The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-11-11
BABETTE.

BABETTE.
Babette sat in the doorway Of the old hut,
dreaming. Her clumsy shoes were flung
aside her bare feet touched the water that
ripplcd up to the very door. '
"a crazy old place" the country people
called It and there certainly was wild
0phellA.liks grace about the ruinouS building,
crowned with tufts OF wiry, wind.blown gras
that, spring up through the chinks Of the
roof and in the crannies Of the dGcayed win.
dow sills, caught hero and there tho sunlight,
and lent ChAngeGul charm to the desolnte
spot.
Far back and beyond 1t stretched the sea.
beach, the long sand levels, over which at
tidc.rising the sea came crawling up, shaking
the old ruin to It's very foundations. Indeed,
there was legend that the last inhabltant Of
the placo-R solitary fisherman-had been
swept away ono wild night long ago, when
tho waves broke over tho roof Of his labita-
tion. AT any rate, though the village below
and the great hotels on tho cliffs were over
flowing with summer guests, no ono had
sought TO utilize this habitation, though the
boys hnd Signaled its advantages In q rude
placard to this effect. "fhis hole house TO
let" The only occupants to-day were the
Sca.BhellS, the drifts of sca.wcch, and I}abctte.
ShO sat In the doorway on IN old boat that
had iloated in thithGr, bottom side up, in
some overflow Of the SEQ, and remained there
ever since.
In her hand she held web of that light
spltlcr-liko work whereby women love To keep
their active fingers busy, knitting themselves
by fnlry thread to the actual world, while
their thoughts are free to wander nirily
whittier they wist,
Tho girl was looking aiar of seaward, where
quiet isle, luminous anl lsun.crowncd, dotted
tho distance halfway out-idle, pleasant
driited AWAY from the cares Of tho busy main.
land, and basking drcamily in the rosy light
Babetto sympathiEed with that island. II
seemed 10 her II would DO gracious thing TO
get away from the actual commonplace neces.
sities Of life as she had known Il to dwell
apart In some trance.likc solitude from the
tramp and whifl and worry Of existence For
the girl had been q hand worker In her time
as many drcamy.oyed women are, and they
were not altogether idle and cloud-liko fancics
that absorbed her as she sat. For sho was q
business woman, was Babctte, and that mo-
mont was revolving the problem Of getting a
living. The peach bloom on her check, and
tho young light In her eyes, did not render
the problem less difficult Of solution.
Her Scho0l-tlays at tho village academy
were ended those doubtful yet quiesccnt days
when, by dint Of inccssant drndgery as an
under teacher, she had wring out sort OF
education for herself, and graduated in iiut.
tering white ut once and forever out Of the
caterpillar state. That pretty excitement,
that brief flash Of light on her stormy path.
.nt,of aht. bad bnnIf Ia bar al al
Mnrget's cabin. But she could not live there
fare, its bare llooB, It's solitude among the
hills Us shelter of wind.swept pines that
climbed the sterile crngs and looked down on
the far ocean--thesc things had satisfied her
once, asit bod satisfied her to hunt sea.shclls
along tho shore with Cousin Tom.
But Cousin Tom had gone out from the sea.
shorO to the grcat sea and the great world
beyond. Why should shc not do SO too
A sharp but not unklndly voice broke in
upon her rCyeric "Dabcttel Why what
upon Sirthl Child you'll get your death o
cold, rs 1'vo often told you aforc, in this
damp, unwh0lesome place.
Tho speakers tall, wiry figure and clean
sunbonnet carried an incisive meaning with
them, we'll calculated to put To flight dreams
ofwhhteyer nature. I
II haven't been here long, Aunt Matget,"
said Babette, rousing with flush from her
revehc. ~
"Why, I've been looking for you this hour
past, pears to me. Professor PEBBLES has
been to the house inquirin arter YOU, and
he's coming q Dp."
Babcttc did not appear to be exhilamted by
the Information. She sat listlcss, her foot
playing Idly with the dimpling water.
"I'm on an arrant down to the village"
said the busy old woman; " but you can run
home Fnd tidy up things bit, and dress
I'LL can't. don't want to sec him."
"IA, child, you mustn't 10 50 baShful |
He wants 10 sec you. So run along and smart
yourself up" m
A school.master and q pOrson were In Aunt
AiArgct's eyes two objects Of special reverence
"But I'm $3.50 tired" urged Babettc,
with some hesitation
"Tiredg repeated the old woman, not
unkindly. ~ don't know what has come
over young folks nowadays; in my time II
took something to tire EN-. Well, child,
You'll feel better when you've hal mofsel
of something, and dressed yourself. Put on
that new white dress for oncein q way, Just
to please Master PEBBLES"
any white dresSl Why, Aunty, you're
getting extnyagunt want to save that
white dress."Hi NHs eGlf iIflirE
"Tat tat, child, yOu ought 70 DO more
grlteful-Yl fft.y.fH IlnJ.II-.-
"Gmteial! Aunt MArget, why should !
be grateful TO that old snuif.taking professor
like himnot: Twill DO TO him no more n
pupil In her excitement the girls words
gathered q certain faint foreign accent, and
Flic waved her hand with gesture significant
Of utter contempt "Whyl' she repeated,
her nostrils dllatlng. 81 WI
Aunt Marget, nothing shaken by the wrath
she had excited, SAid, quietly, "Hc gave you
that dress.
The flushed face grew aswhite as the sea-
sand. A gray shadow fell upon IL, changing
lts fresh young beauty aS nisht-tall changes
the sea.shorc. ..I.f,.,V
sShe turned away silently, and Aunt Mar.
d. get pursued her GRAND along the beach.
That dress with its pretty rufiles, lts dainty
folds and ribbons, In which BabCtto had fol
once felt young and fresh and llghtsonie AZ
other girls, npd which she had somehow as
cribcd 10 Tom-she must give up that pretty
dream now. Instead Of that she had been
humiilated, q recipient othNteful fayon, Her
aunt whs tired Of her-h efaunt. whose good.
mess she had never doubted, tired Of her, fell
her burden, and had acteped the assistance
of. strangers.
al must 20 away |" .aid poor Babette,
writhing Ia her stricken pride but whitheri'