Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-04-23
THE LIFE-BOAT.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.


her father had left her more recently
He, the father, had been a sea-captain,
and when he died he left his two children |
all his wealth, amounting to nearly half
million of dollars. Theother child was
a son, named Frank, and older by some
five years than was Kate, she being twen-
ty and he five and twenty.
Frank was away. He had been trav-
cling through Europe, but was expected
home, when we introduce our story, in
very few weeks, if not days. The two
children still retained the house and lands
which their father had bought and occu-
pied. 1t was a splendid mansion, within
few rods of the shore, overlooking the
broad Atlantic. 1t was romantic spot,
and the heirs bad been offered great pri-
ces for it, but they had no desire to sell
the old house. There were few neigh
bors close by, and at distance of about
amile was quite a village.
Kate Williams was a noble-hearted,
generous girl, and everybody who knew
her called her handsome. And so she
was. She was none of your drawing
room ornaments, but a substantial indi-
vidual, full of life and power, and realiz-
L &C hA hol
work to do. She was modest, pure be-
ing, but none of your demure, downcast
sort. She carried her virtue in her soul
and her purity in her thoughts, and her
laugh was never so loud and joyous as
when others could share in her happiness
Her eyes were gray, but a bright, hand
some gray, full of light and intelligence
and her hair was light, almost too ligh1
for brown, and yet too light for golden
hair-though when the sun shone on it
the golden hues were rich and predom
inent. Her features were full and round
with dimpIes wherever a smile could rest
her face glowing with all the ruby glow
Of health.
Isita wonder that Kate William
should be loved? Why, everybody lovet
her; but then there were two individual
who loved her very dearly, or, at leas
who swore they did. The first was Johl
Clancy. He was a young man, four-an
twenty, and lawyer by profession, hav
ing been practicing in the neighbo"ing VII
lage for about two years. He was
good looking man, tall, straight and we
formed with black hair and eyes, an
possessing a proud and at times, over
bearing spirit. He was not liberia
minded man, but of this Kate knew no
The second was Harry Winship. Fl
was year younger than Clancy, an
by profession physician, having bee
in practice in the village just two year
He was not so tall as his rival, and n
so proud looking. His hair was ligl
brown, and his eyes gray; and his lool
owed more to the expression of his fe
lures than to their formation. He W
not as much bowed TO as was Glance
A man or woman would bow very p
litely to the lawyer, and then in a m
ment afterwards, should they meet t
physician, they would grasp his hand al
smile. Glancey's clients respected hi
very much, and Winship's patients low
him very much. This was the diferen
that existed between the two men.
Now Kate knew that both these m
loved her, but as yet she had not chos
between them. They were both &c
men, she thought, and so far she had OIL
allowed them the privilege of paSsi
friends. She had not one particle
the coquette in her-not one thought
it. She meant to make her choice a
adhere to it. While she was thus p
dering, circumstance transpired wh
influenced her, as we shall see in the
quel.
In the village lived young female
married woman, named Bolton. l
husband was away on business. {
day DR.. Winship was called on to V
her. He examined her carefully, {
was not little surprised upon find
that she was actually suffering from
llrium tremens. Her constitution y
naturally frail, and the excessive use
rich wines had brought her down.
stated the case to the old nurse just a
was, and gave very rigid orders conce
ing the treatment she must receive.
In few days after this the stor.
Mrs. Bottoms strange sickness got spr
over the town, and when people "
asked how they knew, they replied
Dr. Winship had said so,
b The truth was the old nurse had d
Z all the mischief The story soon reac
Inc ears of John Glancey, Mrs. Bo