Year: 1859

1t made no little stir in Cranston when it was
rumored about that Esquire Waters had been
heard to say in the presence of some twenty or
more persons, that whoever he had the good
luck to find meddling with hls early fruit, he
would treat in manner not over and above
palatlble No little stir, | say it occasoned,
because the good people of the thriving, pop
ulous village were keen to learn (as all such
good people are) who the trespasser upon the
grounds of the wealthiest man in town might
be-


But in vain each man looked into his neigh
boris face for some trace of guilt and eyed
askance every rollcking youngster that walked
the strpet---nothing could be learned of the un-
ruly inarauders till at last, the villagers hint
ed that the wealthy bachelor squire was more
scared than hurt, and that he only raised the
outcry to irghten thieves away from his prem
ises that no one would dare to venture through
the forest-like grounds, or get within the shadow
of the grand, solemn, ghostly-looking house,
for the sake of few early apples.


Bat there was little mystery about the
affair that the people of Cranston could not see
through not that it was so very deep and pro.
found that it was proof against all reading !;
on the contrary, it was the simplest matter in
the world, or would have been | mean, if they
had known how to solve it. For that part it
was just like any other puzzle. They could
easily conceive the possibility and probability of
wild set of mischievous urchins, or frolicsome
young men, and even company of unprinci-
Piled vag.bonds disturbing the quiet of the
squires fruit orchard, but further than that
their ideas could not find IL way. Had they
been told in confidence, that the morning after
the depreciation, there were innumerable tracks
Of tiny, dainty shoes upon the green turf and
soft, brown soil of the nursery that in one
place was found small kid glove and in an
other a bit of cambric handkerchief, with the
name of the owner delicately traced in the cor
ner-had they been told this say, they woulc
have better understood the quiet way in which
the gentleman treated the robbery, and the pro
found silence which he kept when the subjec
was discussed in his presence. But they di'
. not know, and SO they secuted at the whole af
: frir, Or at least as much as they dared, whel
the richest and most honorable man in town wa
concerned


But one day, when the little wonder hat
quite died out in the village, 90 those who kne,
the signs of the times" there seemed an even
of some Importance brewing. All day, in tn
old brick academy, the laughing mischlevou
girls were knotted together in various places
chatting in low. confidential tones. AT reces
time the merriest of the school sat down upo
the green turf and bent their bright heads tC
gether, and said so many funny things, an
made such number of comical suggestion
upon the matter they were discussing that tn
whole air rang with their laughter Just owe
the way from the old academy, the statel
house of Squire Waters CLEANED out from th
forest of trees and shubbery that surrounded
looking 50 royal and grand, 50 like some ole
ancient castle. with its arching portcos an
snJwy turrets, and a bove all, SO formidable an
threatening in its aspect, that none but 81
OF mAdcap schoolgirls would have dared pla
against its peace and quiet.


But from the many rogusl, glances, an
bright suggestive smiles that were directed Il
wards 1t during the day, it was quite evidel
thAt the old mansion and its grand surroudin,
was the subject Of their thoughts and plans
At night the question was proved beyond
Doubt, for when tho village grew still and oui,
and the moon sailed clearly up the blue steep


the sky, pouring her ray of silvery light up,
the g'lded spires and snowy pillars of h
squire's beautiful home, strange procession


reckless merry misses stole into the wide q
gato that led through the principal mall of /
ECIen-like garden to the coveted orcha
grounds