Litchfield enquirer., 1875-02-18

ssoy -nAu-Dy, sayS~ Ao, anu So Ao
 seemed content to wait. But knew we'll
 enoagh what was in his mind. and got to have foelin' that his will was the strong
 est. and she'd have to g1ve in to it. 9Rhoda made herself easy. She was shy Of him when I first told her of it, but
 that wore otf; and exceptin' that she would l look Ut Jim earnest ike when he didn't
 sees her, and watch more for his goin' in
 and out than she'd done before, there
 seemed no difference in her behavoir. That winter, when she was just turned seventeen, this rheumatic first took me, and for nine mortal weeks was laid up Then Jim he took and nursed me like any
 woman He did what my girl couldn't have done for I could stir neither hand
 nor foot, and man like me isn't easy to
 lift. He was son and daugter too; he was a right good man to me that time. Rhoda grew softer in her way to him, and stead
 of orderin' him about, she used to watch
 for what he wanted, and get things ready
 for his eomin' home; and he grew to look
 regular happy, for know he thought she
 was gettin' to care for him the way he
 wanted at last.
 T kept lookout, for my wishes was the same ashis: but I never put word in.
 Matters seemed putin theirselves straight till one day in the spring, when could
 just stand by the gate, and was countin' l the days till could get on the water again. there stepped past 8 stranger-a good lookin young man he was, with just his
 stick across his shoulder, and little leath-
 CT bag swingin' from 1t. Rhoda was by
 me. knittin' the sleeves for my shirt. and
 when the stranger saw her, he turned his
 head for another look, and then he stop-
 ped and asked the way to the cottage.
 ''Rhoda told him: its that great white
 house up the hill, that's let every summer
 to some rich people.
 "He kept on lookin' at her till she
 blushed mp and stopped her head, and
 then he drew mp and spoke to me; but I ansvered him short, so he went his way;
 but .see him turn hls head more tnin
 once to have look at my girl.
 'tJim told us that night he'd heard that
 it was an odd set of people come to the
 cottage that year.
 They've got no boat of their own, but
 want some such craft as ours regular every day, just to go out and back again every
 now and then; and they knew nothin' about the water, so they want some one to go with them to see she don't sink her.
 self And then he laughed at their igno-
 rance; but Rhoda colored up, and said landsmen were as good as us any day, and
 knew a sight of things we didn't. T suppose, ma a'am," said Dick Mussett, .you can guess some of what's comin' This stranger was man that got his Twin
 by paintin' pictures, snd said he had come
 to stay at Brightland island for to study
 the sea. That's what he called it-'for to study the sea- and many's the time I've had 1t in me to question what the AL
 mighty could have planned his doin' for that
 'tHis name was Fletcher. he told us, and
 the people at the Cottage were his cous- ins. They had our boat every day, and paid us we'll; and for some reason or oth- CT, never day passed that he didn't come to see us. Rhoda was always clean, and took care of her things, but she began to look somehow smarter and indifferent. One day she did somethin' with her hair set it out somehow; anyway it changed
 the looks of her, and presently, when Mir. Fletcher looked in, he says, Why, Rho- da and burst out laughin'. And oh 1! my girl shc turned almost white, SO fierce
 she seemed that he should do like that,
 and laugh at her; and back she went, and
 wouldn't come through to the front room no more while he staid, but staid by her. 0CA CAy1A 0o COuAu bCAA d1bcIWdEUs Dub she put her hair the old way.
 sI didn't care for Mr. Fletcher's visits. but scarce knew how to stop them. He
 used to ask me questions about the sea,
 and always made as if he had deal to
 talk about. truly think he meant noth- in bad. He liked the look of my girl, ,and told me plain he meant to paint picture of her before he went away; but his com in backward and for'ard like that drove Jim nearly wild, and did more mischief ! with Rhoda than ever I knew. If had been woman, I might have suspected
 what was goin' on in her; bein' a man, though, didn't. Jim was the nearest to guessin' the truth, and it made him mis- erable.
 ''One night (after Mr. Fletcher had been
 in) he said to Rhoda sudden, and before
 me, too: Lass, can't hold on with this
 sort of thing any longer; it must be yes or
 no; will you have me or won't you? Let
 1t be one or the other
 That's queer way of courtin', Jim,
 says she.
 No queerer than other men's,' says he.
 "Well. Jim, says she, eoin' up to him
 and takin' hold of his hand, we won't l quarrel about it. Find & better woman fer you, and trouble no more for me. You
 won't ask me to do what can't do; and, Jim, she aaid, beginnin' to cry, indeed I
 can't no,U.' And with that she left us. "Jim looked at me, and he seemed all
 of shake. It's that cursed painter he
 said; and felt mad to think his words
 were true. The girl, told myself bitter ly, had even gone and taken to this man. who never cared a bit for her.
 "We were three troubled souls that
 night. Jim was out early next-day morn in, and I got down on the shore by six o'clock. Rhoda was up, and called to me l to be home to breakfast soon. It was SO
 bright, the sun shinin' and the waters all
 of a sparkle, that the sight made me feel young again. and felt most wonderful sorry to think that Rhoda and Jim could mt make up matters between them. I was
 thinkin' on it, when up come Jim, and
 MT. Fletcher too. The gentleman said to me. 5- ~
 "I'm of to-day, Mussett, over the hills ] and far away and he began to whistle a tune.
 t Be you goin' for longg says I; and I ! was downright glad to hear he was goin' at last e- -,. l.s-zs -- '' It may be for years, an t may be 4OAOvOAs aoaJS 0cs PAGAAu up SLO0eS, and
 maxim what children cali ducks-and- drakes in the water. Jim he sang out flor Jim was movin' off-syou have the
 boat out in a couple of hours; and look
 here. Mussett, he says, you've had bad luck this year, so take this;' and he gave
 me some gold money. I owe it to you for your girls face. I've got it right
 enough now. And give my love to Rho da, and tell her to get mrrried to that great good-tempered giant and he nod ded after Jim, before I come to these
 parts again.
 ''Rhoda looked white and tired when I
 went back, but she was main gentle-tem- pered and good that day. I never give her no message from the painter. I only told her he was gone, after I see the
 boat with the two men in pullin' across
 the water; and I said it wouldn't be like my girl to go frettin' after man that never could have no thought of her. said !; and she laid her head down Inn rnu