Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-30
Misfellanrons.
PATSY.
BY FRANCES ). DYER.
CONTINUED from Yesterday

CONTINUED from Yesterday
Il dare say she is" replied the new
conner with composure. "And I've left
thousands Of others just like her in Boston.
But four weeks in this delightful place
will accomplish wonders. expect"
Presently the family was seated around
a bouniifully spread table. New, sweet
bread, delicate slices of cold meat. fresh
berries and cream, and some delicious
ginger snaps with an abundance OF milk
were some of the items on the bill Of fare
Patsy ate like little savage, and was so
awkward in the use of knife. fork and
spoon that the farmer and his wife Won
dered why in the world her mother had
not taught her better manners. When
doing the chores after supper. Mr.. Jeweit
remarked to his wife, who came out to
help milk the cows.
There's somethin' mighty queer about
'em, bu; then she's woman % business
IAN s'pose hasn't time to tend the child"
Meantime the subject OF these remarks
was in the south chamber OF the old farm
house. where she had put Patsy to bed in
clean white crib. She watched the fiani-
ny clouds change from gold to crimson
and then shade off into delicate tints, and
when the stars came out she went down
10 join her worthy host and hostess on the
porch. The ocean. though out of sight,
sent the murmur of its waves for and eve
ming lullaby, and the tired heart of the
..woman % business was resting in the
beauty of the scene. when suddenly the
silence was broken by Farmer Jewett say
ing with hesitation,
mis- Storer, we don't want to pry into
your affairs, but wife and me thinks it a
leetle sing lar that your little tot should
be so kinder-so neglected like, if may
say so. Won't your business low you to
do better by her ?"
II was too dark to see the speakers
face, but the kindness of the tones and
the evident wish not t. hurt her feelings
were quickly detected by the new boarder.
You know it isn's my child" she be-
gan,
mot yourn 2" exclaimed her hearers in
one breath.
ITO be sure not. What made you ever
think she was ? I'm not married"
why, hold on bit." said Farmer
Jewett, struggling with his bewilderment.
"How's this? Wife, do you see through
itp"
His mind, like his body, was accustomed
10 move slowly. and he could not shift his
mental position without considerable
labor. "Wife" came to the Rescue by
asking. Didn't you write to see if We
could board you and your childP'
Not at ALL" was the pompl reply. 81
asked if you would board me and q child.
and took special pains to sign my name
Mss Lydia Storer, and as you called me
Miss | supposed you understood. l wrote
to several places but no one was willing
to take child. You responded so read
lily that perhaps neglected to write fur
Their explanations as should have DONE"
"But hold onr' said the farmer, still
graphing with the new ideas thrust upon
his notice. IT amt no ways clear to my
mind vet. Do understand that this little
girl amt no relation t all to ye? Amt
We her aunt nor nothn'p"
NO" said Miss Storer, mot ever a
seventeenth cousin. didn't know of her
existence till month or two ago. But
one night, after the clerks had all gone,
the errand boy came back and said to me.
81 wish you'd come down into Pitts
Alley. Old Giles is havin' a spree. an is
goin' on just awful. IT amt fit place
for We. Mis- Storer. but it wants a mis-
sioner as wells the perlice. for you see
Mis- Giles she's layin' there dead. and
there amt nobody to look out for Patsy.
an should hate to have Patsy get hurt'
81 suppose" continued Miss Storer,
THAT living a quiet life here in the coun-
try it is impossible for you to imagine the
scene that met my eyes on entering that
house. The dead mother was stretched
upon board with only sheet wrapped
oh hor BODY and ha A,o,. lou thir
child, Patsy. with the blood streaming
from her nose. Not an article of furniture
remained in the room save one chair and
a key on which the mothers bier rested.
The police reached the place before | did.
and had carried the man off to the lookup.
picked up the child, and after staunch-
ing the blood asked what had happened
Ii seems that the mother had died the
night before, and Old Giles, as everybody
called him, had pawned everything he
could lay hold upon for drink. Coming
home about nightfalI after a DAVIS spree.
he found Patsy kneelng by her mothers
side, holding the cold hands in her own
and crying as if her heart would break.
His bleared eyes caught sight of the we'd
ding ring on the dead woman's finger,
and with an oath he pushed the child
aside and began to take off the ring.
Patsy screamed and struggled to prevent
him till the neighbors came in to see what
the rumpus was about. and the brutal
father struck her a blow that. fortunately,
did nothing worse than give her the nose
bleed. The arrival of the officers had
scattered the crowd so the room was
empty when / entered"
Great Casar!" interrupted the farmer
blowing his nose suspiciously. ''Hain't
there no laws to hinder such carryin's on"
You cannot legislate against sickness
and ignorance" was the reply, land
,baSa lie nj the root of mucb of the misery