Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-08-21

'eh' aitti supptt tHty uauCcU q
while. Elisha Ferris played on a cornet
he'd brought along with him; and
Ph9be Smelling was glum cause her
young man danced fore-and-after
with me; and Aunt Sophy sat in the
corner, and lived over her young days,
she said. Alter time somebody pro-
posed we should hev game of rolling
| the platter, with forfeits, and a great
frolic it made, can tell you; and the
best OF it was, when Elisha Ferris made
such haste ter catch the platter before
1t got done spinning that he stumbled
over Aunt Sophy's cricket, and meas
ured his length on the floor. l was that
tickled / couldn't keep myself from
laughing right out, though spose it
want mannerly. But | Was giddy as
windmill in them days.
I'm glad | can amuse you so we'll,
Miss Hannah Elizabeth" said he, get
ting up very red in the face and not a
whit handsomer than ever.
Thank you" says | /; you're allus
oblging." But, you see, that stumble
gave him q forfeit ter pay, and Ben
Smelling he was elected Judge; and he
told Ph~be ter measure three yards Of
pink ribbon with our Jack, which Jest
set her young man and Becky Harris
on tenter-hooks and then, ter cap the
climax, he sent Elisha Ferris ter Rome
wick Becky, which sort o riled Jack,
and made me clap my hands
Pleasant journey to you" shouted
Comstock.
Now p'r'aps you dunno what going
ter Rome is like, since forfeits hay
gone ont Of fashion consid' rable but
when | was n gal they was all the go
Well, you see, the way they went to
Rome was putty cheap in them days,
though, mercy knows, it cost Elisha
Ferris dear enough. They jest locked
arms together and went round the
room, and he kissed all the girls, and
the young men they kissed her-if they
could ! Well, Elisha he gave his arm
ter Becky, and Becky she bushed up
ike peony and jest then got up
ter look after the fro, and didn't mind
journey, till | felt Somebody hand on
my shoulder, and looked up ter find
khshas great mouth within half an
inch of my cheek | gave such
scream that II brought on Aunt Sophys
paIpltation, and old lady Pettisrcw
thought there was fire; and | jerked
myself out Of his reach and run for a
closet, and he AFTER me.
"Ali roads .cai to Rome, said he,
trying ter pull open the cupboard
door. I'm bound ter git there before
| 80 home.
If YOU come into this closet" said
/. an shoot You, upon honor - show
ing him Jacks pistol through the
crack. You sec Jack had bln out
shooting at mark that afternoon, and
he'd brought it IN and left it on the
Cupboard shelf, and when Id asked
HIM ii twas loaicd, he said, Il told
Comstock ter fire off the last charge,
cause II was getting too dark ter see
the mark. Aud SO when Ferris, spite
of all | could do, wrcnched open the
cupboard door, and | found myself at
his mercy, jest plnted the pistol at
him and pulled the trigger. Thinks |,
IN give him n little start for his
pains. And, bless us 50 did
I There was noise like ten thousand
earthquakes, seemed 10 me, little
squirt Of flame, and thimblefu OF
smoke, and Elisha Ferris dropped like
n log Comstock hendt fired off the
4 last charge-but | he'd
The girls all screamed like so many
catamounts, and thought FL killed
him for ,artjn. leaned against the
cupboard shelf = minute ter git myself
in hand but | seemed ter be growing
all numb like, and the voices sounded
as if they come through a speaking
tube, and the folks all 'peared ter be
moving behind fog and then didn't
sense nothing more till most Of EN-
lied gone home, and the doctor was
looking after the wound and hcerd
Aunt Sophy saying, Twas dretiul
keerIess in you, Jack, ter leave fire
arms handy" and Jack, says he, Its
die en-. Hannah Liz has done putty
DAYS work And then Elisha Ferris
ups and takes my part, as poorly as he
was feeling Shed no thought of
hurting Of me, said he land it served
me right for Fostering of the poor
child" And | got on my feet at that,
and went inter the room; and says |,
DIR. Motherwort, if you'll be SO good
as ter hire me fur nurse, | won't ask no
wages. You see, I've made him sick,
and it's my right ter help cure him.
I'm most cured already" said Eli
sha, opening his eyes at the sound of
my Voice, and smiling jest little.
jest so" said the doctor; ''only
keep him quiet"
Well, DR.. Motherwort said it
wouldn't do ter move him, and Jack
ana we nursed him together. You
see, the ball had gone clean through
his right shoulder, and it took time !;
and while Jack was at his work l he'd
Elisha on my hands and cooked his
meals-no great shakes at fust-and
fixed his pliers twenty times a day,
and bathed his head, and brought him
the news, and read the arabian Nights
ter him and the Weakly T'ot, and
treated him as tenderly as would hev
treated Jack if it he'd been him. And
when he was on the mending hand l
played back CANNON with him, and
wrote his letters ter his folks-he
hedn't nobody but merried sister
and laughed at the stories of his
school-days till the tears run down my
cheeks.
"He's growed quite pale and inter-
esting," said Ann jenkins, catching
sight Of him through the open door,
while she was making me call, "but
he amt no handsomer than ever !"
and, YOU see, it lest took me all bv