Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-10-14

Saved from Ruin.


Spot IN which my future life. for some
wears. at least. was T. De spent 4
rough cabin of logs and lath~. with a
chimney of stone and plastsr. in the
midst of almost uncleared woods. and
shut IN 10y the hug" prccipitou~ c:c.t-
oi rocky hlls. Ncighbors there were
none save at Hiram Wyclihe rc,l
farmhouse IN the valley some few mile,
below and 1t was only in the blue
tTansparence of the clearest DAYS that
could see the dim wreaths of smoke
curling up from his chimncys.
let the solitude was not unpleasant
70 me. had needed employment. aud
here II was ready 10 my hand hal
been struggling 10 ward of the iron
grasp OF actual poverty: here was a
competence decent. although barely
sufficient. Nor was dlscontentcd.
! had not, however, been the only
a>pirant for the situation Of swich-tcn-
Ger at the Branhill Station. John
Walker had also applied for it. and |
had heard a floating rumor, half-heed.
Ell at the time and totally disbelieved
aiterwarc, that pretty Barbara Wv
cllfie had herself gone 10 the city and
used her influence with the attaches oi
the railroad company in Walkers be-
half had admired Barbara Wycliife
myself-iherc was something in the
.tropic glow of her dark Spanish beau
y. ana the sparkle Of her black dashed.
brown eyes, that was strangely attract
I've 10 me. Somehow did not fancy
her becoming tue wife OF a sullen. reti-
I cent fellow like John Walker; and
whenever the vision rose before me.
Barbara Wycliffe'- glowing face light
cd up in its underlined walls.
The sun was creeping slowly up the
( ieailess woods and sombrc stretches OF
black-green pines that covered the
eastern hill one sparkling March AFTER
noon' as | came leisurely in after an
hours brisk work at wood cutting in
the hollow. The instant | entered |
became Conscious. by that peculiar
magnetic influence which all have ex-
peiienced, Of the presence OF some one
else in the little apartment. Nor was
| mistaken. John Walker was loung-
ing IN the rocking-chair by the one
window, reading a week old newspa-
I per.
Halo. Walker how came YOU
here =
Through the back door. I've just
strolled up from wyclifie's. And how
are you getting along. old fellow"
"Oh, first rate. What are YOU do
ing :"
Nothing just at present. am look
ing for place on the E road as
brakeman until something better turns
up. Upon my word, you've got things
pretty snug here, Reuben. Does the
company give you the place."
Yes"
Comfortable, though I.os gorgeous,
he said. Nice xar{h. kails, Chimney
big enough to roast an ox-two, if YOU
want 'em-furniture neat. clock on the
shelf-what's that for:"
| smiled as confessed the clock
utility.
Not having yet attained to the dig
nifty of a watch, depend on a clock
10 inform Inc of the time
"Oh. that's it, Pretty hard work.
Switches change often."
only twice day, when the down
Lightning meets the Accommodation
on the branch road. and the Way Mai
ON the branch leaves the main track
'.Latef'
| could not but think him imperti
nent. and looked rather suddenly a'
him but he was not at all disturbed
by my gaze. What louDging, inso
lent sort Of way be had as he put thu
questions inditierently to me. as i
even the petty details of my daily lif'
were preferable to no amusement at all
But | resolutely checked my rising an
ger by remembering that in a certain
sense, he was. for the time being, my
guest, though an unwelcome one, anC
answered pleasantly:
well, yes, late and early at nin'
in the morning for the branch road
and seven in the evening for th'
Lightning"
II should think you led pretty ca
sy life Of it, Eyre" said Walker
wrinkling his ugly eyebrows discon
tentedly.
"You are right it is not hard, onl,
one has to De prompt on the spot"
..Yes," he said, absently; ''yes +
be sure. See much Of old Wycliffe'
folks here, eh!"
Occasionally"
We chatted on for five or ten min
81 k~I1