Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-07-10

tered just in time to hear the conclud
words, remarked helpfhlly:
"I'll 60 with you, Say, if you're skit.
tish about goin' alone"
"Oh, dear, no! I'm not such fool
l hope, rs to be afraid to go over
ground that I've known every foot OF
all my life; )" and with this energetic
disclaimer Of her mothers imputation
upon her courage, Say whisked up a
pile of plates, which she deposited in
the sink just in time to catch, through
the back window, q full view of a
young man, tall, strong armed and
broad chested, whose light. closely
curling hair was covered with jaunt-
lily worn jockey cap, while the trousers
beneath his loosely fitting blouse were
of fashionable cut and material, that
made Says sharp little nose take to
itself an extra elevation, as she nut
tered, scornfully:
"Why didn't he wear an old hat and
trousers, a. anybody else would p
Brosdcloth pants! They'll look pref
ty, guess, after q days work at emp.
tying sap buckets" And, thriftily in
dignant, the little housewife ratified
her dishes into the pan with vim.
SHE'S growing TO De q regular dandy,
a perfect sap-head" |" she mused, half
angry, half regretful, as she leaned
forward, involuntarily, to catch last
glimpse Of the tall figure disappearing
in the wood path that led to the sugar
orchard "and,' with q little defiant
twist Of her dish towel. ''if there's any
thing on the face Of the earth that | do
hate and despise, its silly man."
1t was clear, cold night, and the
snow that carpeted the wood path
cracked frostily beneath Says light
tread, as, with her pail Of steaming
coffee, she FASTENED along in the direc-
ton Of the sugar orchard, where her
father was already getting little i'm
patient for the appearance Of his
promised lunch.
The moon was at its full, and shed q
flood Of light upon the snow-laden
branches above her head, until every
separate twig seemed ghostly finger
pointing, as with one accord, toward
the sugar orchard.
"Forward-to your fate !" whispered
imagination, rendered suddenly bold
by the Silly beauty of the time and
place, and, for a moment, the girlish
face assumed look Of dreamy tender
ness, in keeping with its tair yet half
weird surroundings; but the next her
favorite Watchdog, common sense,
gave the alarm-the spell was broken,
and, with an angry flush at her own
foolish fancies, she hurried forward,
and muttered:
"My coffee will be as cold as the
moonshinc, if stop TO watch that
And vet, as she caught glimpse Of
the ruddy freight through the trees,
she paused for a moment, toying
nervously with the tasscls Of her hood,
as through the stiffness she could DIS
tinctly catch the sound Of . familiar
voice that was neither her fathers
rough, unmusical bass, or Jim's boyish
treble, but q clear, ringing tone that
sent its CHEEKY echo down the long,
wooded avenues, until it seemed as if
the snow spirits had caught the pleas
ant sounds, and were tossing them
gleefully from one to the other, in the
shadowy tops Of the pine and fir trees.
"He's there STILL" Say muttered, in
pettish undertone," "but l don't
know as that's any business Of mine :"
and she stepped boldly forward into
the lighted circle, and without look
TO right or left, marched straight up
TO where her father stood carefully
watching the boiling sap in great
iron kettle that, swinging lazily from
its crane Of tough birchen wood, pre-
sented its round, black sides to the
attacks Of the roaring, wrathful fire
with an equaDimity worthy Of notice.
"Here's your coffee, father. How
are you getting along"
"First ratel We've had an uncom.
mon good day; sap's run like a sluice
all day long, an I've been on the clean
jump every minute, till I'm pretty well
tuckered out. Ben ''rxising his voice
high above the noisy bubbling sap, and
the equally noisy swapping and roar
ing Of the fire beneath-''Ben, here's
our luncheon. Let Jim tend your fire,
an you come an get your coffee be-
fore it cools."
A heavy step crunched the snow be-
side them, and Says brown eyes were
uplifted in careless recognition.
slow do you do, Benz" with a
glance at the soiled and bespattered
broadcloth, 'syou're quite stranger
TO your country friends; l didn't even
know that you were at home, until
father happened to mention it this
morning"
81 only came last night"
The young mans tone was subdued,
and he cast a timid, appealing glance
at the coldly Indifferent face Of the girl
beside him.
She laughed rather derisivelv:
'You must have felt particularly
anxious to see your friends at home, to
spend the whole day out here in a
neighbors sugar orchard"
'.Oh, Ben knows what he's about y
interrupted the squire, laughing" He
knows that can tell him more news
in one day than he could hear ut home
in q week"
1t was happy diversion, restoring
the young mans self possession, and
giving Say time to feel somewhat
ashamed Of her uncallsd for sharpness
and the two were coon chatting 70.
gether with the freedom and franknes:
Of lifelong friends and neighbors.
"When are you going back to the
cityT'
| And Say took q dainty sip of tn
delicious syrup that she was cooling il
her fathers coffee cup,-a sip too soon
judging from the slight grimace tha
distorted her pretty face, ~ Ben re
| nlind ai0mifoanflv.