Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-02-01

lit was his odd way of coming 10 the
house and asking a nights lodging that
made me mistrust him. But when
saw him drinking his tea like Christ
ian. l says to myself, Sure, Betty, it's
a mistake you've made this time, any,
way, for it's not himself that's a thief,
or he'd never be drinking his two cups
of tea and eating his hot biscuits with
such relish. Sure, thieves don't
drink tea. said |. Its brandy and such
things they're fond Of 'Lor bless YOU,
Miss Agnes, child. it is only them as
has soft hearts that loves their tea, and
don't trust no man, darling, as don't
drink it,. And old Betty looked afrec-
tlonately at the kettle which was send
ing up cloud of steam preparatory
TO the evening meal.
Two wears passed away. two years
which added new sweetness to Agnes
face, but lefl Mr.. Stillton's deeply
marked with care. Its cause was only
too soon made known TO Agnes. Mr..
Stillton, with his usual unsuspicious-
ness and Kindness of heart, had been
indorsing largely for friend, in whom
he placed implicit confidence. This
friend had become bankrupt, and Mr.
Stillton found himself ruined man.
Everything is lost, Agnes, he said |,
even this dear old home where YOU first
saw the light and where your mother
closed her eyes forever :; and then he
broke down utterly and wept like a
child.
Poor little Agnes II was heavy
blow TO her Woman like, she tried to
look cheerful and speak hopefully
Through the influence Of some friends,
Mr.. Sullton had an offer Of clerk
ship in; and acting upon Agnes
advice, he at once accepted it, and
with brave. but sad hearts, they left
their home, now no longer theirs, and
began their new life in the great city.
Agnes said Mr. Stillton, the first
evening after his return from the
Office OF Rose Hartnell x Son, his
present employers, i really have some
thing very remarkable to tell you, my
dear.
We'll, papa. what is it:
Do you remember, about two wears
ago, one winter evening, a young man
coming TO the dear old home and ask
ing a nights shelter?'
Certainly, papa, | remember it per-
fectly'
We'll, my lear, that young man is
the younger Mr.. IIartnell. You see,
when | went into office this morning,
the very first person | saw sitting there
was my old friend John Hartnell. We
wentio college together, and were chums
always but had not seen him for TWEEN
" wears, nor he me and. strange 10 say,
| never associated the Ilartnell OF the
firm with my old friend: a. soon as we
met this morning, We knew each other,
and clasped hands just as warmly as
though il had only been Il college vaca-
ton, not almost life time. that had sep
arated us. Then he called his son Harry
TO introduce him. and who should he
prove TO be but our stranger guest oitwo
years ago. Why my dear, | never en-
loyed anything so much in all my lite.
Alter the Young man went out his father
told me how he happened 10 lie East the
time we saw him. You see Harry then
was young, and he had taken violent
fancy 10 osome young lady, by name Miss
Fannie Bolton, whom he had met at
some watering place, the Summer be-
fore; and as she was not at all the kind
of person Mr.. Hartnell wished his son TO
marry. he concluded 10 send him off
travelling for the firm; and that /. how
he appeared in our part OF the world.
Harry, it seems, had heard many stories
of Yankee hospitality, and, being of q
somewhat inquiring turn of mind, he de-
termined TO test their truth by going to
some house and requesting TO stay there
all night, without giving any clue 10 him
self or business. BY chance he came TO
our house; and, my dear, he told his IA
ther that we had been greatly belied, for
we were the most hospitable people that
he had ever met in his life. In fact he
entertained such high opinion OF the
people of our town (though, l believe,
my dear, he left there the morning he
went from our house) that his father
says the difficulty ever since has been TO
keep him from going there again, and
the strangest part of it is that he came
home quite cured Of his fancy for Miss
Fanny-whom he declared, looked well
enough when full dressed in a ball room.
But after all, she was not the sort of a
woman for a wife; and when he married
he wanted some little hOmebody. with
brown hair and blue eyes, who looked
pretty in her every day dress, and knew
how TO pour out tea. Why bless my
heart, Agnes, child, how red YOUR checks
are. am afraid you are already pining
for the country air, my dear" And for
some reason, Agnes could not find voice
to contradict him.
don't know who brought it about,
but after this the two families became
quite intimate, and Harry Hartwe ell gem
orally happened in two or three even
| ings each week to take tea with the Still
tons. For he used to say, they don't
| know how to make tea at home-iu fact,
we never have tea-it is tea in manner
and then coffee
Mr.. Stillton, who liked his evening
cup of tea himself, saw nothing unnatu-
raj in the young mans doing the same
and am quite sure that he was much
more surprised than you are, when one
evening Harry confessed to him that il
was Agnes, net the tea, which was the
attraction. In fact his surprise was so
| great that it was some moments before
he could recover his speech to give his
consent to the young mans earnest re-
quest to make little Agnes his wife. Mr.
Hartncll, who had never quite overcome
his fear that Harry would return to his
old love-Fanny-whom he heartily dis.
liked, was well pleased at his som:
choice. aud Mrs. Hartnell, who had new
er had daughter of her own, took
Agnes, figuratively and literally, to her
warm, motherly heart.
We have room enough for all,' de
clared the good lady, when the young
people talked Of housekeeping and SO
it was finally decided that, at least fol
the present, they should all (Betty in.
cluded) make one family under one roo
and as there was no sensible reason fol-
delaying the wedding, Harry aud Agnes
were married the following month.
The winter promised to be . happy
one. Mr.. Stillton, through the good ad
vice and assistance Of his old friend