Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-02-10
MisftIl g
Black Eyes and Gray.
Thanksgiving Sketch in Six Parts
BY GEORGE CARY EGGLEsToN.
BY GEORGE CARY EGGLEsToN.


T lover is a matter OF any moment in youn,
yentlewoman's personal history, or tha
one lover more or less counts tor much
hut iharo w.re two facts which made :kt
present case serious.
In the first place Miss Middleton wa.
poor. and now that her engagement was
peremptoriy ended. her prospect. in life
were really very alarming. She had moi
always been poor. aud she had little skill
in any art that promised to yield her and
her mother a support. They owned great
rice plantation on the coast it is true, but
its dikes had been broken. its Hood gates
rotted away, its bitches filed up during
the war, aud, until refitted at great cost,
1t was worse than worthless. Tax bills
had accumulated against Ii. and finally il
had been advertised for sale by the Sheriff
The little upholstered suminer cottage In
which they were now living, consisting
chiefly of piazza. together with ITS two
acres of white sand. constituted the whole
sum OF their possessions.
But her poverty and the barren prospect
before her were not in Miss Middleton's
mind at all. There was another and more
serious trouble in the ease. Miss Middle
ton loved the quiet, patient man whom she
had just sent away with bowed head and
detected countenauce, and, for some reason
which she was not psychologist enough
to discover, sending linn away had ir5t in
the least cured her of ner infatuation. The
worst OF il all was that she had been in a
passion, and stamped her pretty little foot
angrily, and said wicked things in her final
conversation with him. and the memory of
| all her naughtincss, now that he was gone
was sorely di>quie;ing.
Not that she blamed herself in the least
for the rupture or the quarrel that had ac-
companied it, by any means. Have ! not
said that she was a womanf
No. Ii was all Mr.. Fred Breese's fault
He ought to have known several things
that he could not possibly have found out
In any way. and from his masculine stu
piJiiy in not knowing these things the
quarrel had come about, naturally and log
! ically-iemnine nature and feminine 10. ic
! being meant. OF course.
Mr.. Breese was native of New Eng
land, and Miss Middleton was South Car
Gilman Mr.. Breese had served in the army
OF the Union, while Miss Middleton's only
brother had been buried in suit of the
gray. When Mr.. Breese first came to
! South Carolina. therefore, and became a
winter boarder In Mrs. MidlIeton's house,
prudence and common courtesy forbade
the Introduction ei political topics in CON
rersation; and when. little by little. Mr.
!
family, good feeling prompted both him
| and them to continue the silence; so that,
while there was no Discrimination on either
side. there had never been any discussion
Of painful topics between them. When Mr..
| Breese returned 10 pass second winter
| tp the. fay lH..NisS .Miidleton hsd. Ruti -oav
| all aud when, a few weeks later, his rela-
ton TO the family changed from that OF
| friend and boarder TO that OF Miss Middle
TONS accepted suitnr, the two had pleas
anter things than political differences TO
talk about; and so they forgot to remem-
Der that there was or ever had been war
between them.
On the morning the quarrel Mr.. Breese
had brought his New York newspaper
with him from the post office. and in his
absent minded way read it as he walked.
This was the origin OF all the trouble.
and if this story has any moral at all. 1t is
that one should never read newspaper
except sitting in a chair.
The newspaper in question contained
among other things. the Presidents proc
lamation appointing the last Thursday In
November for Thanksgiving.
As Mr.. Breese had never seen Miss Mid.
dleton's early home, and as he had reasonf TO
believe that that young gentlewoman long
ed TO revisit the scenes OF her childhood. il
occurred TO him to suggest journey thth-
er; and in order that he might the more
gracefully assume the cost OF carriage hire
he proposed TO make the excursion fami-
ly reunion at the old mansion-Mrs. Mid
dleton. her daughter and bims elf TO con sti.
tute the family. He therefore suggested
Thank giving Day he was a devoutly
thankful man whenever he thought of Mis-
Niddleton-as a proper occasion for the
reunion, ard this was what produced the
rupture.
ave don't keep nksgiving at the
South replied Miss Middleton, when he
had explained his plan to her.
True" he answered. Il had forgotten
that; but il will be q good time TO begin
The custom of observing this feast has out
grown New England and become national
pnow."
Yes, in your nation. but not in mine.
His gray eyes looked inquiringly intt
her black ones.
81 had never thought of geography il
connection with you, Ruth he said. Thei
after pause, he resumed:
..If YOU cannot go to Middleton Hall il
honor of Thank sgiving, Ruth, who know!
but that you may hereafter keep Thanks
giving in memory of our trip to Middleton
Hall: That will be pleasant reveI sal o
my plan Besides, think you will like
after while, to join in the beautiful Gus
, tom of keeping this harvest feast. Gu
sterile New England should not be allow
. ed to outdo this fruitful southern land il
the giving of thanks to bountiful Proyi
deDce."
One can never say with certainty what
woman will or will not think in any givel
case; else should say that under ordina
: ~ circumstances Miss Middleton wou
, have taken no offence at Mr. Breeses sen
, sible speech. The circumstances were b.
: no means ordinary ones in this case, how
, | ever. and Mr.. Breese ought to have know
it although, as said before. there was n
e way in which he possibly could have fOun
e ont the facts that made the ground he wa
treading on unsafe. He felt as if he ha
4 been struck in the face, therefore. whe
her black eyes flashed again as she said;
''What have we to be thankful for, eitl
er to Providence or to you Yankees, thf
we should join you in keeping yonr Pur
tan feast2 We have been reduced TO bes
r gary. and your Thanksgiving Day is tn
one appointed for the sale of Niddleto
e Hall by the Sheriff."
I Mr.. Breese was quiet. almost phle:
e matte person, in whose character patient
was the most strongly marked feature. L
"a was man, however. and logical, wher
n fore he fell into the error of supposing tn
I to win pardon for his slip it was only nece
sary to plead the ignorance which hs
a caused 1t.
y IL really beg your pardon. Ruth
!. began. ''If had known word of thi
"a l."
of ''But you ought to have known OF it
N she exclaimed. and it was at this point til
N she stamped her foot.
IN ''How could I?' he pleaded.
es Don't let us quarrel, replied the you
o. gentlewoman, "and that we may not ,
an had better say goodbye
a "Bnt my dear Miss Middleton"
so There it's of no use to argue the poll
,,s My mind is quite made up. We ought
ir have known from the first that we shot
nd never get on together. We shall never
II. able to agree, and it is better that
should end now between u.s."