Ellsworth American., 1874-02-19
ssIeeteo S Storn.
Farmer Hills Hired Man.
HOW FRANK THREW HERSELF AWAY.

HOW FRANK THREW HERSELF AWAY.
jest You walk in and make YOUR
self at hum whilst call Ralph. He's
my nephew. down here from college.
rusticruitinG round awhile for his mar.
YES. It'll do him good to drive YOU
over.
Tins was our first knowledge of the
B existence of such 4 person as farmer
Hills nephew, and here it will be well,
perhaps, 10 break the thread of my
+ discourse and explain how We came TO
make the acquaintance of farmer Hill
himself. Some SIX months previous,
father and mother had gone abroad
( for their health. leaving Grace and
myself, together with cousin Frank, TO
1 the care OF Arabella, our digniiied old
er sister. Arabella was Il widow still
/ IN her weeds, q little prim naturally,
/ and with an outer crust of coldness
which grief and black robes had failed
I TO soften, yet SO true-hearted and con-
+ scientions that our parents felt entire
/ ly safe in intrusting us TO her during
/ their years absence. They had talk
ed of taking Grace with them, but We
could not bear TO be separated, for We
are twins. Grace and | you would new
er guess 1t, though, we are SO unlike,
Grace being short and plump. with a
face like a ripe peach, and palish gold
en- hair. and purring ways OF a pet kit
ten, while l am just the opposite in
looks and temperament, and far more
, of q trial, | tear, TO Arabella's pa.
tlence. But Arabella's greatest trial
in those days was our cousin Frank.
Dear child, she would not for the
world have been a trial to any one,
but 1t was just as impossible for her TO
conform to Arabella's strict notion of
propriety as it would be for hum
mlng-blrd TO put on the stateliness Of
the swan. She was nothing unless
She could be herself, and Arabella was
forever trying TO remodel her. Left
an orphan before she was ten Years
old, she had been adopted by doting
aunt, who, after doing all in her power
to spoil the girl-fortunately one not
easily spoilt-died, and left her an
heir TO a neat little fortune. Since
then she had been with us, and we all
loved her in spite of the fact that,
wherever she was, she was the centre
of attraction.
We had been boarding all winter
with Arabella's mother-in-law, sty-
llsh, matrony woman, who, having
for Arabella's sake consented to take
US into her family. felt it her duty TO
devote herself to our entertainment.
And a gay season had been the result
headings, receptions, and parties fol-
lowing each other in SO quick success.
sion that by spring we were heartily
tired of fashionable life.
''How pleasant it would be if We
could only go into the country for a
while," said Frank, half burying her
face in bunch of Arbutus which
bought that morning ola little flower
girl at the door, had been whispering
to US all day of the far-away woods
where its home had been.
"Why not take lodge in the wild
r erness and try housekeeping" said l.
with sudden inspiration.
Il NWouldn't it be splendid?" cried
Frank, catching at the idea with en-
thusiasm. a.r....
"Splendid!" echoed Oracle, warm
ly.
My dear girls, you do not know
: what you are talking about" said Ara
) bella in alarm.
Indeed we do" said Frank. 81
for one, am hungry for country air"
"And Iv'
''And I!' chimed Grace and my
self.
8 but there are so many inconveni
ences attending country life," expos