Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-07
NO. ST..
Gales aud Sketthes.
For the Journal.
MY HERO.
BY CONSTANCE STERLING.

George wanted me to marry him, but
refused. He wasn't my ideal at al. I
was nineteen, my glass and kind friends
assured me that was pretty, and nv head
wa full of romance. | had dreamed so long
of the hero who should WOO me that was
not at all inclined to give up the valued
shadow for the stern substance. Not that
George was at all stern; oh, no, Just the
contrary.
Tall, dark, with flashing eyes like mid
night, hair that rivaled the ravens wing,
n brow of marble and teeth like pearls,
naughty in mien, but tender as woman
in ove-such was my ideal hero.
Rather short, fair, with blue eyes and
pale brown hair, skin rather freckled,
hands fat and ireckled also, "a merry, frank
disposition and no haughtiness whateyer-
such was George Dodd.
Now the very idea OF marrying G Gorge
made me laugh. Just as if could settle
down on farm, make cheese and butter
and give up all hope of meeting my hero.
"1ou are certainly crazy, Luella, "said
my mother, when she learned hat had
refused George Dodd.
'Youll never get another such offer.
George has nice farm. well stocked,
| fine. comfortable house well furnished.
and he is a moral, upright, conscientious
young man.
"But homely, mother, fearfuIly home-
ly." said.
GLOW can you say so ?'' cried Martha,
my sister, who was two years older than
myself 'He is very nice looking. and
will make model husband"
Then you take him for yourself.
Martha" said laughingly, II am sure
make him over to you free gift"
Martha grew very red had always
suspected her of a liking for George.
Martha would have more sense than
to refuse George if he had made her the
offer instead of YOU" said mother. land
| truly wish he had. But young men
don't seem to care for sense now-a-
days-they fall in love with rattle headed.
doll-iaced girls who don't have a thought
above dress and jewelry"
Now this was rather hard on me, but
knew mother was yexed, so excused her.
We three lived at Barnville, and had Just
enough money to enable US to make both
e@e meea aad Mhss hs end Of the so dM5P MPhsr
"a cent to any one. But none of US liked to
| little extra dainty. and mother was quite
willing to have both her girls marry and
get comfortable homes, and she thought
it quite a sin for me to refuse George,
whose handsome farm lay three miles from
Barnvile. But ! did not fret over the
matter myself. | was too sure that my
hero would come along some time to claim
me, and though liked George very well,
and found his company very agreeable,
did not want to marry him. wished sin
cerely that he would place his affections
on Martha, and then mother would not be
troubled about the loss of the handsome
farm he owned and she really spoke of it
as though it had been ours and lost
through my folly aud obstinacy.
| think Martha envied me very much.
She was good girl, clever housekeep.
er. and fond OF country life. Surely
| George should have fallen in love with her
instead of me. But then things generally
do 90 crosswse in this world.
George left off coming to our house, and
we missed the presents of vegetables,
| fruit eggs and butter which he had been
SO fond of bringing. There was hardly
a day that mother did not refer to my fol-
ly in rejecting George. SO three months
passed, and it-was October and still had
not seen my hero. That ideal parsonage
had not yet made his appearance. Barn
vile was a a dull little place, with only
six thousand inhabitants, and | knew
about all the reputable young men who
lived in it. and knew none OF them were
likely to become like nv ideal. They
nearly all had sandy hair, and pale blue
eyes. Fair hair and ligh eyes seemed to
be characteristic of the people in Barn
vile, | had them myself, and was sorry
! for it. The only young man who had
black hair and eyes, was Joel Plummer,
| W hn Epn ha
shorter than George Dodd, and his skin
was more ireckled. never could mar
ry man with freckles that decided up
on.
Lite grew unbearable to me every day.
Sometimes | was really almost sorry had
refused George, for mother harrassed me
so much about it. II asked for a new
ribbon she would sigh, and say she could
not afford it, but il had married George
&c. &c. Sometimes | wished George
Dodd was at the bottom of the Red Sea.
1t was in the latter part oil October that
Il letter came from my aunt Eliza, who
lived in Stoketon, large town two hun
dred miles from Barnvile. Ii was to in
vite one of US girls to visit her, to stay
six months. | turned pale as mother read
the letter aloud. | knew. | felt sure, that
mother would say at once that Martha
must be the one to go She was the ell
der, and generally had all the nice times
and the best OF everything. Nv proph-
esy was true one, for as mother laid the
letter on the table after finishing it, she
looked at once to Martha. "You can get
ready to go by the first of November,
Matte, and we shant expect you back un-
I'll May. You'll have nice time, and you
must take my pearl CO ored silk. for your
amt sees more company than we do
The pearl eolored silk was it possible
mother was going to give that much priced
garment to Martha o. dear. what would
| give To be in Mats shoes
IL shall not 60" said Martha. while my
eyes distended in surprise. .Lu can 20.
She will enjoy it more than [ should
But | wish you to CO.. Martha" said
mother, ''Luella is younger than you are
and she deserves TO stay at home forever
after the folly she has committed She
may come to her senses il she stays here.