The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-11-19

ciareu III was temptlng OF providence.
So said Mrs. Thornpin, who, having
wrought her courage up to the pitch of
drilling and scolding Deb for years to
come, felt in some way defrauded.
Mrs. Therppin declared The house was
damp, dismal, mouldy old place,
shaking with sea-ague, and sure to be
down some night on the head of who.
ever was in it. Whatever possessed
old Mrs. Chitts she didn't know. Deb
had quips and cranks enough of her
own all along, and would be harder to
manage now than ever.
And indeed it seemed she was not
far from right, for it appeared Deborah
was quite satisfied to "move" with a
cat, red shawl and fower-pot.
| 81 shall have plenty of everything
when Jerry comes back" she said,
smiling.
"Better wait till he does come" was
the grim reply.
ooh, you know, I want to have
everything ready for him."
Whereat Mrs. Thornpin laughed to
herself; for Deb, as she said, was
capable of living right along" with
the sunlight shining on that gray
shanty, and patch of rag carpet on
the floor, waiting for Jerry forever.
So Deb went her way in her SUM-
bonnet and old gray gown, with q
snatch of clove-pink in her hair, and
took refuge in the ancient shing,e efront
house.
All that bright, breezy day of Deb's
move she was very tusy, after her own
fashion, washing down and cleaning up
the big bare raftered kitchen, with
many pauses to look out of the wide
shambllnG windows at the gray brim.
ming Ocean, the white foam line, and
the 'wind-blown sand and sedge. For
DfJborah, as her sister said, was "lazy
IS born lady "a lady who thought
herself we'll dressed in patched gray
gown and rose bud.
"When Jerry comes back I'll have
folks enough running here" said the
infatuated Deb to those who condoled
With her on her sea-shore solitude.
But there came change over the
t.uiet of Rushtown. There were whis-
Ters in the air of an approaching in
aston. A big speculator, in big gold
hahn, with big voice, and big COM
any at his back, had found his way
& ,ong the sea-shore. There was talk of
lila sites and villa plots and ocean
\ iews, and there were flaming placards
Up at the village inn, and there was a
big tent down along the sands, with a
gay streamer atop of it, and crowds of
busy, beer-drinking people about it,
invading the ocean quiet, and vulgar
izing the place, as Mrs. Lymph de-
| clared.
And finally, it appeared, the willy
| auctioneer threw covetous eye on that
sighted two-acre lot which was gener-
ally shifted at by the village as "Deb's
property And the speculative Mr..
Jones courted Deb and coa1ed Deb,
and endeavored to bring her to reason
and to making a sale at his own price
g good price for few bushels of sand,
as he observed, worth nothing, except
that they stood in his way. But Deb
was shrewd for once, for the sake of
Jerry. When Jerry came back it would
not do to have cheated him out of what
was Justly his due. So she bargained
and put off and haggled with the elo-
quent auctioneer, for Jerry's sake, until
finally, as you never can bring a woman
to reason, he was fain to give her her
price. And he touched his hat re-
spectfully when they closed the bar
gain, for he respected money, did Mr..
Jones, and Deb was far richer woman
than when he first met her, and had
proved to be sharper than he was. after
all.
That was proud day for Deb when
she deposited the proceeds of that one
business transaction of her life-in the
snug little bank of neighboring town.
She still owned the shaky old house
and bit of land about it, and she had
a bank book besides /! There was q
small sum coming to her yet, and,
happy as princess, sho walked along
the sands, in her sun-bonnet, to meet
the gallant auctioneer at the big tent,
for, seeing that Deb was landed pro-
prietor, and mistress of small fortune,
that gentleman had invited her down
to the great clam-bake and sale, to see,
AS he said, chow the thing was done,"
and to settle up. It was all wonder
full scene to poor simple Deborah-the
feasting, the crowded tables, the rush
ing, jostling, good humored people who
bid high prices and drank beer, and
hankered to get out by the ocean. In
her interest and excitement she fingered
with the rest till nearly sunset.
"You had better be careful of that
money" said the auctioneer, kindly, as
she put the purse in her pocket when
they had "settled up" "There are
Unlocking fellows hanging about here.
Its bad for lone woman to have much
money about her,"
81 shan't always be lone woman"
said Deb, in the fullness of her heart,
thinking of the time when Jerry would
be back, as big and brave and fearless
as anybody.
That night there came new moon
over the water the wide dim stretch
of lifting waves was family silvered,
the wraith-like mist lying beyond glim-
mered like milky-way. But Deb was
not lingering outdoors tonight, dream
ing and brooding, as was her wont at
this hour. She sat in the great shadow
haunted kitchen, her sun-bonnet still
on her head, a candle faring beside
her-a candle which flickered unsteadily
over tumbled heap of bills, inter
spersed with few odd pieces of silver,
the hoardings of years.
Deb was counting her treasure, gloat-
ing over it like miser. Window and
door were open the sea-breeze came
floating in. Eager, happy, intent, she
heard nothing, feared nothing. The
wind was always making racket at
the disiointed old place, and Deb had
got used to it. 1t sounded like sinis-
ter football now on the threshold, but
Deb neverlooked up. She did not see a
dark face bending over her shoulder |;