Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-11-01
A STRANGE WOMAN.

Rippl1ng Beach some three years ago
had the advantages of quiet and seclu-
sion. 1t was an out-of-the- way place on
the sound, which I believed then / had
almost discovered. There was modest,
countriHed hotel, where food and mos
quitoes might be had at a minimum of
cost. With two weeks holiday and an
exceedingly moderate amount of money
to devote to my pleasures, after due con-
sideration, I had selected Ripping
Beach for my fairing. AS third clerk
in the bank, my vacations were few and
far between, and I had determined to
make the best of the occasion. When
Mr.. Rowland, the assistant teller, whose
business 1t was to pay the employees
their salaries, had given me my check,
he had casually asked me where was
gong, and had expatiated ON the
charms Of Rippling Beach, and its being
one OF the lost places on Long Island.
Visitors at the Beach House were,
though, goodish people, not congenial.
| was Indifferent, however, to society.
Boatmen and fishermen were my boon
companions. I had been a week at Rip
pling Beach when became acquainted
with Mrs- Bland This lady wac q lato
arrival. How came to talk tn Mrs.
Bland can hardly tell I rather think
that, hearing the lady express desire
to see city paper, had handed her
one, and in this way some common
place conversation had commenced. A
certain pleasant way the woman had, a
fairly well-bred manner, disinclination
to indulge in title tattle with the rest of
the boarders, made her society rather
agreeable than otherwise. Mrs. Bland
was diminutive, had graceful figure,
and dressed in quiet taste. Though
Mrs. Agnes Bland was fully thirty, she
impressed me with certain childishness
of expression, in which vague descrip-
tion trust am not paraphrasing Mr..
Bret Harte. The lady's eyes were of q
pale blue, without fixity of glance. No
one would ever have been rude enough
to even attempt, to stare Mrs. Bland out
OF countenance. It would have been,
apparently, too easy thing to do.
Without having evasive eyes, they SEEM
ed subdued and the least bit furtive.
An immense volume of fair, blonde hair
which she wore in one big braid, added
most essentially to her charms. For
any trait of fixity of purpose in Mrs.
Bland's regularly oval face, the only in
dication of it was a slight wrinkling of
the forehead between the eyes. Such
burrows had, however, no permanence.
You might see such little winrows on a
child's face when some passing matter
for brief moment had engaged its
scattered wits. Conversationally, Mrs.
Bland was fairly amusing. Educated
she was not; but having good amount
of intuitive perception, her remarks
were clear and defined. 1t was the day
after I had given her the paper, when
said to Mrs. Bland, "Has your budget
failed to reach you? It is one of the
annoyances of an out-of-the-way place.
Mails are diliatory, or come in patches. -
"What do you know about my
mailP" asked Mrs. Bland, the little
wrinkles roughening her forehead.
"Why, Mrs. Bland" I replied, "ii
you do not receive many letters, at least
you have famous collection Of news.
papers coming to you every day-at
least Dozen"
"How do you know that 2"
"The only grocery man in the little
town, who sells me fish-hooks lis the
postmaster. ! go there early in the
morning before the mail is sent to the
hotel. The grocer generally runs the
whole mail, before me, into q bushe
basket, prior to handing me my occa
sional correspondence. I see Mrs
Agnes Bland on ever 80 many journals
Have the honor of addressing a lad,
correspondent literary woman ?"
"Nonsense what an idea My hus
band sends the papers to me. It is
delicate attention on his part. In read
ing them time passes away during hi
absence" "Then there is o Mr.. Bland |?
I said to myself.
"I expect Mr.. Bland will be here il
few days. l hope you will like him
He is a great fisherman. Now, nc
tice you carry a fishing.pole to th
water-side every morning and bring bac
nothing. My husband has sent his fish
ing tackle down, so if you want hooks o
lines can spare you some. You com
here every season, do you not ?"
"No; this is the first time in my life
Good morning. Mrs. Bland, and thank
for your Offer"
GOOD morning, sir; but excuse m
a moment. Would you kindly look 6
this bill OF mine the Office clerk has ser
mep ] am an idiot about accounts
Here are some items which / have n
doubt are correct, with express charge
on some trunks and things paid for b