New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-30

go,j Hair There was but one opinion as to her
piTbs nscxpeeted arrival OF Esther Hill with her
| fotLcr!egs cb!ld divided the village gossip WIN
| another surprising event, which had happened OILY
| n few DAYS bcforc-thc jinS OF joan Stlinsoi' InG
| voung blacksmith. by Harriet Naples secohu
| honscnaid at the Hall. IL was eNpec'eH I'M 'H
| two would very shortly have neeh NOR 'Eo' t ioi
| John StimSons uncle Ralph, WIFE NHgM ~ h'.u
ocrvnj his apprcnticcship, died nearly twelve
| months ago aud the courtship reck2ned BACK loh'
| or five wears Jonn had succeeded tc the Iorte'
| ord bad bceu living a loaely bachelor life since,
Harriet putting OF their union month hitf n'"'.ih.
! The matter had ended the previous week ny .Io
| rretty-faced hollow-hcartcd coqueue SudtehY
| marrvIng the danGlCi London bred VaeJ OF IHe
| Suuire while they were with the lahlll UP ~
! town. 1t great blow t. the young shii ana
the prompt consolation when tAe molI.Is W ~. M
Iiageabe girls in the village were VIKING 20 oI-
! him did not help him. VIII never jhlnh VI H I
| rylng after this. he repeated AGAIN an" aNd'u, -
| forge became silent and John Stm'Ou was con
FINALLY to be seen either IN the Roya Otk' o. ItVl
| ing away from II to his lonely cottage, MS "euv
On rntii nothers in the village who had daughters
upon their hands said, If he meant 20 carry w ~
that il would be all the better i"r nm noe 10 h
| ~ marrvinq The vicar spoke 10 him. OUt' tnOush
Jnhn listened to him with doggsd respect SO S!uI
| az the reverend gentleman had hnshG1 sptaNliB
| fine Young smith went straight 10 the hoyu I'M E9i
and reduced himself there TO s'att Vi s"P} Hon
| tinsinesS quicker than usual. MISS hay ,lIei Hcr
hand upon him with result surprising TO neiStti
She had been in the habit of leaving tracts at me
cottope in his unce's lifetime, as al every "tHrr
house in the village but she laq dlscohtih 'ill
ING when Johns marriage with harIlet dapI'S va
s,99l,en of az being near. II wound be expected
she said that if she went TO the cottage ste shon
say something about that matter. am u WIS .ho
siliy topic for her to speak upon. however sue
now paused at The forge one day. whch J"hh was
standing modify within IL, not worklng' ana
handed in through the open window to HIM thh
trant entitled s'The Drunkards Doom. some
thing in his manner of taking the paper rom Hol
rooted her to the spot FOR moment enc n"N mn
deliberately spread the leaves open OF tht ah,L
| and then fake up the big hammer. Giving inc
ponderous implement mighty swing over ms tail
head he brOnght il down upon the open agrS ",, LUZ
tha ring of
Ter hands to Ier temples and leap mp several hches
with a scream. When she unstoppcd her ears TO
listen TO what John StImson might he saving 70
her as he glared at her over the hammer handle
she found il was this: .,,,,,;1p
Miss Ray was terrified that she ied over Jug
green hoIleward ut rate she had never equaiie9
since her grlish days. But long before she nau
crossed the open space, John Stimson's angry
strides had carried him once more IN NJ the Inn
door. 1T, -: 4, iii
Sonire Aston when after this kind OF thing had
rnne ON for a couple of months complaint was nauc
10 him of the way which the smith work oil the
he faymers ana everybody else. Poor fellow! he
has had a knock down kind of blow and can
think of nothing for it bat to wait awhile ana see II
n' Incklv for John Stimson. there one person
in The village and she the most unlikely inhabI-
tant there who had decided upon most aS'onisn
early one evening knocked at ms door
If you please blacksmith she pesSn ~ 'i,S,
IateIy We're very respectful in addressing John
Sfimson possibly to make amends loT the iTeed0m
with which thew spoke of him behind his back
II Won please my niece Esther ILL., wants you 10
lust come across and speak TO her.
John StimSon's face. as he heard THE. grew even
cloudier at being addressed by woman ana one
who brought message 10 him from another Of the
same sex He thought 10 was unlcTSIoon ~ tucNi
that he had fores worn them all His door was
closing without a word of reply. But Mrs. Ncr-
rocks who seemed TO understand IT all TOOK heaIt
of grace, and added She won't be here long to ask
There came into the young smiths mind pic
| ture of the fair fading face he had seen on me
| days propped on pillows IN a chalr oulaiuG tne
WorIockss cottage door. as he passed To ana no
HIS better heart prevailed, and IN a rather shame
! faced way he mutered: I'll come across.
| The breathing OF native air had been OF no help
| 70 the Young widow. Her strength, If slowly, was
| only too surely ebbng. But As she faded she grew
farer, in fragile, transparent style oil i9Nelh,r>ss
| lohn Stimsop when he passed over Mrs. ouOck-s
| threshold little rs his mind was predIsposed 10
Weld TO female charms IN his present MOOD, aWk-
wardly checked his first moodlly-beeun remark,
and came to stand, rs II surprised by the beauty
of the face that 80 eagerly smiled at HIM from
the big powcd chair. drilling ram was that
day falling OItsIde, preventing bSlheT nm II"p
sitting at the door. and making her short, painting
breathing and 90 heavier on the near even
THANK Won Tor coming acro-s John she SAID,
putting ont thin. worn. MISUNDERSTANDING hand
toward him. They tell me what q good scholar
you are. Any sort of writing Aunt NorT"CN' says
doesn't matter TO you. IL was that made me 80
bold as to send for y9q. nave nav IT.'' AID io' s pi
The ship never touched ~ a port without ms
posting one for me. But ! am not 50 strong rs l
was and reading makes my eyes SWIM. Iail ii'l.u
well enough however. aud you dOh kno" Nhil
comfort it would be # You would Tedd EN- over 10
me. That was why bothered aunt to ask you to
come across. AtTcds writing isn't very bdd,
Though be used to say his fingers were 700 big Tor
holding pen. If you can spare the ;lme, II would
not trouble you much, being so good scholar.
None better in the village, nor so good but the
curate and Lawyer Ray. OF course, put ~ MIS-
Worocks who was looking on ana listening
mant"lnicce. She ielt bound to saw something
| having been the means of bringing John Stlmson
! there. BE good little lady, Etty. aud hearken to
the readn'. 1t was your father wrote IT, miles an
| miles OIL.
This additional observation by Mrs. Worocks
was addressed 10 little Esther, who was sitting on
hassock at her mothers feet, her round, upward
turned blue eyes ntrnty fixed on the tall black
smith The child, without shifting her gaze, gave
nod of assent in her aunts direction.
Meanwhile. Esther Hill brought out rather large
bundle Of old creased letters from some"h here be-
hind her They evidently had been read over many
III hearin them III do Won any good, it'll be little
trouble said John StimsOn, taking the bundle
gently from her. and letting ing huge hg9re care
fully sink down INTO the chair when Mrs Wouocks
hurrielly brought forward for hun. where shaH
beginP
THE first you come to, the one on the top
The speaker closed her bright eyes, and leaned
back on the pillows. The lCng speech of cXplanh-
ton she had made, and the excitement Of her re-
aroused feelings about her lost husband, had nearly
John stimson. in a big strong voice, and in
formal manner. which would have not been out Of
place in reading the public notices on The church
door, began with the tOpmost letter. Neither IT.
nor any of the others which he read aiIGr H. hnd
ANYTHING very special in the contents. They were
lust snch epistes as an honest an ctonate sailor
husband tossing the sea, would write 10 loving
wife at home on land. Some particulars were gwen
of the voyage that was being made, calculations
were roughly gone into OF prospective gains when
his pay became due: hopes OF greater prosperity 10
come in this humble way were indul gcd; aud nj
ways frequently recurring mention Of little Esther
came Ginning IN.
ITS me.-Iam little Esther, more than once said
the tiny golden-harcd figure sitting on the has
sock; Her name sounding out in the reading gave