins did not share the excited
curiosity Of their neighbors. They re-
scented the fact that the tenant Of
Muttle Decping Grange was a German,
Princess. Erebus was more resentful
than the Terror; and 1t is to be sus-
pected that the high patriotic spirit
she displayed In the matter was In
some degree owing to the fact that
Mrs. Plonkinsop. the chief gossip Of
the nci-liborhocd. who came one after
tho grandfathers. grandmothcrs. I'M
rcss. ended by saying. with meaning
girls of the neighborhood -
The spirit of Erebus was high, not
10y any means ono to brook the
thought of a model nearly two months
Younger than herself sho did not
hide from the Terror l1' Fr''i c0nvic-
ton that tho comiu.: n tr !rinress
was but phase Of t'l' ''-'.l IN inva-
son which was pr D., sweep
ENGLAND from son f. .-.s .'-n and
sword
When presently tho ''''' no to
tho Grange. the liv"i'' her
ncighbors was gra;il!o. 1l-
perfect vision of her. d. as
they had expected. at;-, thc
three churches. for she i.;. iurht
with her her own Lutheran pastor.
They only saw her on her afternoon
drives, stiff little figure. thckly
yelled against the sun. sitting bolt up
right III the victoria beside the GRIM
son baroness (crimson in face; she
wore black) in whose charge she had
come To England.
They had learned presently that the
Princess had come TO Muttle Dcepng
for hcr health: that she was delicate,
and her doctors feared lest she should
develop consumption they hoped that
n summer and autumn in the excellent
DeepinC air would strengthen her
The news abated little the cold hos
tiity of Ercbus.
But the fact that she was one Of the
people which was going to sweep Eng
land with fire and sword was not with
out its influence on the Twins resolve
to raid the famous ch-garden Of
Muttlc Decping Grange. Their mother
was out Of sorts; and DR.. ArbuthnOt
had ordered her to eat plenty of fruit.
Peaches were the best fruit in season !;
and the peaches in the Grange garden
were said to he finer than any peaches
grown in dollhouse. The Twins had
never been able to believe that the
laws Of Mcunl and Tuum applied to
fruit.
1t was IN the afternoon. swelter-
In" afternoon, after the doctors visit
end the Twins were about to set forth
on their bicycles, without any goal in
mind. when sudden CLEAN came into
the deep blue eyes of the Terror, and
he said:
i've got an idea"
An answering light cleaned in the
brown eyes of Erebus: and she cried
Ioyfully: "Thank goodness. l was be-
ginning to think that nothing was ever
going to occur to us again! 1t must
be the hot weather"
"Thosr Germans" said the Terror
slowly. "Whv shouldn't we make q
raid on the Grange peaches?"
Rather" cried Erebus; and hel
piduant face was all aight with stir
ring spirit. Then after II pause she
added reluctantly, But if the Prin
'ess is an invalid. perhaps she wants
them herself
'%he can't want all of them. Why
Wc couldn't. There are hundreds
very thing for Num- Plums are al
vc"y well but one gets tired Of them
"Hut how are we going to get into
the garden? The door in the wall only
opens on the inside" said Erebus
thoughtfully.
"Wc'rc not" said the Terror "Hurr,
up and get some leaves to put between
the penchcs. Mum will like them bet
ter with the bloom on, though it reall,
doesn't make any difference to tin
taste"
Erebus ran into the kitchen garden
and when she came back. she foun,
he Terror tying a small landing-net t
NE backbone of his bicycle. She pl
he leaves into her bicycle basket: an,
they rode slowly to Muttle Deeping.
The Twins knew the country rour
thoroughly; and they came unsee
along the screen Of the homo wood t
the fringe of trees which runs alon
the walled garden behind the Grange
That fringe Of trees was indeed use
full; standing on low branch of on
of them, the Terror raised his hea
cautiously above the wall and surveye
the garden. A dancing simmer @
heat rose above the fruit trees, traine
low. 1t was empty and silent save 70
curious snoring sound which di'
uuieted him little, since he ascrbed
TO some distant pig.
He stepped on to higher brancl
leaned over the wall and surveyed th
golden burden of the tree below hin
lie chose his peach. the rlpest he cOul
see, slipped his net under it. clicked |
lifted the peach in 1t over the wal
and lowered it down TO Erebus
The garden was not as empty as til
Terror believed, On garden chair
the little lawn in the middle Of it Sc
tho Princess Elizabeth. hidden fro
HIM by The thic: wall Of II trnlno
pear-trce and in chair beside ht
sat or rathsr spraWled, her guardian