The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-07-11
OUR STORY TELLER.
GRACIE'S HERO.

She was sure she had one somewhere, a
but whether the future would bring him
to her, whether he was fighting battles v
for truth and the right, or whether he '
had fought his last battle and had gone t
TO receive his last reward, she might
some time know. {
Oracle never thought that her hero t
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.
p The nearest to hero was the old light
house keeper, who had kept the lights
burning on many a 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 his
father had trod, for since he had fallen,
when child, from one of the windows,
on TO the rocks below, and was a cripple,
Oracle felt very little acquainted with
him. 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, 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
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 Mr.
wharton had owned a cottage on the
beach. He had failed-and since he had
left the cottage had stood vacant. Mr..
Hopkins had rented it, and was COM
ing. so the report said, the very next
week.
Just think ont, Mrs. Davidson
said Mrs. Gibbs, "he was down himself
to-day, and lal he had such a 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 check and flashing eye.
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 poor
fishermen, if he is not already sup
Piled"
Mrs. Gibbs opened her mouth tC
reply, and Oracle, unwilling to hear tht
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 larg
flat rock, where she always STAYED, whe
she was watching for her fathers boat t
come in, for she was half ashamed t
go back and see the fisherman's wifi
again.
Whatdid she think of mep' though
Oracle. shouldn't have made sue
fool of myself il she hadn't spoken i
quite such way"
BY the end of her reflections, Grac
felt as calm in regard to the LAWYERS SC
as she did when she thought of Will
Rowland, or Percy Smith, the ligl
keeperss son, and so she drew copy
Scotts poems from her pocket, and sc
tied herself to read one of her fayori
heroes, DE Wilton, and of his hapy
marriage at last with Clara. So inte
was she on the story, that she did n
notice shadow which fell across h
book.
!" Is there firt in this little fishil
town. thought Fred. Hopkins as
stood and watched her.
He needed only few minutes, no
ever TO convince him that she was G
tirely unconscious Of his presence, a.
l., L. n !
not know how near she was reaching t
end of her story, or perhaps he wou
have left her undisturbed and reioin
his father, who had began his SUNNI
vacation by digging clans little W
below. As it was he was quite 8,
prised, when Oracle shut her book, a
at the same moment glanced up at hi
she blushed deeply, half rose from l
seat, and, IN her confusion did not not
that he was somewhat embarrassed
well. He recovered his usual natu
easy manner in a moment.
You must forgive my intrusion.
was entirely unintentional, Miss Day
son."
She glanced up in surprise at hear
her name from one who was an ent
stranger to her, but he without motto
her look went on, handing her as
nPOhC n GbTu Ou WulCu WAS pIlu
"Fred. G. Hopkins"
"I am expecting to be one of y
neighbors this summer, and shall hop
see you again soon."
He bowed politely, very differer
from the fishermen, and left Graci
think of the story of Marmion, or, if
preferred, of her own adventure.
And Oracle did think of it. He
not, to be sure, proved himself
yet, but If the outward man was any
dication of the inward man, Fredel
G. Hopkins was most surely wonde
hero.
Not yet, Oracle, do you find him.
will be proved at last a true hero woI
Of the honor of men.
The lightkeeper watched Graci
she turned TO go into the house, anC
sighed, and said sadly to his wife:
There's something on the lad 8 m
wife," ~ &pt
And the mothers anxious heart
derstood the fathers words. Both K
too we'll what had come over the min
their Percy, and that it depended
Oracle alone whether that burden sh,
be lightened, or whether the flu
should be harder and darker than
past