Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-08
NO. 6:

Dly the new WllQ nome amongst the noun.
tains; the lonely life, with only rough
miners Tor associates, and the hard labor
that must be her portion. Mr.. Foster was
abundantly able to hire servants to do the
cooking for the men, but don't think the
idea that he could do so had ever entered
his brain. He was SO accustomed to the
services of his legally bound handmaiden
that. to do the man justice, certainly do
not think the thought occurred to him that
he could employ another to relieve her.
Early in May they were established in
their new home, Mr.. Fosters healthy,
handsome countenance beamirg & with con-
tent, as he overlooked the labor of his
men, for his venture was proving more
successful than he had dared to hope for.
Mrs. Fosters face looked more faded and
worn than ever, for she had no gratiied
ambition to inspIrit her. Greater wealth
would not effect any favorable change in
her circumstances. judging from the past.
And poor, patient, weary eyes. looking
into frying pan and gridiron and sultry
oven interiors, had no time to look away
from the poverty Of her surrounding in
doors. to the glory Of the waters; for it
was on the bank of rushing torrent that
their shanty was situated.
The rough board walls Of tho cabin kept
the glory and the sunshine from the tired
eyes, as palace walls have sometimes done
when sick hearts have languished within
them.
But little Winnie was happy. Her child
eyes, so new to all the world, found un-
ending delight in all the wonderful. beau
tiful things about her. She was the one
ray Of sunshine in Mrs. Fosters life. Mr..
Foster was proud of his 'little daughter"
as he called her and thought of her. Her
exceeding beauty and intelligence graft
fed his ambition. and gave him hopes of
brilliant future for her. And to do him
justice, he was great lover Of children.
and the disappointment of not having any
of his own had been very hard for him to
bear. They all loved her, and, in fact it
would have been very difficult to help
loving little Winnie Foster. Her face was
sweet as an apple blossom; just such
healthy, cheerful beauty, too; none of
your delicate, wax like. hot-house BIOS
soming in her round. rosy little face.
Her hair hung around her brow and
checks like wavy masses of spun gold;
and her eyes were like the blue gentians
on the dear northern hllsides that Mrs.
Foster remembered so well.
All day long that little golden head
could be seen fitting about the cabin.
The miners grew to love it. hold it in
tender, sacred reverence. as they did the
memories of their own little ones far away
But, above all, there was one man amongst
them whose love for her knew no bounds.
This was man with wild, uncouth locks,
and face nearly covered with beard of
patriarchal growth; his face was rem
dered more forbidding too, by long scar.
newly healed. that cut across the forehead
and one cheek.
This man, who had been hired by Mr..
Foster after they had nearly reached their.
destination, was a stranger to all; but
Mr.. and Mrs. Foster were often puzzled
by curious resemblance, in the dark
eyes, to some one they had seen once.
He was faithful to his work, and to his
employers interests; but he was not
favorite with the men. He was too reti-
cent-surly, they called it; and as he
seemed to wish them, they looked upon
him with consequent dstrnst and dislike
But Winnie loved him. His rough,
SCARED face was beautiful to her, for it
.lways wore smile for her. lie was
never too tired to tell her the long stories
she demanded OF him. He gloried in the
joyful ignominy of being her horse, her
dog, her elephant. or whatever other ami
NAL her capricious fancy might dictate
She rode In triumphant security on his
shoulder, queenly mistress OF these retrac.
tory animals, her small, white hand.
clasped about his neck. To thus bear her
up the hill TO the cabin, prancing heavily,
as if he were a horse, or with long, un-
,uiI Iai ~; ba
to Jake Wilder sufficient reward for the
labors Of the day.
1t was one lovely morning in August
that she appeared at his side. as he was
rocking his rough cradle, seeking for the
golden reward.
"Dake, what 90 DOOM ~
He left off his work at once to tell her
what he was doing, told her with kiss
on the little, fresh, eager face. lie was
glad to think of this afterwards; glad to
think that he stopped his work for mo-
ment, wiped his hands upon his coarse
miners garb, and lifted her up in his
brawny arms for one of the flying leaps
through the air that she relished so much
He was then obliged to 60 up the hill TO
the cabin, and she at once proposed that
he should go as her eriant" He con-
sented, with great readiness and delight,
and placing her on his shoulder. he
pranced solemnly up the hill, like good
humored elephant bearing fairy prin-
cess; went in his best "erfantn tread,
slower and more majestic than his gait
when he was a horse.
At the cabin door he set her down with
another kiss, and she looked up in his face
with her trusting, child-eyes, and patted
his rough cheeks tenderly, and said -
Il love you. Dake; you're dood; you're
my dood old Dake."
In few minutes she was at her mothers
side.
"What 90 doin mamma?
This was great habit OF the little
maiden. asking every one what they were
doing. Everything was new to her; she
had so many things to learn people were
doing such strange things all the time.
Everything was strange to her; she must
be constantly asking in order to find out
things.
What am doing? ! am working my
life away; am killing myself
And poor. despairing, hard-worked
Mrs. Foster. dropped her rolling-pin into
4 4 n l. =.