The Spectator., 1915-05-18

anu d ldl SuS WiS q Laio worker and a strong-minded woman, and she had married almost without love, and certainly without romance. Her neighbors said she was hard hearted and driver. and seemed ut terly without pity, but they were mis- taken. She had loved her brother John, and when his only child drove up to the gate she took her in her arms and said: You poor child, you. but you shall have a home with me for life, and I will be kind mother to you,"
 The lapse of time is the remedy for all our griefs. After three months had passed Miss Irene was like her old self again, and there was song and laughter in the house.
 A quarter of mile below Aunt Cynthia's farmhouse, and near the highway, was giant oak tree. The farmers spoke of it as the old oak tree, and it was a landmark to be seen for miles and miles.
 Miss Irene had sat and gazed at that towering tree for an hour at time, but it had never occurred to her to make a closer acquaintance until one afternoon when she had a reply to indite to the letter of girl chum. She would do her writing at the foot of the old oak tree.
 AS the girl drew nearer and near. CT to the old oak the more it ap- pealed to her, and when at last she reached it she stood with awe in her heart. More than a hundred years they said, and it had been buffeted by hundreds of gales.
 Chatter! Chatter! Chatter!"
 It was a gray squirrel up the trunk a few feet and looking at the girl. de- flying her to come nearer.
 But 1 will!" she laughed, as she plunged into the bushes
 The squirrel whisked around to the other side of the tree. By this time she had reached the trunk and passed around it the squir- rel had made his way to the highest limb. The girl found something else, however-something that perhaps not one in thousand who passed it had knowledge of. At the height of her chin was cup or hollow that would hold quart of water. It was wound that the tree had received in some way years before, and the bark had grown again on all sides to leave a hiding spot. The hand that was thrust in felt and drew out small quantity of dead leaves, but it was too low down for safety, and no wild thing had pre-empted it for a nest.
 'Why, it might be turned into post office." unused the girl.
 And instead of writing to her girl chum she wrote: "A maiden who lives near here is waiting for her Sir Knight to come and bear her away"
 "There!" was half defantly ex- claimed as the note was deposited in the cup.
 As Miss Irene got up to wander through the woods a bit and go home, the squirrel descended a few feet and seemed to call out:
 Silly! Silly! Silly!"
 "Of course it is," said the girl in reply, and I'll come back tomorrow and tear 1t up. There are no Sir Knights any more"
 Next day Miss Irene went back to the old oak and took her note from the post office and read it with a sigh and blush. Two or three times she started to tear it up. but held her hand and finally restored 1t to the cup.
 And days and weeks and months passed away. and the girl did not re- turn to the old oak tree. She tried to content herself with looking at it from a distance. It was a young girl romance, and she had right to keep 1t locked in her breast.
 One afternoon the gray squirrel was chattering away as he cut circles around the trunk of the old oak. There was nothing to make him afraid. There was no other gray squirrel in the woods to dispute his right to the tree. as had been decided by battle.
 Chatter! chatter, chatter!"
 A young man was passing in an auto.
 Stop minute, he said to his chauffeur By George! that's fine old tree! And that's the first squirrel I've seen for years. I'd sure like his head for an ornament"
 He had pistol in his pocket, and he drew it and approached the tree. He was led around 1t as another had been.
 Hello. Here is the old fellows nest! I wonder if any of the family Is at home"
 Very cautiously hand was insert ed. There might be teeth there await. Ing it. No. there were only few acorns and bit of paper.
 "A maiden who lives near here"
 The young man walked back to the road and stood looking at Aunt Gym thias house a long time Finally he | said to the chauffeur.