Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-01-17
CarrOW's Bess.

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fakes. AS he spoke the men and women
staid their work moment, and, after
cycling the stranger to whom this an
swer was addressed, followed the di-
rection of his look. But it was only
moment, for it was a busy afternoon
with them. 1t was not long after the
aood-slack, and there had been a heavy
haul from the travis.
"It's Carrow's Bess," the fisherman
repeated, as he threw fish into one of
the large tubs around the fakes; land
there she sits every afternoon, rain or
shine. a-lookin' over the bay"
"He's one O. them painters" said a.
little girl, in low voice. glancing at,
the sketch-book and sunshade under the
strangers arm.
"And what's be foolin' round here
for 2" asked another.
81 guess he's squintin' after sketch
es," replied one of the men, ''though l
don't see what's to be made out O.
travis, fakes, and herrin' sticks. May
be 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 90 askin' her."
The girl who had called the stranger
zone 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. "Car-
rows Bess," had struck him as about
the most picturesque object he had come
across in long time. He had been
drawing tough old fishermen and wealth
er-beaten houses all day, and was rest
ing near the shore, watching the sun
set over Manan, when he had noticed a
girl sitting far out on the rocky point
gazing intently over the water. He had
gone up to her and spoken to her, but
her only answer had been a strange. al
most savage look and a wild gesture
towards the bay. The waters glowed
in the setting sun and the waves, as
they beat against the rock, sent the pur-
pie 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 motionless after the artist left
her.
He had seen some fishermen and girls
near by, and it was to his question the
young 6ohorman had ropliod, ..I.'s Gar
rows Bess. and there she sits every af
ternoon, rain or shine, a-looking over
the bay"
''She'd better be takin' hand at the
fakes than to be moonin' away her time
a-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 handler girl
| on the island"
"Well. Dan," Edna replied, some
what sharply. Eyer needn't be too easy
on her, for they say as you were the one
as suffered the most when she chose the
likely young chap from the States.
though she had been mighty sweet on
yer afore the other came cheesin' round
/ her.
| can if what yer says true, Edna.
all the more reason | should speak for
| the poor girl when she can't speak for
! herself. Yer see" he said to the artist,
''some five years ago Carrow's Bess was
one o the brightest, likeliest girls on
Duck Island. She was the first at the
travis and the last at the fakes, and
when Carrow's old woman went off she
was heap o comfort to her father.
One day when she was over at Fishers
Cove Yonder, one O. them painters from
the States like yerself saw her, and it
wer'n't 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 fell
low was mighty sweet on Bess, and Bess
didn't seem to mind bein' run about
him bit. One day at the fakes she
| told US she was a-goin' to be married to
him; he was a-goin away next day to
the States for week to fetch his moth
I er and sister an some traps for the we'd
4 din. We was all to be at the racket
and say goodbye to her. for she was
agoin' to the States herself to live with
him. 1t gave us heap O. sorrow to
part with her, for we all thought we'll
o Bess, and there was many young
feller among US as would ha' liked to
ha' kept her here. They run me about
her still, as yer may ha' heard Edna
say, but I'm not the only one as would
ha' taken her home with glad heart.
Well. when her feller had been gone six
or seven days Bess used to 60 out in the
afternoon to the point where she sits
now. and look over the bay to watch
for him, and we'd hang round, too, fol-
we wanted to hail him in crowd. One
afternoon we saw little sail-boat pu,
out from Flagg's Cove on Manan. and
Bess hollered out to us that he wal
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