Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-09-09

e pretty hostess and her singular com.
panion. fear that we even hustled
, that imbecile paralytic, who sat like q
voiceless Memmoni in our midst, gazing
| with the serene indifference of that Past
in his passionless eyes. upon our wor.
thy councils. In the midst OF an excit.
| ing discussion the door opened again
and Miggles re-entered
But not. apparently, the same Mig.
giles who few hours before had fash
ell upon rs. Her eyes were downcast,
and as she hestated for moment on
the threshold, with a blanket on her
arm. she seemed TO have left behind
her the frank fearlcssucss which had
charmed us moment before. Coming
side the paralytic's chair. sat down,
drew the blanket over her shoulders.
and saying. lifts all the same to YOU.
boys. as we're rather crowded I'll stop
here tonight" took the invalids withcr-
ed hand in her own ard turned her eyes
upon the dying fire. An instructive
feeling that tins was only premonitory
To more confidential relations, aud per-
hapS some shame at our previous curl
oslty. kept ~ silent. The rain still
beat upon the roof wandering guests
of wind stirred the etnbcrs into momcn-
tary brightness, until in lull Of the
elements. Mgglcs suddenly lifted up
ner head aud throwing her hair over her
shoulders, turned her face upon the
group and asked:
''is there any ot you that know, me =
There wa- no reply.
"Think again lived at Mary-vltle
/ Ia d. Every boiv knew me there. and
everybody had thc right to know me
v kept the Polka Saloon until came ID
7 live with Jim. That's six years ago
\ Perhaps I've changed some"
l Inc absence OF recognition NAV have
\ disconnected her. She turned to the
/ fire again and 1t was some seconds he
! fore she again spoke. and then more
/ rapidly:
We'll, YOU see thought some OF
Won must have known Inc. There, no
great harm done, any way. What | wa-
GONG la say was thi, jim here ~ >hc
took his hand in both Of hers as She
spokc--'uscit To know me. if YOU didn't.
and spent "A heap of money upon me.
! reckon he spent all he had And one
day-it's slN Year, ago this winter
Jim came into my back room. sat down
on nv sofa, like ~ YOU see him in that
chair. and never moved again without
help. He was struck all Of a heap, and
never seemed to know what allied hun.
Tne doctors came. and SAID how II was
causci All alon. Of his way of life for
Jim was mighty free and wild like and
that he would never get better, and
couldn't last long anyway They at
vsci me To send him Ia Frisco Ia the
hospital, for he WAS no good TO any one
and would bc a baby al! his life. Per
hap> 1t was something in .lin's eyes,
perhaps 1t was that never had ha-
hy. but said No was rich then,
for | vas popular with everybody
gentlemen like yourself, sir. came u
see mc-and sold out nv business
ami bought this yer place, because 10
was sort of oat of the way Of travel,
you see, and hrnight nv baby here.
With woman, intuitiye tnct AMI
poetry. she had n She spoke slowly
shifted her position 50 as To bring the
mute figure of the ruincl man between
her and her audicnce-hiding in the
shadow behind it ii she offered il
as a tacit apology for her actions. 81
lent and cXpres,ionles-, IT Yet spoke
for her; helpless crushed and smittcn
with the Divine thurderbolt. it still
stretched All invisible arm around her.
Hidden in the darkness, but still
holding hi, hand, she went on:
1T was long time before | could
/ get the hang of things about yer, for
was used 10 company and excitement
\ | couldn't get any woman To help me.
Y aud man darsent trust : but what
] with the Indians hercabout, who'd do
| odd jobs for me, and having every
| thing sent from the North Fork. Jim
and managed to worry through. The
Doctor would run up from Sacrament
10 once in while. He'd ask to see
.Miggie's baby as he called Jim. and
when he'd 90 away. he'd say, Mig
gles : you're 4 trump--t ,od bless Won
and it didn't seem so lonely after that.
But the last time he was here he said.
as he opened the door To 90; DO YOU
know. Miggles, Your baby will grow up
To be man yet and an honor TO his
mother; but not here, Miggles, not
here" And thought he went away
sad-and' here Miggle's voice
and head were somehow both lost com
pIetcly in the shadow.
The folks about here are very kind.
said Miggles, after pause. coming a
little into the light again. The men
from the Fork used to hang around
here, until they found they wasn't want
ed. and the women are kind and don't
call. was pretty lonely until picked
, up Joaquin in the woods one day, when
: he wasn't 50 high, and taught him Il
! beg for his dinner and then thar's Pol
ly-that's the magpie-she knows nc
: end of tricks and makes it quite socia
BILE of evenings with her talk, and so
, don't feel like as was the only living
/. being about the ranch. And jim here,
| said Miggles, with her old laugh again
: and coming out quite into the fire light
e '.Jim-why. boys, you would admire t.
J. see how much he knows for man like
: him. Sometimes | bring him flowers
1 and he looks at 'em just as natural a.
e if he knows EN- and times. when we'r
}. setting here alone. | read him thos
: things on the wall. Why, Lord !" sai'
4 Miggles, with her frank laugh, Nv
II read him that whole side of the hous
e this winter. There never was such