Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-10-26

trouble. Pretty soon she came out white
as chalk, but quiet and calm. Only
when she walked to the windows and
looked out into the storm, I saw her
clench her hands together. All she said
though. was half to herself, "Call upon
me in the time of trouble and will de-
liver thee. saith the Lord" And that's
Just what she'd been doing.
Then in comes Mrs. Gregory wringing
her hands and going on terribly. Mr..
Gregory followed right after her, and |
tell you the starch was taken out of him
tremendous.
"Our children" he began, but broke
right down. And pitied him for all |
was thinking so much Of some one else.
| suppose they felt as bad about the twins
as we about our Nell.
The wind began to slack bit, so Mr..
Gregory and started for the wharf,
where father with lots Of Others was
huddled under the lee Of the freight house,
looking off to sea. II was breaking all
feather white over the bar at the harbor
mouth. -ah. it looked cruel, what with
the black waves and all.
There's tug hollers old Newell,
who's got an eye like an hawk, "headin
in the harbor she is, too"
perhaps we can charter her, Mr..
Gregory" says my father, his voice all Of
a tremble but Mr.. Gregory only nodded
and kept walking up and down the
wharf.
All of sudden, Bates, who'd got a
spy-glass somewhere and was watching
the tug, gave a regular yell, like he was
crazy.
They're safe-hooray-thank Cod
he hollered, all in one breath.
thought it was curious that he should
think so much of the twins all at once,
but when he ran at father and began to
hug him, began to mistrust that he
might have somebody else in his mind.
There didn't much g.ass grow under
my feet before they had the good news at
the house, you may be sure. And when
about half an hour after, Nell herself
came running in, there was a regular
scene. Father shifted and mother cried,
and that great spoony Of Bates bo-
hooed right out. She'd lost her hat, and
her hair was all flying, and she was
drenched through; but it was Nell.
When she got her dry things on and
came down stairs again there was another
scene. But Id like TO know what Bates
whispered to make her color up so, for
she didn't blush one bit when the
Gregorys came in and said they had no
words to express their thanks,-all that.
Best of the whole was, Mr.. Gregory be-
gan to beg her pardon, as he said for his
past unchristian behavior; but she hushed
him right up.
Nell said afterwards, that she happened
TO be looking out of the vestry window
while theY were singing and saw the boat
adriit with the twins in it. She set out
to give the alarm, but she thought TO her
self that if she could row of and get EN-,
Mr.. Gregory would see that her boating
practice was something beside mere play.
She got along side EN- just as the squall
struck. and had to let her own boat go.
She KEEP, the dory along before the wind
till it moderated. and then the tug picked
them all up and brought them in safe.
Mr.. Gregorys an old trump, after all,
and I'm not mad at him any more. He
had just the neatest little boat built for
Nell, in Portland, ever you saw. Cedar
wood, copper fastened, with velvet
cushions and everything complete. Joke
Of it is, he named her the "Gemini."
But you can't get bod or Dan within a
gunsho, of the water now; so their sea
voyage did 'em that much good. But
there isn't any more unplea asantness be-
tween our folks and Mr.. Gregorys. No
sir.