Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-08-09

uft>s- anu some lEtel Eulies, UOlu uttts-
stating drive to Natick Pier, the near
est village; and then the shaping aud sew
ing of the festive attire at home, after IL was
bought, occupying her head and hands for
at least two weeks. In the intervals of
housework.
But Jake thought of her all the time, on
sea and land dreamed of her by night, and
sung about her by day-when he was
alone, and far enough from shore to be un-
heard. Nor did he leave her quite at
peace; for once, as she sat on the door
step busily stitching at her gown, the sun
set gliding her FURNISHED hair, and deep
ening the hue of her bright cheeks and lips
Jake came up FROM the shore, and sudden
ly darkened those level weastern rays with
stern and sad aspect.
"Have you made up your mind. Mary
Ann he asked her distinctly and sor-
rowiully.
Mary Ann was vexed; this was too
much. She snapped back pertly enough.
NO. | haven't, and | shan't never il
you're goin' TO poster me so,''
'Ies YOU will, was the deliberate re-
ply, much IN the tone of schoolmaster
to naughty boy, and Jake walked away.
II he had turned to look back he would
have seen her crying bitterly. half with
rage, 1t Is true, but at least half because
he walked away.
Another week went by. and one hot al
ternoon Mary Ann and three or four Of her
friends bad gone down to battle. The
girls at Sandy Creek knew how to swim,
as well as the boys; and these extempore
mermaids liked to splash about in the
fresh GOODNESS of the water almost as well
as If they had been the genuine Kind,
though there was nothus siren to their as
pect. They had bathcd and dressed, and
were going home from the retired little
cove which was set apart for their use,
when Jake Hazard appeared, carryin: an
armtul OF fishing tackle, bait, scoop, and
lines, and big basket Of fish His way
home led by Sam fuckers door, while he
rest went fur er downithe beach. Mary
Ann walked on little before him, her
long dripping tre.ses hanging to her knees
coiling and curling, as the salt breeze blew
them about her, In a thousand darkIy shin
iEg rings, and her white shapelv ankles be.
trayed by the short skirt she wore for the
day was 50 hot she had gone barefoot 10
th" beach They went along IA silence.
TIL. just n they reached the door Jake
said in low voice, perfectly audible. how
ever, to this one hearer;
MARY Ann have you made Nh your
mind?"
Mary Ann was exaspcrated. Who
would not have been9 She faced Jake
with the look of n creature az bav In her
Slrk eyes. No. sir and neyer'r find it
till you stop pesterin'; there.
Jake looked st her, ul-faced with A de-.
iermined expression that almost daunted
her. Il never shall stop-till know" he
answered gravcly and went his wav.
Mary Ann was angry; but She was also
scared When man falls back on his
masculine supremacy. the eternal htncs :
nt things demands that woman Shall give
way. And She does. though she does not
Away show 1t. Mary Ann began to feel.
rather than to think. that Jake was. IN her
fashion of speech, ,:lhe blsge~tT, aIsi from
that moment cyan to find ont that she
loved him. But do you think she told him
so?
The Fourth of July came at last-bright.
hot bramlng, as holiday weather should
be-and at nine O'Clock Mary AIMS fire
was out; her house wIs 10 order: her biz
basket ofibreai, butter, cold coffee, and
pickles neatly packed, her father sitting on
the doorstep, and she beside him. waiting
!o- the boat. pretty picture they made
Sam In his Sunday clothes, with his coat
oy~ his arm, his spotless shrt-slveeves
scarce whittier than the silvery hair that
showed usder his brown felt hat and his
wrlnklcd kindly face and keen dark eve
pleasant rs the day itself; aud Mary Ann
In the new pink-and- white calico, her pref
" head rising from full. soft rufile, clear
and snowy, and her old black hat smarten-
ed up with white muslin scarf about the
crown. and bunch of pinks from the posv-
bed fastened 10 the bow. their clear, spicy
breath perfumiug the air about them.
Jake Hazard looked at her with ador-
Ing ewes. His mind fnala
more than usual. II that were possible
for he had devised plan, to be carried out
that very day. which should once for all
end his suspense; since he too had con-
c!uded, in the spirit OF the old distich:
He either fe1s his fate too much,
or his desert is small.
who fear TO put it 10 the touch,
10 win or lose it all.
Certainly Mary Ann would no. have
gone towards her fate-as well as the boat
with such happy smiling face, had she
known what was before her.
The journey over to Point Peter was
delightful A light breeze filed the sail,
and fapped the long red pennant above It..
There was plenty of fun and laughter :;
Jake himself semed as gay as the res: !:
and Mary Ann owned TO herself, as She
looked at him furtively from under her
broad hat. that he was lawful good look
ing" And less prejudiced observers might
agree with her. Sake's simple costume
OF white duck trousers and a dark blue
flannel shirt. wide brmmed straw hat
set well on the thick curls of his fine head,
and the animation of his clear-cut honest
face below 1t were certainly picturesque.
They landed at Point Peter in the best
OF humors; and Immediately the prepara-
tion for the clam-bake began, for the rest
OF the company were there before them.
For wonder all went right; there was no
mishaps and no vexations. The simple
tisher-folk, in their primitive fashion. en-
Joyed the rare holiday to the top of their
bent. After dinner, Jake proposed TO
Mary Ann that they should take row.
boat and go up Narick Bay to Blueberry
Island, where the low blueberries already
with turquois spheres.
IF Hosy and Amy will co. said Mary
Ann.
So Hosy was sent after Amy, and Mary
Ann walked down to the boat with Jake.
and sitting down on one of tue seats. with
her face ShOreward. to watch for the 9TH
ers, Jake being behind her, silently put the
oars in place. and with one sudden sweep
Of his powerful arms drove it of. Mary
Ann cried ont.
Well" TRANQUILITY replied Jake, I'VE
might as well be rowing round till they
come"
But Mary Ann observed that, instead Of
"rowin' round" the boat headed straight
for the mouth Of the bay, and renonstrat-
ed accordingly.
well. well, Mary Ann, I'll just put We
ashore on the Rock, and go back and fetch
'em along, ef you say so. You've always
hankered to go into the Rock, you said
when we was comm over"
The Rock was little bare islet with one
dwarf cedar on it, stunned and spread by
driving rain and furious winds into the
rough shape of an umbrella. and common
ly reputed to be wonderful place or pref
ty pebbles. Mary Ann cared less for the
pebbles than for getting ont of tete-a-
tete with Jake so she jumped at the pro-
position. Now the Rock was quite out of
sight of Point Peter, and full a mile away.
Jake drew his PROV close to the abrupt
edge Of the islet. where one upward step
safely landed his passenger. drove the
boat single strokes length and then de-
Thar ol 1rax s,,h h;c