Smyrna times., 1880-10-06
Carrow's Bess.

stayed their work moment, and after
cycling the stranger to whom this answer
was addressed, followed the direction of
his look. But it was only a moment, for
it was busy afternoon with them. 1t was
not long after the flood Stacked, and there
had been heavy haul from the travis.
"It's Carrow's Bess," said the fisherman
repeated as he threw fish into one of the
large tubs around the flakes "and there
she sits every afternoon, rain or shine, a.
lookin' over the bay"
"He's one o'them painters" said a girl
in low voice, glancing at the sketch block
and sunshade under the strangers arm.
And what's he chessin' round here
for2' asked another.
II guess he's a squintin' after sketches"
replied one of the men, though don't
see what's to be made out otrawls, fakes
and herrin' sticks. Maybe he'd like to get
Carrow's Bess on his paper, and she's likely
enough to sit still for him if he won't go
askin' her.'
The girl who had called the stranger
tone o'them painters" was right He had
come to the Bay of Fundy for sketches and
had crossed from Manan to Duck Island
that morning. "Carrow's Bess" had struck
him as about the most picturesqe object he
had come across in long time. He had
been drawing tough old fishermen and
weather. beaten houses all day, and was
resting near the shore watching the sun set
over Manan, when he had noticed a girl
sittin far out on rocky point gazing intent
ly over the water. He had gone up to her
and spoken to her, but her only answer
had been n strange, almost savage look,
and a wild gesture toward the bay. The
waters glowed in the setting sun and the
waves, as they beat against the rock, sent
the purple spray over her feet. Her long
fair hair fell from single loop into her
lap, where it lay in heavy coils and she sat
almost motonless after the artist left her.
He had seen some fishermen and girls
near by and it was to his question the
young fisherman had replied. It's Carrow's s
Bess, and there she sits every afternoon,
rain or shine, alookin' over the bay"
"She'd better be takin' a hand at the
flakes than to be moonin' away her time a
J lookin' at nothin'" put in one of the girls
after while
Hush, Edna" said the fisherman, eyer
know as she's not been Alright in the upper
story these three years, and afore that there
wasn't a handler girl on the island"
"Well, Dan," Edna replied somewhat
sharply, "you needn't be too easy on her
, for they say as yer were the one that suffer.
ed for the most when she choose the likely
young chap from the states, though she
had been mighty sweeC on yer afore the
/ other came chessin' round her"
t can if what yer says true, Edna, all the
more reason l should speak for herself
Yer see," he said to the artist, some five
years ago Carrow's Bess was one of the
, brightest, lkeliest girls on Duck Island
> She was the first at the travis and the last
at the flakes, and when Carrow's old woman
went off she was heap O. comfort to heI
father. One day when she was over al
. Fishers cove yonder, one Of them painters
from the states, like yerself saw her, and
g it wer'nt long afore he came over to Duck
Island. He lived at Carrow's, and he put
! Bess into all his pictures. Folks round
: here began to say the young feller wa'
mighty sweet on Bess, and Bess didn't seen
to mind being run about him a bit. One
day at the flakes she told US she was agoin
to be married to him; he was agon' away
to the states for week to fetch his mother
and sister an some traps for the weddin'
We was all to be at the racket and say good
by to her, for she was agoin' to the states
! herself to live with him. 1t gave us heaI
o. sorrow to part with her, for we al
thought we'll O. Bess, and there was many
young feller among US as would ha' likeC
d to ha' kept her here. They run me abou
a her still, as yer may ha' heard Edna say
n but I'm not the only one as would ha
a taken her home with n glad heart. Well
n when her feller had been gone six or sever
d days Bess used to 60 out in the afternoon
to the point where she sits now and lool
over the bay to watch for him, and wei
n hang round too, for we wanted to hail hin
,r in a crowd. One afternoon we saw lttl
if sail boat put out from Flagg's Cove OF
,r Manan, and Bess hollered ont to US that h
d. was acomin'. Well, mister. the oat hadn'
1t got half way over when we saw blacl
cloud comin' round swallow Tail Point
and while hr was . waVn' Ia Bess, afore b
'g could hear US hOllerin' to him, the squa
Is was on him. 1t took two O. us to hold Bes
M and then we thought she'd away from u
e. and into the water. 1t blows pretty har
ID here at times, so hard an so sudden as W
ha' to chain the flakes down to keep 'er
from bein' swept away. There was n
q launchin' boat in that sea; the rain we
IL so thick we couldn't see ten feet, and "
~ knew that afore we could ha' got to 'eI
:" w they'd ha' perished in the cold waite
IA When the clouds cleared away the boat WI
ahoatin' bottom up, and not one of thei
er as had been aboard was to be seen. TIL
n. tide was on the food slack, just as it is l.
M day, an we knowed if the bodies was to /
re found anywhere they might ha' been wasl
I'M ed ashore at Whales cove. Some felle
pulled over there with me next mornin
an we found Bess's feller lyin' on II
:" pebbly beach. We brought his body
', Duck Island and buried him under I'll
:" pine yonder. A first we thought Be
" would 60 stark mad, she went on so. Aft
r. a