Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-10
NO. 1873
Cales and Sketehss.
7asl=-ias-a=-==
MARY ANN'S MIND.
Continued from Yesterday

Continued from yesterday
81 reckon" answered Jake, feeling on
his taut line to see if it were stretched by
the ebbing tide or pulling fish.
"An' what's more, Hosy I'm goin' to
hev house'n home afore I'm gray, tell
ye."
"Lor, now. you be What does Mary
Ann say to thet circumstance ?"
'She's got to say somethin' afore long.
] m tired o. foolin'," muttered Jake be-
tween his teeth, giving a vicious jerk TO
his line, that was raging up and down at
the mercy of another fish, which, howev-
er, he speedily hauled in and added to the
tapping heap. Il, say, Hosy, 'taint no
good 10 founder round on hook. Id
get of ont ef | tore my jaw out. soon's
| tound twas for sport folk was kethin' me;
bizness 3 another matter"
"Wall, wall, she's a young cretur.
| Mebbe she dono what she does want
THAT amt my sitovation, by the Lord,
| sir know what | want emmy way, and
III hev it or let it 60, smack and smooth.
afore new moon comes agin, or my name
| amt Jake Hazard"
Hosy's simple soul quivered at the stern
and almost free energy of Jake's decla-
| ration. Not that he was afraid himself,
but he saw breakers ahead as he would
have phased it. storms of passion and ex-
| citement, an end to quiet fishing bouts
| with Jake, lazy, pleasant strolls alter blue
berries with Mary Ann. and cosy suppers
at Sam fuckers. lie was an ease-loving.
weakened brother, ready to sell what
| he called his soul at any time Tor peace or
pottage, the very type OF man who wrecks
| his own life and ruins others for the want
| of little courage and candor, whose cry
was always the selfish howl of LET me
| alone, " latter me the deluge." But Ro-
sys lazy longing for peace could work no
wreck or woe in Jake's affairs, though he
made a feeble effort to "save the pieces
in an interview with Mary Ann that very
! night, being deputed as soon as they came
| in with their spOils, to carry the big fish
| up to Sam fuckers as a present from
Jake. Mary Ann met him with beaming
eyes.
"Well. | declare, thet's Jest what l
wanted, for Aunt Semanthy's come to sup
per, md Uncle Royal, and | hadn't a
special thing for 'em, bread, n butter, n
sass, n dried halibut. that's ALL"
] This is the King o the crowd" said
| Hosy looking at the beautiful silver-bellied
blue-backed creature with honest admir-
alton.
Il guess he made 'em fly down below.
lie come up with rush now,
| tell ye, but Jake was too much for him.
Jake's masterful critter as ever / see.
Say. Mary Ann and here his voice fel
into an ominous whisper, "you look out
for Jake. Counsel with me now. Ef
be a poor feller I've got sense into me.
You let Jake hev his head giner'lly. Twill
be vast better for you eft ye do"
"What air you a talkin' about. Hosy
Long? p retorted Mary Ann with an air OF
genuine astonishment
"Oh, nothin'. nothin' much, nothn' per-
tikler, only i was you | wouldn't be the
one to get athart o. Jake's hawse, not eff
| "rd list hev you know, SIR" snapped
Mary Ann, the quick color rising, "angry
and brave,' in her glowing cheeks, "rd
list hev you to know that Jake Hazards
nothin to me, nor | amt going to cotton
to no man because he's masterful. guess
| can be masterful myself, if I'm mind
to, so there" With which shake out of
her flag she slammed the door in Hosy's
face, and that detected being bewalled
himself plaintively enough.
"Oh, Lord I've gone an done it now,
eff never did afore. | hope to glory n
goodness she won't never tell Jake. I'm
darned to thunderation eff l don't believe
she will "Oh, Jeerusalem /"
And Hosy betook himself to the fish
house, scratching his sandy poll ruefully
as he went, but resolved to say nothing to
Jake, and to deny everything he might be
asked thereafter with wholesale and persis-
tent denial.
Yet after all he had done Jake an un-
conscious service, for Mary Ann was fully
and fairly brought to ask herself if what
she had Just now said in her sudden anger
was really the truth. Suppose Hosy told
Jake what she did say, and he took it for
granted that she really did not care for
him at all 1t was small point to rankle
in Mary AIMS mind, but it was the point
OF wedge. She cooked the big blue fish
for supper with her usual skill, and while
its crisp brown surface and creamy flakes
of flesh were being disposed of with sun
dry flattering remarks both to fisherman
and cook, she fretted inwardly little.
while she was pleased enough with the
commentators.
But Mary Ann was not metaphysical
there are some benefits after all in a want
of education if you do not want to anal
we your emotions and take your onward
ness" TO pieces as botanist does flower,
you are spared much futile speculation in
to profitless subjects, much soul-wearying
and unhappy consciousness, and may live
and die even as a blossom in simple trust
and peace. Mary Ann went about her
work with no special self-torment after
the first uneasy idea of Jake and his pos
sibilities had entered her mind. If she
thought of MIN little oftener and remem-
bered what Uncle Ryal had said about
them Hazards" as a family, and how
Aunt Semanthy had echoed "Yis; they're
dreadful reliable folks. alters was; Gran
ther Hazard was one of the smartest men
ever ye see. Good for a fshin' bout to
ninety year old; spry as cricket; didn't
hey no sickness so TO speak durin' his life
time, an died of a shockanum palsy to the
last" Why all this was what she knew
before, so she thought no more about it
the next day, but hurried her work over,
and putting on her hat. took basket and
set her face inland toward hill where
wild strawberries grew thick and sweet.
There was a long walk before her across
the fields and the sandy lanes were too