Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-15
THE LEGEND OF KETTLE ISLE
By CHARLES RICHARDS DODGE.

HiiIt> III I"i-tn DE less than half mile in width
concerning which some singular facts are re-
lated
Skirtin1 the rocky coast from the Chasm
CiItf>. 70 CObblestonp beach, near which lies the
Island. the few farmers of the Geighbornood
have found If a convenient pasturage during
loaL years: and it Is remarkable that eat tie and
sheep grazing its rich grasses and herbage.
thrive for Il time. but in the course of q few
months invariably lose appetite. grow weaker
and weaker and if not removed at once death
eaiS their misery. Six weeks removal to con-
tj-uous land SufIice- to bring them up again
after which they are good for another grain =
tenn of five or six months upon the fatal
field: and even SICILY animals from other pas
lures here gain virOr for Il time, growing sleek
aud TAT. II is also SIN suar tnat horses are en-
tirrly exempt from the mysterious fatality at
ten ting horned animals. heeDinT in good con-
d ton for any Length Of time. These are facts
well known tn farmers ami fishernel wing in
the pretty village of Kettle Cove and will be
ynuchei for.
4 hundred Years or more ago the Island was a
peninsula extend NJ from the point. a It is now
called. far uut into the sea. making the cave
much !a"-crr IL area than at the present time
and projecting it upon al sides save to the
southwest. This deep and sheltered bay was
known TO the early Havimat0rS "a safe harbor.
and from its singular shape came to be- known
ttp k'ttle. from Wh Oh we now have heft5e C0ce
AMI &ei.e Island The fishermen tel q story of
buried tTGlS,ITes-n an iron pot-near the sad
de Gf the Island. and some have connected the
above names with this taie. but think they are
III >tdhcd At al events If you viii take the
chart. and after filing in with pencil port on
of Crescent beach. where the water has en-
CIuachcG upon the low sandy shore. draw {,
curved Inc outward from BaYid's roci. across
- the oreakwater the kettle will appear most
plainly.
The rocky bar is readily seen when sailing
over il, &nl there are persons now living in the
villa 20 VINO remember well hearing their par
eGtS tell eli Crossing it at low tide. in childhood
At the time of the opening of the Story it was a
narrow sandy strip of land. thou IN high enua n
II afford dry passage Ut all tides. The island.
too. has e anmcd fer the Oidrr fishermen rP;IlpD-
Der when it was Covered with q dease growth
Of trees upon its western portion. while to-day
the who'll area is a. barren a. a heath. These
are the simple facts and this the legend.
In those early days there stood upon hewest-
W3rj side 81 what is now Kettle isle low
matched nut in which lived an old woman and
a tair yOUn- mirl- 1t CIH II upon pretty slope.
where the south winds Played around it through
the long summer DAYS and the sun loved to
l.l-"r. and from its doorway. looking tErOu I'll
tIe SEruhty hctniOcks one could see thu ocean
rolling far below. under the ellis Behind the
hUr rose raGred hillock. cons. derabIv higher
than the Crumtin@ old stone chimney il ever
Swallowed. and farther back a grove of birches
sheltered it from the chilling blasts of the north
and east. Situated in wild Sp0t-thOuTh in
p'd.n view OF the OCEAN apprUach-lt was hidden
ON the land 5 de. and few had dared - follow
the tangled! Zi@Zar path leang 10 it. and fewer
stil! had stood beneath its shadow.
The bent old woman was We'll known by rep
utatJOn Tor miles around. but none cared
tor a near acquaintance. as twas whispered she
dealt III witChcrIft. As for the girl there We're
few who had not heard Of her rare beauty and
some who mad seen her. Twas even whispered.
too. that she might be al associate in practice
Of black art. her fair face covering the
features OF nag more devilish than the other
on.
Upon the mainland or as We now speak of it.
the Point. lived a thriving farmer. for those
days. who was blessed with daughter and two
sons. HIS farm covered the whole Point and a
strip of wild uabrOken land extending along the
coast from Cob5!cSt0ne beach To the Chas Cliffs
served pasturare for his sheep and cattle
and for small flock Of sheep belonging TO the
old woman.
The girl was shy. tmid creature tall. 1.-THE
aud graceful. with sunny hair and soft peach
ike skin, her brown. expressive eyes bpa ning
with tenderness and love. The old woman
claimed that the %iri was of her own blood
aud while there were those who doubted it, no
sufficiently concerned to s!ft the matt rr
aud find out the Truth; bat Whatever might have
been the views IF people in the region. the far
mtrs daughter Ruth and his eldest son William
knew SHE was sweet and l0vablp.
Free a. q bra. joyous and happy. she was
welcome visitor AT tine farmhouse and ever
f'Un., d'lI-ht in the company of Ruth and VIII
Ian. L was Tot strange. tnpn as size rev TO
Deiute@Us Wonanho0I. that William found eat
one day he loved her mady-desperatey but
when lie walked the sandy beach that night
with her. driving across the narrow bar old
graan!'S sheep, and spoke his love to her. She
Only GaZed al min. ant answered nothing.
Another day they met. her face vas full of
sunshine and there was mus and augliter in
rer heart and eyes. Again tn" boy took her
hand III his. "a they stood there upon the mar
row EecE, OF land. in tn" gathering twilight and
ara'n hp to her ne had loved her long and
tondiy but she only loONrd away from him. far.
Tar across the waste of waters. and spoke OF the
coming darkness And Z third time when she
seemed more Kind than she had ever seemed he
fnre-!nr 80 ne thOurnt-aad lie was looking
down into her soft brown eyes sghinr IL told
nrr once 8rdln how deep and pure q love he / 1t
for her aud she tossing her bright curls back
ward from her face, smiled, but answered him
stil! nothing.
Aud taeu TO Ruth he told the story of his love
-" men she had even known longer than her
UTutheT-,mI oling n"r assistance. telling her he
knew not how 10 win a maid. who So fair
So lovely. and 80 tCnder.v Indifferent Tue sis
ter was the wiser Of the TWO aIId promising to
ald hin. dropped a slight hint that the girl
iTlt he uItutOred in the WAYS Of love or
worse. perhaps rht no. know even what the,
day Ia day to teach her lOve-ciICoSinp the
EIFt>t flowers FOR her. the brightest pebbles Or
tHe prett'>t shells Strcwn upon the sandy
beach. And Ee would look INTO her soft eyes
BY the hour. talking Of nothing. while he held
her hand a they sat upon the rocks together
Or he would tell Ter that the sea birds all were
mated ana that never Wild rose bloomad but
that fajrer one hlu>led soon beside il. famed
by the same soft bretze-kiSSed BY the same
bright sunbeam But each night as he callpf.
sin f.py ltt iD.r nil l.
Ill nth AND JOY when he spoke HUcil of love. he
felt ne was drifting farther and farther from his
hopes.
About this tine cd granny scuart the farmer
AMI talked a lon time to him of he rirl anil
spoNe ot his son VILLAIN; and though no one
Knew what Il meant. there seemed 10 be- some
that William aud Elsie were pledged 10 each
other. and some day would ba married But
Elsie would nOt have it s". plead II sh, lid not
Know hn" IL IaVc--Wh3trY"r it might he
Onr sunny 4 teruool the maiden strayed To
III" cd[e Of the elf aud climbing down the
steep AID narrow path that ran Ike a cr..yic,..
sheer 10 the water. stepped ont upon a low fiat
rock. hi finest toward the SEA. and slop,nr
backward 10 the c.iI. under the shadow Of
winch il seemed 10 tie. The ar was heavy
south winds Kissing her ruidy cheeks
pat ed hiue ard seek with the sunbeams
through her SO:t curls. and Size was Eaprv.
Long, long she sat there. @&.ly hunIning over
suat"heS ui Ord songs she had calvtht in the
forest. or other. harsieT SoGrS 10 Sinr that Ruth
had Taught her, wnca @lauc.n@ suddenly toward
H