Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-11
roop,iuuea from FIRST page.1

lContinued from nfst pagel
Jake, being behind her, silently put the
oars In place, and with one sudden sweep
OF his powerful arms drove 1t off Nary
Ann cried out.
"Weli,' TRANQUILITY replied Jake, ave
might as well be rowin' round till they
come"
Mary Ann observed that, instead of
"rowin' round ;. the boat headed straight
ior the mouth OF the bay, ana demonstrated
accordingly.
"Well, well. Mary Ann, III just put ye
ashore on the Rock. nd go back and fetch
'em along. eff you say so. You've always
hankered 10 60 onto the Rock, you said,
when we was comm over"
The Rock was a little bare islet. with one
dwarf ceder on it, stunted and spread by
driving rain and furious winds into the
rough shape of an umbrella. and common
ly reputed to be a wonderful place for
pretty pebbles. Mary Ann cared less for
the pebbles than for getting out of a tete-
a-tete with Jake. so she jumped at the
proposition. Now the Rock was quite
out of sight of Point Peter, and full a
mile away. Jake drew bis prov close to
the abrupt edge of the islet, where one
upward step safely landed his passenger,
drove the boat a single strokes length off,
and then deliberately drawing bis oars.
spoke as follows:
NOW, Mary Ann, I've bobbed at the
end of your string as long as is reasonable
| can't do it no more. There you be, and
here be and here both OF US II stay till
you've finally made up your mind.
Mary Ann was dumb. She was stunned
for a moment; then she was angry.
s'How dare you, Jake Hazard
"Well, you see. I've got to pitch where
darst do Almost anything.
Mary Ann looked at his set mouth, his
steady, resoute eyes, his air OF stern self
possession, and ielt that he spoke the sim
pie truth. But it was not in her to give
up. She saw, or rather felt. very plainly
that she did not want TO lose him. that she
liked him very, very much; but not the
less did she feel rebellious and outraged by
this extraordinary proceeding.
Its fair to tell you one thing, Mary
Ann" he began again. ''lI you finally
make up your mind against me, shall
clear out of these parts for the future
couldn't stay here An unconscious
tremor and sadness was in these last
words and Mary Ann felt it. She saw.
in flash OF imagination, what Sandy Creek
would be without Jake. Indeed, all her
own life But this did not move her out
wardly; she sat quite still on the stone
she forgot all about the pebbles she only
thought of ,Jake's demand. and resolved
never TO yield TO it. ii she sat there a
week. And she might have sat there
long enough to discomfort her jailer and
herself both, had not certain sound APP
preached her ears--ior the wind had sud
denly veered round 10 the east--a dip of
slowly pulling oars. And in deep, mas
sal voice, which she recognized as Hosy
Longs, the following 'long-shore ditty,
coming nearer. ION the direction of Point
Peter:
Uncle Keziah and hi, son Sam
They went to in the shell Of clam,
A outside o the Pint!
They put up the hellum an put her about,
The sea it went in AN sam he went a0nt,
A-o-utside o the Pint!
Uncle Keziah be cussed an he swore
He'd ne'er go TO sea in shell any more,
A-o-utside the Pint
Women are ''cur us creturs,' as lIosy
was wont to remark; whether it was the
terror of approaching observers. or the lu-
dicrous drawl OF Hosy's song, or the
weary waiting and heat, or some fierce and
subtler influence she knew not how to name
suddenly Mary AIMS heart gave way
without her will or wish, she broke down
utterly, and with an unconcaed sob of
agitation stretched out both hands to Jake.
''Come p she said, and when Jake took
her in his strong arms and lifted her into
the boat like big baby, he knew from
the soft, shy look in her beautiful eyes
and the lingering of her arm upon his
shoulder that Mary Ann had made up her
mind at last. and that he needn't go
away forever.
But before either of them could speak,
Hosy appeared around the corner.
''Wa'al," shouted be, "this is hinder up
settin"; why couldn't ye wait for iellerP y
''We did wait minute" laughed Jake
I've was comm back for ye. Mary Ann
wanted to land on the Rock to look for
somethn' she lost tother day"
did she find it ?" asked the interested
Hosy.
mol did," dryly replied Jake, and
Mary Ann looked over the gunwale into
the water. She has always professed to
Jake that see never did or would forgive
him, but Jake only laughs, knowing very
well there is no happier or sweeter wife
and mother on all the shore than Mary
Ann Hazard, and that in her secret heart
she is very glad he made her know her
own mind, however he did it.
The GdlaGy] ROSE TERRY Cook.