Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-11-04
Miscellaneous.
She that was Patience Hitchins.

II was a sitting morning IN dog DAYS
/ Nature seemed Just ready 10 faint, and
80 did Mrs. Mo,elv. when from heI
chamber window she splcd Patience
iiitchlns sighing on the door-stonc. 1t
was bad enough that oppressive day "a
discover mould IN the cake chest and =
blight on the chcrry-trces but TO see
i'e mould aud blight, embodied in Miss
Pitlencc, crossing ones threshold. WAS
!. great deal Morse and Mrs. Moscl,
MAS heard by her kitten 10 say tha,
she should give up
On second thought. however, she
dii no such thing but possessing her
self Of the ramp bottle and a
touching look of resignation. descend
etl 10 find her guest seated on the
lower stair, wearlly flaming herself
with her pocket handkerchief, which il
was Nj llitchins's habit 10 hoist as
a signal of distress when suffering
from an attack. She laid it now
across her chest. and mutcy folded
her hands above il while waiting for
her breath 10 oyertake her. Sitting
bolt upright against the balusters. with
her veil over her face, she looked, in
her striped gown, not unlike the digni-
fled flower known rs Jack in -thc-pul-
pitt If mature maiden of forty
might be likened TO any Of the floral
creation.
1, NAV be with her closed eyes. she
seemed to Daniel kilgore like the Sleep
ing Beauty of his dreams, for he gazed
al her through the doorway, with mouth
agape. for full minute before he re-
membered to ask Mrs Mosely where
he should set out that ere rhubarb.
'.Oh. wherever YOU can find room
she said. too intent on revIvlng Miss
Patience 10 pay heed 10 her hired man
who stood watching her as she remov
ed her visitors bonnet and sprinkled
her face with camphor
.->hc doesn't seem 10 come 10.
Shan't lay her on the lounge said
he, compassionately, advancing toward
Miss Patience with arm, extended.
NJ Ib NlIth -hASS
coming 10" precipita,ely. and wav
ing him back franticalIy with her black
mitted hands.
Its gone now It's nv heart :"
Daniel locked aghast AS though she
had made tender confession, while
Miss Patience, rocking back and fourth
in her own arms. proceeding 10 pity
herself au.ihlv.
This is nothing 10 the turns have
some times. There are hours upon
hours hen am 50 distressed | don't
know whether am in this world or the
next. BIT I'm better than | deserve
TO be, and feel TO he thankful that !
am as well as what | am"
You don't say so" calculated
Daniel, rather awkwardly.
Not that il would matter much If
| was 10 die, being lone woman 30.
sighed Miss Patience.
Perhaps it will be as well to plant
those roots before the sun gets hotter"
suggested Mrs. Mosely, opportunity /;
and Daniel retreated, his honest face
aglow with sympathy.
..She looks pindling,' that's fact,
thought he, tenderly stroking whited
rhubarb leaf; seems to need chlrking
up. wonder who she is, and why she
isn't somebody else - For Daniels
bachelor instincts assured him at the
first that Miss Hitchins was a spinster.
Had he lived long at Quigsby, he
would have known also that she was
homeless orphan, with brushing leg
acy of nypochondria, spending her life
in an eternal round Of visiting. She
settled down like a dreary fog in the
various homes into which she came !;
vet everybody spoke well Of her, for
her kind heart was brimful OF humanity
as well as herself.
She and Mrs. Mosely coming down
the gravel-walk presently. found Daniel
seated on q wheelbarrow musing.
I'm studying out a place for that
rhubarb." he explained, briskly, his
eyes on Patience.
Now it isn't to be supposed for q
moment that Daniel was indulging in a
figure Of speech, in which ''rhubarb
stood for Miss Hitchins but it is nev-
ertheless certain that at the very mo-
ment Of their approach lie was thinking
IL wish had home to take that poor
creature to for, by her own statement,
Patience was q ..lone woman" and
Daniels heart was always sOftened
toward such.
In many respects that organ was like
q winter Baldwin it was sound at
the core, it was always aglow, and re-
| peated bruises only made it more mel.
low. Consequently Daniel dropped