Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1882-06-08
Mlsfsll
The Willow Switch.

Abou, forty YEAR ago a large part of
Central New York. that - now fast becom-
lug a gAr,lcn, was almost a new country. and
people talked Of moving West when they
emisrAird from the banks OF the Hudson "a
those Of the Gcnesrc- St! one of the cities
on the hn, of the E-e Canal Vas even then
town OF some importance and boasted
much of What then amounted 10 wealth and
even aTl,iocEacy.
Of tn. latter class had b,cn the family Of
Judge Morton. but s4udry uulaUky specu.a-
lions had made Il lmposslh.c for him 20 re-
tam his accustomed position among MS old
ne ghbors, and he W-s about 'u seek ncW
field IN one Of the yogngcr settlements.
Everything had long been prepared, the
wagons wctc laden. the aiieu- for The most
par bad been saId again and again. and a
part oi the casAlcair was fairly uuLrrw as.
The heavier goods. indeed. had 5,rn started
two or three daS. before. The ladies 81 The
party well A. the gentlemen had decided
to attempt the journey an horseback, sell
aware that the coalition OF tie roads. even
though spring ~, nov vel. a4s anccd. could
not nnH u depended upon.
Apart from the rrst, mounted On q stout
cen summers. ln whose rosy chtrk, and
hrlgh, black eye, the cKcl,emrut of The &C.
ca,ion seemed Aimo,, TO have overcome IL,
sober suggestIOus. S,u. something like a
shade Was on her face a. she leaned forW ard
in her saddle and oonscr-eI IA low tore,
~!ih gentleman whose arm vas thru~n
careic,sly over the neck Of her pony
"\c,er mind me. Charlie; why il isn't
ihre, day,' Udlug at the yers worst, aud that
suu', hurt iu,."
but me. Susie am ordered If for \
long cruise. and cannot tel. when shall
SET You again.
Bot YOU ~ill come back ?"
"lc.-hut ~hcu And ~i.I YOU
"Nll | 81 hat Charlie 20
Wat moment, SUSIE
And the souug man. ho va, IN the IN
drc,, uniform of a naval officer. ,prang off
10 the SIDE Of the road, where some willow
trees wcrp growing IA unlrmmrd luNuriancc.
Catching hold of one uf the gracefully
bending bough-. he cut thrfrfrom 4 long and
plant ,iIp. With which he returned stripping
Oh the leaves a. he came.
There. SUSIE, that viii answer for rid
ing-vhlp, but do not wear it out on your
pony even il the roads are bad"
WHY not Charlie -
"Becau,e ST tn, eud Of my cruise shall
come back 10 claim 1t VIII YOU keep it
for me ?"
A very soft light stole into the black ewes,
but she said IN a low voice. ''Ye,, Charlie,
will keep it. Bu, are you sure you viii
come after it ?"
"lf live, Susie"
A l. -.
nov, for father IS calling me. Goodbye
Charlie, ="
There was most passionate earnestnes-
IN the yogng officers repl, rs. he stood gaz-
ing after the pony and his mistress long
after they we're hidden BY turn Of the road
We cannot follow him, however, By land o.
sea, for our business IS with the willow
switch.
If Susie's pony suffered on the road il
was not from any excessive application OF
Charles queer memento, and the third
day about noon Judge Morton rode up to
the side of his daughter and announced that
they were close at their journeys end.
They were nearly at fork of the road al
the foot Of gently sloping hill, and just
where the two WAYS met IA little spring bub-
bled up and wandered off into an adjoining
meadow. There we're more signs of i'm
provement than Susie had expected, but
enough of wilderness remained to add TO the
rural beauty of the spot.
"Our new home," said the Judge, "wil
be on the top OF this knoll when it is built
and our present quarters, such as they are
will be a little further on"
A sudden thought seemed to have en-.
tered the brain of Susie.
Father won't willows grow from slips p
"Yes, my dear; that's the usual way o
setting them out"
And they want water, don't they? Il
this one fresh enough to grow ?"
Il should say it was"
well. then may be We can have some
thing growing here to remind US Of our ole
home"
pony. and the willow switch was CAREFUL,
planted, just above the little spring. /
would have all the water il wanted at al
events And then Susie and her father rod,
on to their new home; but there was a fiut
ter at the Young girls heart and blush OF
| her cheek, as she wondered, "Nill it eve
grow?'
The new settlement was a good one TO
| the Judge, and SusIes willow prosperet
| famously. Even the rude farmer boys haG
learned how it came there. and respected i
religiously, and little paling kept off othe
! intruders. Suse's heart throbbed high witt
hope and faith, at times, as she noted th,
wonderful vitality and prosperity of be
leafy fayorite. 1t grew as if it had dut
to perform and was determined to do
we'll. And the little spring bubbled up NOR
nriskly from under it, and seemed to mur
mur softly "He will come He will come !!
Still, one year and another went by AM
Charlie did not come. and letters were terri
bly, uncertain and far between. All roun'
the world he had been sent, and Susie's hear
at times grew sick and weary in spite Of tn
| willow.
| But she had other suitors, for her beaut
seemed In grov every dav. and her fathe