Middletown transcript., 1874-04-25
A WOMAN'S COURAGE.

The blood-red light Of sunset was mir
roring itself 10 crimson splashes in the
turbid tide of the great Western river !:
the backbird was sounding its sweet
whistle through the old primeval forests !;
and Jonathan Beers. sitting by his cabin
door. smoked his solitary evening pipe.
and thought vaguely of the church bells
that used to RUG at evening time in the
far off Eastern village where he had been
born aud brought up, with the roar of the
Penobscot Bay in his ears.
I'D like to hear them bells once again
afore die" mused old Jonathan. But
it amt likely III ever go back again"
Even while these disjonted mcditations
passed through his mind there was light
step on the cabin threshold, aud the rustic
OF stitily starcbed pink calico, and his
niece Dorothy came To the door.
Teas ready, uncle DEAR" said she,
"and I've baked real New England
co nbread, aud some gingcr-suaps, such
as grandmamma used to make. Aud see,
uncle, I've sliced up the little red peaches
from the tree you planted yourself on the
south side Of the hill. Israel E,mayao
said it wouldn't grow, but it has l mean
to keep saucerful aud little cream for
Israel to night, just to shoD him"
Old Jonathan laid down his knife and
fork:
DO you mean that Israel Esmayne is
coming here to night?'
'Ies uncle" said Dorothy, STOPPING to
recover tea spoon she had dropped
slim tea spoon with an antique silver shell
carved on its handle-and coming up very
rosy from the search. "Why not p
Take care, Dotty. That's ALL"
..Uncle, what do you mean -
Il mean. child, that I'd rather lay you
in your grave in the new buryipg ground,
where there's only one mound yet in the
shadow of the church spire, than to see
you married to man who drinks That's
what | mean, Dotty =
Dorothy's head dropped over her plate
"Uncle, that is hardly fair Because a
man had bad habit once"
The soft eyes gsittered into a defiant
fash.
''You are mistaken uncle, Israel Es-
mayne has not touched drop of ardent
spirits in a year. He has promised me
never to touch it again !"
II hope he never will, my GIRL" said
Jonathan Beers, although his tone betray-
ed no very sangaipe feeling. "But it
amt safe thing to do It's madness,
love Of liquor is, and nothing short. It's
liable to break out at any time Israel
Esmayne's good fellow enough hain't
anything ugin hm-but it amt safe I"
Dorothy was silent. Why was it, she
asked herself, that men we're so severe in
judging one another? Why did they al
ways look at the blackest and least prom
Using side of every thing? Israel had
promised her. She believed him. And
that was enough.
And while she tripped lightly back and
forth about her household duties, her
mind was full of the underlined future.
She could see herself shadowy and unde-
fined as in mirror, moving in bright lii
tie home where flowers bloomed in the
easements, and birds sang, and a clock
licked, "He is coming he is coming 7"
"One of these days!" said Dorothy to
herself, as she put away the saucer of
peaches and the little pitcher Of thick
cream on whitley secured pantry shelf
"one Of these daysr'
She was thinking of the future. And
old Jonathan. smoking his pipe, was liv-
ing in the past.
you've somethin' to do with the rail-
road, stranger; haven't you?"
81 reckon | have" said Israel Es-
mayne, indifferently. ''Pm switchman. I"
ut don't take up much of your time,
guess r
"Its got to be looked after just the
same, though" said the tall Westerner,
as he lifted the last monster log from the
cart he was unloading to the thrifty pile
at the north end Of the house.
..What time does the way train come
by?'
AT nine o'clock"
ssDo you suppose | could 60 to Mellen-
villc and see the lumber dealers there, and
get back to the station again BY that tims?"