Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-04-24

After various tribulations Sam landed his
luckless rival on the edge Of great swamp
from whose tangled thickets the distressed
uttersnce Of Miss Betty issued more than
| once before Henry dared to attempt the
boggy surface and darkliuK growth; at
last however. he plunged boldly In, and
sans device having taken effect, he him
| self. familiar as q squirrel with all the wood
! ways, hAstcned back e. the pasture, re-
leased Miss Betty. who had been kept quiet
| with bunch OF juicy carrots, and turning
her into the road where the rest had gone,
took the short cut homcward. and would
| have arrived there In time to receive Al
| mira but for an Unforeseen occurrence
And yet fate had no spite against SAN; IL
was the old story of evil that Is only hidden
good, though 1t seemed unmIxed evil to
him that IN jumping over the five rail fence
into the high road only few rods from
| home ne should light on a rolling stone
that slipped from under his foot and sent
| hin too, rolling into the gutter, with a
broken leg. Now Sam had been properly
brought up BY a strict New England moth
er, who believed In judgments ready to be
| hurled from the hand OF God on every sin
OF man. while mercics were capricious Wis
itants. to be feared rather than welcomed.
and accepted on the platform of the old
| hymn:
I'VE Sould suspect some danger nigh
When We possess delight
Therefore II Is not strange that Sam con-
sidered IL n direc: punishment for his tricks
upon Henry, when he found his leg was
helpless. and he must lie by the wayside
I'LL some Samaritan came past. Iuckliy
this proved TO be Mry and her mother,
who were shocked to find him lying on the
grass, pale as sheet, and suppressiny
aSY Ln At, 49,, l..
firm set 'ips In spite OF his self-con,rol.
With Aluira's strong arm 10 help, aud his
own efforts, he was at last laid In the bot
tom OF the wagon and taken to the house,
where the old farmer came to the rescue.
and before long Sam was carefully laid on
mas" own bed In the little room of the
kitchen; and Henry being yet In the uu-
pleasant swamp looking for Miss Betty,
Almira herself drove hurriedy back to the
village and fetched the doctor
Two hours after. as Sam lay there,
splintered and helpless, but not uucomfort-
able. he could not but hear laundering
foot stumble Into the kitchen, and the old
farmers voice in its gruffest tone begin
''Wherehsy ye ben, Henry Pinef Here's
the old cat TO pay; cows hum two hours
back. an nobody TO do a chorc but me;
sam fetched In with 4 broken leg. mother
e'onamost distracted. Almiry obeeged to
60 after the doctor herself, aud you A.
wsuiin "
well, / swan to man. responded Henry,
in an Injured growl, 1--WE been a ,oin my
best 10 find that tarnal Jarsey keow
she's led ne sech another chase all over
creation an | han't faound her yIi; an
don'o but what she's sot IN the hemlock
swamp ,hi. minnii."
"oh, come now, that won, pass no mus
ter at all, sir. Betiy's safe In the yard
along o thg rest on EN-, an. has give down
six good quarts into INV pail this very
night; so You needn't give me no such
humbugging talk, sir. | won't stan it,"
''Lordy dono what you're a talking
/ say an swear I've been a-hun,in Bet all
acrost the wood lot an way into the big
swamp. Till I've tore my clothes Almost
of'n the. Look a-ihere.'
More fool you. !" calculated the dis
susted old farmer, a. he eyed Henry's
rags with sdelong glare. "fest you
harness up tothcr mare. an make tracks
up To Miss Peters, over on the mounting.
an fetch her over to see sam. Take the
lantern along the roads kinder had. an
Siung By the undeserv,d sarcasm. and
not as sorry for sam a he ought To have
been. Henry took things at his ease, and
/, was well on 10 midnight before Mrs.
Peters got to her boys bedside, to lind
him sleeping quietly; and when he woke
at early dawn TO the strange consciousness
OF his own helpless and painful condition
IL was a comfort to see his mothers anx-
ious tender face bending over him, and
10 feel her motherly touch about his bed.
smoothing and settling and ''tidying up"
a. only bis mother could do. After the
rest OF the family had dispersed 10 their
various duties, and Sam had his mother all
to himself. he came 10 full confess ion, even
so far as 10 own bis previous conversation
with Henry.
Il thought OF you 10 minnit, mother,
knew you'd tell about It's being jedg-
ment; an | declare | dono but what it
was. He's got a clear field. anyway. an
I'm left out In the cold for all my boa.tin';'
and here sam heaved deep reluctant
sigh.
well, Samwc!, it don't never 90 to force
Providence. The Book saws. We know.
1t is good that Il man should both hope
and qpictly wait, aud | expect that holds
true about all good gins. | make no doubt
It's a Judgment, Samwel, and | hope TN
be blessed to ye.''
IL don't feel none too blessed now"
murmurea sam, under his breath. 1T
does seem heap more as il | was tother
| ,hinged."
IuchHt ms ulbtDtT uiu mol oNtfUtaE
| poor Sans amendment of her fiual opln-
1 ion, but busted herself a, tenderly and
| carefully about his wants aud wishes as If
| she meant at least to modify the visitation.
while she acknowledged his deserving IT,
| But Mrs. Peters could hot be spared long
| for Sans service, and though she took ey-
/ cry opportunity during her short stay to
! impress upon him her belief that he was
| being punished for his hard feeling aud
unkindiy acts toward Henry, and read TO
him punctually and polntedly all the Scrip
lures she could slft out Of the Bible 70 that
/ same end, il vas doubtful even 10 her hone
| lul ssul if Sam accepted the situation with
proper submission. Still, she had to leave
! him. for he could not be moved vet over
| that rough mountain road, and Mrs. Calk-
| ,ps and Mlry both declared Il was not to
/ ne though, Of NJ my time. The bedroom
"dr.adtu, mandy" openInp into the kitchen
| and .hed both; and now all the plowinp
( and planting we're over, there was not the
| same pressing reed OF his services that
| there had been. Even Henry. seeing the
| field was clear for his courtship, became
| suIkily amiabIe IN his rival ard helped