The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-07-20
OUR STORY TELLER.
GRACIE'S HERO.

Oracle Davidson sat in brown study
on the doorstep of her pleasant home.
She was longing for her hero to come
She was sure she had one somewhere
but whether the future would bring him
to her, whether he was fighting battles
for truth and the right, or whether he
had fought his last battle and had gone
to receive his last reward, she might
some time know.
Gracie never thought that her hero
was very near her. There was very lit.
tie heroic in her eyes in the common
life of the fishermen, who were her
fathers friends. They lived as their
fathers had before them. and as. one
after another, they left their places on
the old beach, new generation entered
into them.
The nearest to hero was the old light.
house keeper, who had kept the lights
burning on many stormy night, and
guided many nigh-shipwrecked vessel
into the safety of the port. He had one
son, but there was little chance of his
ever following the difficult path his
father had trod, for since he had fallen,
when child, from one of the windows,
on to the rocks below, and was cripple,
Oracle felt very little acquainted with
MN. There was no chance for him ever
to become famous in the world.
Gracie's reveries were interrupted by
her fathers entrance, and she heard his
hearty voice saying:
Well, my Meg, i have some news for
you; there's grand family coming to
town, and
She did not wait any longer on the
doorstep, but jumped up and went into
the little front room where Mr.. David.
son was describing the grand family
The news had spread rapidly in the lit
tie village, and one after another of the
ne1ghbors came in to talk it over with
Mrs. Davidson For summer after sum-
mer had brought no change, and the
prospects OF new conner created no lit
tie stir. A number of years before Mr..
Wharton had owned cottage on the
beach. He had failed-and since he had
lett the cottage had stood vacant. Mr.
hopkins had rented it, and was COM
lng,, SO the report said, the very next
week.
Just think ont, Mrs. Davidson, u
said Mrs. Gibbs, he was down himself
to-day, and la! he had such handsome
son. Well, well, we know, all of us
Gracle, there arn't but one gal in town
pretty enough for him." and Mrs. Gibbs
burst into hearty fit of laughter, partly
at her own remark, and still more al
Gracie's burning cheek and flashing eve
but Mrs. Davidson dismissed the topic
OF the lawyers son, with the quiet re
mark:
He will hardly look for wife, Mrs
Gibbs, among the daughters of the poo
fishermen, if he is not already sun
Piled"
Mrs. Gibbs opened her mouth tt
reply, and Oracle, unwilling to hear tn,
answer, rose and left the room, and slip
ping out the back door, she was stand
ing on the shore, bathing her burning
face and neck in the sea, be
fore Mrs. Gibbs had finished her sen
tence. Then she sat down on a large
nat rock, where she always stayed, wher
she was watching for her fathers boat t.
come in, for she was half ashamed t.
go back and see the fsherman's wifi,
again.
=" Whatdid she think of me?'' though
Oracle. Il shouldn't have made sucl
fool of myself if she hadn't spoken il
quite such a way"
BY the end of her reflections, Graci,
felt as calm in regard to the LAWYERS sol
as she did when she thought of Will
Rowland, or Percy Smith. the ligh
keepers's son, and so she drew a COPY O
SCOTS poems from her pocket, and set
tied herself to read one of her favorit,
heroes, De Wilton, and of his happ,
marriage at last with Clara. So inten
was she on the story, that she did no
notice shadow which fell across he,
book.
" Is there firt in this little fishins
town. thought Fred. Hopkins as hi
stood and watched her.
He needed only few minutes, how
ever to convince him that she was en-
tlrely unconscious of his presence, ant
quite bound up in her book. He die
not know how near she was reaching thu
end OF her story, or perhaps he would
have left her undisturbed and reioinec
his father, who had began his summer
vacation by digging clans little wa,
below. As it was he was quite sur
prised, when Oracle shut her book. anf
at the same moment glanced up at him
She blushed deeply, half rose from hel
seat, and, in her confusion did not motto,
that he was somewhat embarrassed a,
well. He recovered his usual natura
easv manner in moment.
You must forgive my intrusion. 1
was entirely unintentional, Miss David
son."
She glanced up in surprise at hearins
her name from one who was an entir.
stranger to her, but he without noticins
her look went on, handing her as ha
spoke card on which was printed
Fred. G. Hopkins"
II am expecting to be one of YOU
neighbors this summer, and shall hope t
see you again SON."
He bowed politely, very differently
from the fishermen, and left Oracle K
think of the story of Marmion, or, if shs
prefer d, OF her own adventure.
And Oracle did think of it. He had
not, to be sure, proved himself a hero
yet, but if the outward man was any in
dication of the inward man, Frederick
=. Hopkins was most surely wonderful