The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-07-23
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GRAclE's HERO.

Oracle Davidson sat in a 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 be
had fought his last battle and had gone
to receive his last reward, she nigh,
some time know. 2'i t1acsasf 81 IA
Oracle 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 af:
ter another they LEFT their places on the
old beach, a new generation entered into
them. f1' -" s7asfs Eflt s14asiegaa
The nearest to a. hero was Che old
light house keeper, who had kept the
lights burning on rnanya stormy night,
and guided many a 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
bis father had trod, for since be had fal-
len, when child, from one of the win
dows, on to the rocks below, and was ia
cripple, Oracle felt very little acquainted
with him. There was no chance for him
ever to become famous in the world. a.
Gracie's -everies were interrupted by.
her fathers entrance, and she heard his
hearty voice saying :9F'H 9df 10 J55hjsy.
well, my Meg, / have some news for
you; there's grand family coming to
town, and--''as iha' ~ 5a51 gst
She did not wait any longer on the
doorstep, bat 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, aud one after another of the
neighbors 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 a
Mr.. Wharton had owned cottage on
the beach. He had failei-and since he
had left the cottage had stood vacant -
Mr.. Hopkins had rented it, and was
coming, SO the report said, theyery next
week.
'Just think ont, Mrs. Davidson" )"
said Mrs. Gibbs, "he was down himself
to-day, and la! he had such handsome
son. Well, well, we know, all of us,
Oracle, 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 at
Gracie's burning cheek and flashing eve.
But Mrs. Davidson dismissed the topic
OF the lawyers son, with the quiet re-
mark: 80, '''' "'''' 'j -
's.He will hardly look for wife, Mrs.
Gibbs, among the daughters of the poor
fishermen, If be is not already supplied"
Mrs. Gibbs opened her mouth to re-
plys and Gracie,. unwilling to hear the
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, before Mrs
Gibbs had finished her sentence. Then
she sat down on large fat rock, where
she always stayed, when she was watch
ing for her fathers boat to come in, for
she was half ashamed to go back and
see the Hsherman's wife again, rn...,5
stWhat did she think Of me p thought
Oracle II shouldn't have made such a
fool of myself if she hadn't spoken in
quite such q way" - psii-.s,s,s. I'D
BY the end of her reflections, Oracle
felt ss calm in regard to othe lawyers son
as she did when she thought of Will
Rowland, or Percy Smith, the light
keepers's son, and so she drew a copy
of SCOTS poems from her pocket. and
settled herself to read one of her favor