Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-01-11
stltft Storp.
Hobsop's Choice,

There was a flutter of cardinal red rib
bons. and a laugh so shrlll that the fc W
loungers in the little waiting-room glsnc-
ell curiously through the window Of the
telegraph Office. Without was the clear
and intensely cold twilight of winter
evening, streak of vivid red light dying
away in the west, and a white crescent
moon high above 1t. Lights vet flashed
from the numberless windows of the great
mills in the distance, out of whose dOOrsdark
lines OF operatives we're still issuing In ap.
parentiy endless succession. Lights stream
ing brilliantly from the windows of store
and dwelling-houses defied the gray shad-
ows that were slowly settling over tie pop
ulous and snowy street. where freedom
seemed to be running riot In wild laughter
and wilder Shouts, in the beat OF horses
hoofs and the gay chimes of bells. With
in, through close atmosphere impregnat-
ed with stale Tobacco the gas lamps flared
yellowly on dingy walls decked with the
usual collection OF colored posters, rail-
way maps, and advertisements, on the
rusty pyramid of iron used as stove, and
on lines of rickety settees occupied by var
ious heavily coated individuals, who were
doing and smoking away the ten minutes
that must elapse before the arrival Of the
night train from the city.
Reused by the laugh, more than one
slseply individual Strengthened himself and
stared into the telsgraphed office, where a
petite young womop. with the glossiest Of
short black curls and the sauciest of bright
black eyes, was leaning her two elbows
on table, and talking with lank and
light-hair girl opposite.
The young woman first mentioned was
dressed In alpaca that was rusty from long
wear, besides being somewhat white in
the seams and frayed at edges Of trim.
ming and braid. Her collar aud cuffs
were far from being clean, but the coQuet.
tishly tied red bow at her throat and the
snowy bracelets on her wrists were sup
pose to atone for slight defects. The lit.
lte brown hand that supported her chin
were also somewhat grimy. She had
slipped two broad gold rings on the slight
forefnger of the right one, and it was the
| action. accompanied by grimace that had
provoked her companions shrill laugh.
'Oh. Tilly M'Ewens! l never saw tht
likes of your
'Sh-h! said Miss M'Ewens. her blacl
eyes dancing with fun. as pulled the ring,
OF. dropped one In her pocket, and placed
the other on the second finger. Don
make q noise In my Office, Poll Evans!
Its the Queerest thing that you can
| tell your own mind. 1t would take pow
er OF talk. though. to make me think yO,
amt putting some Of it on. guess II
had two after me-
oh. pshaw, Poll, wait till you know
something about it. You never had bea,
In your life, and I've had dozen or 50
And noso / mean to get married.
WELL said Poll, rather sullenly, i ain
so old as you Anyway. expect Away
to be sharp enough to know which of tw
things like best.
Sharp isn't the word, Poll. It's not
question Of fortune. l don't know whethe
I'd prefer to be Mrs. Jones. the wife Of th
jeweler, or Mrs. johnson, wife Of one Q
the bosses of the mills. don't kno,
whether like best Jones's blue eycs-an
l adore blue eyes-Or JOhnson's blac
mustache-and loue q black mustach
Ohv-and the brown hand were throw
out so impatiently that the big ring cam
near flying oG-'there never was . girl
such quandary!
Two kinds Of pie, Poll said, compreheu
sively. . 70 -