Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-06-10

tree. | can hardly believe you are my
cousin any more, a think OF what you
wcretiiteen years ago, when you visited
Us, md look at you nov, stout, chuty,
slovdly aud rich, caring for nothing on
the earth or under the heavens but your
nasty pipe. An old bachelor is a disgrace
10 humanity anyhow. sam Harrington |
say-or the Lords sake get up and put on
q clca shirt"
''Srn grunted. The little woman pok-
ed hin encrgctically in the ribs.
ldr duty TO your health imperatively
demands it," she sand.
sam groaned. The little lady pohed lin
again.
by all the laws OF reason and logic.
that duty Is rcsslngly incumbent on you.
Allow the to put ii To you in the light ot 4
public duty which you owe 10 your kind,
a a member of a civilized community. aud
not llottentot or a Red Indian. More
over, your cousin, implore you with tears
10 my eyes 70 obIige me immensely and 90
and change your linen. and not disgrace
me before the world. There now is con
>ideratiun which ought 10 move i heart OF
stone.
sam elevated his right foot acro,. hi,
lctt Knee. and regarded attcutiyrlv hole
IN the toe of his ragged right slipper.
pest on earth equal to a woman"
And besides that, society expects it Of
you continued the Little woman. punch
ing him with great viSor.
lie arose aud slowly stretched himself
| hen he disappeared and presently came
back, hayln. reluctantly made the rrquir-
eel change OF ra.mrut. But the wrist
bands were uubuttnncd, and the collar ana
bosom ,h"ck.uIly crumplcd HI cousin
eyed linn discontcntIy.
''Scr, the man. uuw, !" She said. "Nnl
that beautiful bosom. too. looks ~ il you II
been rolling down somebody's shed root.
| declare yOu'r re- enough 70 drive a woman
mad. Aud You re gong 10 our camp meet
ing with u. too, and wanted 80 much t.
introduce YOU % Widow
"Drat all women said sam. rcilcctiyc-
ly. ''Drat all women especially widows. q"
But our widow. isn't widow Al an
She a-She', an ola maid. | don't kuas
why everybody calls her widow. but that's
the name she's always known by. She
used 10 he rich when she was young, but
she was real bright and learned then, very
learned. tor rich mans daughter. Her
father died they lost their fortune ANA
Widow had to WORK Tor her living. She
came here. aud Idow has actually Been
principal Of our village high school for tht,
last seven years. There never was a wom-
au held thr place before, and there never
Wa, i man Who filled it halt 70 We'll. Her
graduates make the best wives aud ;hc best
school mlstrc,srs in the country. school
mi-tresses always mahe good wives, sam
used 10 be school mistress myself"
Yes, said sam. Modest, you know" ("
And widow has done An immcasuIabie
10, OF good alnoug the girls here. She ht,
made them Ike herself, A. tar ~ they We
sense enough 10 be It-bTaYc. strong, hon
est and wise. There never wa. another
ike her. sam. She supports her mother
out OF her earnings, aud-anl dresses Ike
lady too said Sans cousin, adlln. the
last a, the climax q all praise.
Il don't like paraGons, said sam. "Aw-
ful tiresome.'
AT any rate, you're in no danger OF be-
in@ taken Tor one Yourself replied the
sharp little woman. You had the world
before You, aud we were all 30 proud ot
YOU, and had such hopes Of You. You
were 8inS to be a famous poet. reform
prcas&r, aud the Lord knows what aud
you've not been any ol it. When you die
| ,hall have this labcl tackled across your
coffin: lie began ike a poet. iull OF grand
hopes and aspirations, and he ended by
beng >loVeuly Old bachelor. VITO made :.
fortune ia the brIck pressing business"
cousin Mary. lets start 10 tile camp
meeting"
At the camp ground. Sam Harrington
aud little Mrs. Gertic sat among the de-
/ vout pat ot the congregation, and listened
10 the sermon like old folks When 1t was
I over. aud they had all left the wooden
/ benches, a tall, pale lady, with luStrou,
! black eyes. and dark, wavy hair, stood up
\ facing them. An aged lady with slvery
/ hair and u sweet, placid face leaLed on the
4 others arm, aud the Younger lady careful
| ly supported her feeble steps.
That's Widow and her mother" whis
1 pered Sans cousin. Isn't she ovely:"
Sam looked. The fine delicate face was
the least bit faded and tired looking. but
not a bit soured or gloomy. Oh, no. . not
the least. IL was a clear true face-fine,
strong, and pure, like steel or silk, or
omething of that sort. Little Mrs. Gerty
aught the school-mistress's hand.
Willow" said she, ''this is Cousin Sam
harrington, a rich Slnvrnly old bachelor
wish you'd take him oil ny hands. Sam
Miss kildare
'Wh-a-a-t" screamed he, crafty.
Don't hurt my arm 50. What did you
do hat for:" said Mrs. Gerty.
'Mr. Harrington and | used to know
eac. other long ago, when was young,
al lietiable look in her dark, softly friuged
eyes.''I met Mr.. Harrington fifteen years
ago a Il campmeetng. l have never seen
Nun iDm that day to this"
The She moved on in "A calm, graceful
way, With little spot of quivering sun
shine gancing across her gray dress as she
passed And the very first thing Sam Har-
rlngton lid was to look sheepshly down al
his dust. old boots. while his face redden-
Ell slOwy. with the memory of an old
lame. H. laid his hand upon Mrs. Gertv'
arm.
cousin Mary, you said awhile ago that
l used TO te poet and an enthusiast, with
bright hops and great aspirations, and it
has all enoed in my being useless, SLOW
ehly old bachelor, who got rich at patent
orlck making. That woman knows why
Then In sure you wronged her more
than she winged you. She is the truest
best. Drightet woman l ever knew. | dc
wonder II yot are the man she nearly broke
her heart abou so long ago? I've heard a
whisper of tht, I'm sure. You were al
> ways to hard aid unforgiving, Sam.
Little Mrs. Serty, romantic as girl
! watched them narrowly. Were the OLD
flames kindling into life again? Something
little Mrs. Ggty thought they had
never sieu entlfely out from the heart o
either. Sam Harrington began to blacl
his boots and button his wristbands.
: One summer moonlit evening, Alice Xii
dare sat in the porch of the little cottag
in which she lived with her mother. Sh
was looking down the avenue Of trees il
front towards the west. where the sun wa
, sinking in the glowing sky, as Sam Han
. ringtOn came slowly up the walk and join
ed her in the porch.
, Widow Kildare. he said, have com
/ to bid you goodbye
l 'Have your said Widow. She woul
not ask a word more.
, Yes, must 60 back to my muck-ral
ing. Bricks. you know, and clay, an
furnaces and things. meant to be poe