The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-07-13

Iu6 SdI6.
"Ahp said, filing another pipe /; |
"a slight twinge of jealousy, 1 per-
ceive ?"
"Well," replied Dave, with comical
grin, L guess that's what you may
call it. And, such being the case, it is
not to be wondered at that Esther and
myself had many spat about this Abb
ner. 1 well remember the time when
we had quite a severe quarrel-that is,
for sweethearts--about this self-same
Abner. 1t was on Squan Beach 1 was
sitting on boat, mending a net, when
Esther came along, looking just as spick
and span as a newly painted schooner
and l thought new saw her looking
prettier in all my life. But, somehow
or other, there's something in the
mending of nets that makes man
think, and I had been brooding over
Abner, till was gloomy and savage as
a meat-axe. Dear Dave, Esther said,
Il am so glad to see you'll I've been to
Martha SWANS with some eggs-you
know, she is so sick ; so 1 thought
would come round this way home, and
see YOU"
(which, of course, frightened and
cleared you immediately 7"
"I kind O. think it did little but
then, you see, when a man is determin-
ed not to be pleased, it is pretty hard
to please him. 1 answered grufay, that
Martha Swain was nothing to me, and
maybe if she wasn't sort O relation of
Abner Sanford's, she wouldn't be
thought so much of. l knew it was a
lie when 1 said it, and Esther colored
up little; but 1 went on, getting
more and more excited as I continued,
till I finally told her she thought more
of Abner than she did of me-"
GAIL true lovers are FOOLS" l said,
sententiously. Having never been in
love myself, of course was we'll quail
fed to judge.
al guess you are about right there,
sir. When 1 said Abner was thought
more of than me, she gave me such q
look, and went off proud as any queen /;
not that 1 have ever seen queen, but
you know what mean"
assented with a nod.
"Of course we made it up again, and
went on loving one another, more, 1t
possible than ever before. Between you
and me-" and here Davie lowered his
voice to O most impressible whisper,
"this falling out and making up again
is one of the chief pleasures of love-
making"
"There is no accounting for tastes, y
said I.
"Well. to make long story short,
I last saved money enough to buy q
boat, and became owner Of the Spark
ling Foam and, what was more, every
thing having been settled, was to be
married to Esther in two months from
that time"
$50 the old lady, Mrs. Hettrick. had
come roundl"
mot much. She saw that things
couldn't be helped, so she kind O put
the best face on the matter, more especi-
ally as Esther generally had her own
way in the long run but you had bet
ter believe there was no love lost be-
tween us. And it's my private opinion
in fact, 1 know it to have been so now
she led old Obadiah deuce of life,
for ever having given me kindly word
of encouragement or advice"
"But that did not trouble you much y
"I don't know about that. You see
I am sort O. straight up-and-down
fellow, 1 am, and when don't like any
body, must show it. / tried hard tc
be civil and polite to the old woman
but Just streak of ugliness would show
itself now and then. Esther often spoke
to ME about it, and begged me to bt
kinder to to her mother, reminding mt
that it was her mother was cross to
and that cruel word hurt her more
than it did her mother"
xuIt IN,
held" remarked, unconsciously assum
ing the air of one who was propoundine
a solemn truth.
fright you are, my boy. just abou
this time had to run up to York will
a cargo, so, bidding goodbye to Esther
and promising to return in few days
Il sailed, and sailed as the song says
You know the old saying about men un
dertaking to do thing, and God put
ting a stop to it; we'll it was 80 in In.
case. When 1 got to York, and ha(
unloaded, 1 got a chance to run up K
Newburg with another cargo. None.
being what l wanted, and this givinl
me the opportunity of making some,
accepted it. 1 lost no time, you can be
your bottom dollar on that; but by tn
time 1 had returned to York-with
load of bricks, this time-it was quit
four weeks before 1 again entered tn
Manasquan Inlet"
"And during this time, your true Low
was wandering by the sad sea waves al
alone"
Dave paid no attention to my remark
but continued:
"As soon as I fixed my boat all snug
and had anchored her securely, mad
my way as quickly as possible to Il;
theirs house, intending to tell her of tn
good fortune had had since l had bee
away, and be happy over it togethe
AS 1 walked up the road, saw Esthe
standing at the gate, and my heart gav
great bound of delight; but whf
struck me as strange-for 1 knew sh
saw me-she made no movement to com
and meet me. Approaching nearer,
saw she was dressed in black, and, bein
startled, 1 exclaimed
"'Why, Esther, darling, what is IL
matter =
$3.50, Dave Pearson, you have con
at last = was all the answer she gay
me.
"sCome at last = said; 'and WI
shouldn't come 7 What is the meanir
of that black dress?
"I soon understood it. During n
absence her mother had died, and 81
: thought had kept away from the tune
al on account of my dislike for her:
. "'If you,' said Esther, her eyes has
l ing, had no respect for my poor motht