Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-09-26
Jim Smith.

a New England village rarely per-
mits itself TO become excited 1t is the
/ novel ana unexpected that eNcitcs a
/ community, an1 the average New Eng
/ lander scorns 10 admit tnat ANYTHING
I is novel and unexpected 10 him. Year,
/ ago, when theology was his chief de-
/ light, and dircst manifestations of tho
supernatural hi, constant expectation.
/ he could be roustd into a passing en-
/ thuslasm by witch drowning. OF rem
dered boldly indignant at the tcmeritv
OF the person who disputed the theses
/ of Jonathan Edwards. That time how
ever, has long gone bv. audi al tie
/ present period be can be told oi new
/ heresy. or OF a demOnstratiVe demon
IN connection with the table. tipping
business. without eliciing from hun 4
single DO tell " or Il want to know +
[ of interested surprise.
Nevertheless, there WAS 4 sublucd
uudcrcurreut of excitement in the little
Massachusetts fishing port of Dexter
VILE one September Afternoon. soon
after the stage that brought the mali.
| from the Boston railway naI arrived.
Men stopped one another in tAr street
10 ask, Hey you heard the news: /: and
then, in response 10 The admission uf
ignorance contained IN the New Eng
land formula. We'll. I've heard consid.
/ able news. added tliumphantly. Jim
Smiths 10 hum again That the return
OF Mr.. james Smith was either uncx.
pected OF desirable. WAS proved by the
startled inVocatIons Of the Good
Gosh that mystic New England ia.
tron saint, with which the announce
ment was usually received. Rumor ar-
terward asserted that when the tidinps
were communicated 10 Deacon Smed-
ley who had brought up the orphaned
Jim Smith, that universally respected
old getleman wasdistinctly understood
TO remark with much emphasis, Good
Col | knowed he'd come back This
remark was however. condoned by the
community, on the ground that it was
not the Intentionally proiane. but
that the good deacon being unused 10
the expression of strong emotion. was
not quite conscious of what he really
said wnen the news of his adopted
sons return was SO suddenly brought
TO him.
Hardly had the deacon been bctrav-
ed into one undeaconlike expression
of his life, when Jim Smith. escorted
by several admiring small BOYS, turn
ed the corner of the street and stood
| before him. Mr.. Smith was evidently
a sailor, but his complexion was burn
ed a shade or two darker than that of
the ordinary DexteryilIe fishermen.
He shook hands eomposediy with the
Deacon, while the two inquired OF one
another simultaneously, 'IIaow de do:
liaOw your health and each answer
ed. 'Pooty well. considerin.' Jim SEEM
Ell entirely satisfied with this raptur-
GUS greeting, and shook hands with
Mr., Brewster. our new postmaster.
jim as he was described by the dea-
con. Then the old man and the re-
turned wanderer went down the street
together. the villagers. with instinct
i've courtesy, retraining from intruding
for the present upon their privacy.
w here hev you been these three
years! ashed the deacon. Last we
heerd tell of you, you was in Boston
just goin' TO sail for Liverpool
I've been pooty nigh round the
world replied the younger man. Il
was wrecked twice and shanghaed
aboard 9. China clipper
we all thought you was dead.
James, pursued the deacon, though
somehow | couldn't make up nv mind
10 it. Your mother was a pious wo-
man, and couldn't feel that her son
would die in his sins
Il didn't die sins or no sins return
ed James. 'How's things been with
you sence I've been away?
I've been blessed my son. more than
deserve, though none of us deserve
anything. And now my son wich was
dead is alive again :; and the hard-fea-
tured old man gave sudden evidence of
slight catarrhal affection.
jim coughed, and strobe on for a
moment in advance of the other. Sud-
denly he stopped and said, Father
(and the deacon felt that his compan-
ion used the word as condensed ex-
preston Of love and gratitude.) 'how's
Nary
We're just home now, James, and
we will go in and have supper.
The young man laid his hand on the
gate Il don't go into no house or eat
no supper till I've seen her. She isn't
she isn't dead, is she?'
she's alive and well. saw her
this morning.
Then I'll go down and see her. III
be back again in an hour : and he turn
ed to 60.
Wait said the deacon. Come ill.,
to the house. have something to
tell you before you see her.
There was that in the old man s