Opening a Chestnut Burr

k the boat which would land him not far from his early home. And yet, so different was he from the boy who had left that h

ition from which he could see the shores and passing vessels upon the river. The swift gliding motion, the beautiful and familiar scenery, the sense of freedom from ro

m about their blunt prows, and the white-winged gulls wheeled in graceful circles overhead. There was a sense of movement and life that was contagious. Gregory's dull eyes kindled with something like interest, and then he thought: "The storm lowered over these sunny shores yesterday. The gloom of night rested upon these waters

ouched at a point in the Highlands of the Hudson, his destination. Making a better dinner than he had enjoyed for a long time, an

ad, farm-house and grove, and even tree, rock, and thicket, began to greet him as with the faces of old friends. At last he saw, nestling in a wild, pictures

se," he said

cene escaped him. When near the gateway he sprung out with a lightness that he

n, and it almost seemed to him that the elder, a boy of about ten years, might be hi

ems as if the past were mocking me. That must be I there playing with my little sister. Mother must be sewing in her cheery south room, and f

o passed on up the valley. Before turning away he noticed that a lady come

asted as of old. As he climbed upon the wall a loose stone fell clattering down and rolled into the road. He did not notice this, but an old man dozing in the porch of a little house opposite did. As Gregory reached up his cane to detach from its spray a great, yellow-cheeked fellow, his hand was arrested, and he w

e man, in tones that indicated anything but the calmness of age. "Let John Walton's apples

m thoughts that were growing too painful, determined to draw the old man out;

er," cried the guar

rter all. So now move on, and

ory, eating one with provoking coolness. "What have

nd a good neighbor, too? D'ye suppose a well-meanin' man like myself would stand by and see a neighbor robbed?

I needn't stop on that account,"

' forbidden fruit. If yer lived now a good square life like 'Squire Walton and me, you'd have no reason to complain of yer luck. If I could get a

oon, for somehow it does me good to have you swear at me. I only wish I had as good a friend in the world as Mr. Walton has in you." With these words he sprung f

yin' time. What a cussed old fool I be, to promise to quit swearin'! I know I can't. What's the good o' stoppin'? It's inside, and might as well come out. The Lord knows I don't mean no disrespect to Him. It

, and, panting, he sat down on the sunny side of a thicket of cedars, for the la

, he found himself tracing with his eye every well-

r as it fell over the dam, the grating notes of a katydid, rendered hoarse by recent cool nights, in a shady ravine near by, and a black cricket chirping at the edge of the rock on which he sat-these were all. And yet the sounds, though not heard for years, seemed as familiar as the mother's lullaby that puts a child to sleep, and a delicious s

at it might thus have been awaiting him in all his abse

" he thought, "while we are such willing exiles from

iated with his mother brought back her teach

st to last. Everything deceived me, and turned out differently from what I expected. These loved old scenes are true

from limb to limb in a clump of chestnuts near. The crackling of a twig betrayed to Gregory the cause of its alarm, for through

were not regular, that her profile was not classic. It was only the rich glow of exercise and the jaunty gypsy hat that had given the first impression of something like beauty. In her right hand, which was ungloved, she daintily held, by its short stem, a chestnut burr which the squirrel in its alarm had dropped, and now, i

e with easy politeness he stepped forward and sa

s voice, and for a moment reminded him o

on a seeming stranger for addressing you informally. My name may no

iately recover herself, and still stood regarding

for you, and you shall take its contents in confirmation of what I say. If I find sound chestnuts in it, let them

t parted from the stem, and would have fallen to the ground had he not, with his ungloved hand, caught the prickly thing. His han

Miss Walton, "I

ir, and no disrespect must be allowed to nature's oracle, whi

nuts, are two people entitled to each other's acquaintance, with only the false formality of an introduction, like the empty shell, keeping them apart. Since no mutual fri

nd: "My love for Nature is unbounded, Mr. Gregory, and the introduction you have so happily obtained from her weighs more with me than any other that you could have had. Let me welcome you to yo

t in taking your hand I should stain it with my blood. I am inclined to drop the burr after all, and base all my claims on my prac

Indeed, it almost seems that you have a better right here than we, and your name has been so often heard that you are no stranger. I know father will be ver

dering about the place

your old home after so long an absence is like meeting some dear friend. One n

e has taught you to be a good interpreter, Miss Walton. You are right. The memories of the old place were a litt

at excitement: "Aunt Annie, oh! Aunt Annie, we've found a squirrel-hole. We chased him int

e rivalled the squirrel-hole in interest, and with

r's children," said

, who looked half-frightened and half-pleased, as a very little mai

the squirrel, Aunt Anni

l in the hole, and one big monster, like Susie here, should sit by the door, and you heard anoth

little squirrel in his

si

"Squirrels are nothing but robbers, and their holes a

gnificantly at Gregor

, you see, m

ssed his face, and he

as kindly in

o descend the hill to the house. She evidently did

rejoiced an epicure's heart. Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and Guinea fowls thronged around and after her with an intentness on the grain and a disregard of one another's rights and feelings that reminded one unpleasantly of political aspirants just after a Presidential election. Joh

candidates for holiday honors, and the young lady said, kindly, "You have a lar

to wring the necks of them that I've nursed fro

ss Walton, laughing; "but what would you have us do

low buggy drove into the large door-yard, and the

on, with a briskness that one would not ex

ely manners of the old school. When he learned who Gregory was he greeted him with a co

turned so often and wis

was emba

y voice, turning hastily away to hide his feeling. "You strongly

of soul remembered that his father had been a good man, b

very weary, and g

look ill," said Mi

not been for a long time. Perhaps I

osted back to the hotel for Mr. Gregory's luggage, Mr. Walton saying, with hearty emphasis that removed

, the colored man, had kindled a cheery wood fire on the ample hearth, and, too exhausted even to think, Gr