Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-06-25
ROSS.


den and broken stone wall from which
you could see the fishermen hauling up
their boats, mending their nets or cruis-
ing about In the bay. And the tavern
itself bore a hard reputation, with its
vile liquors, junk, tobacco and carous-
ing seamen.
There was never any women folks
around except old Bowen's wife, pale,
scared looking woman, who cooked the
meals and at times dealt out the ferry
drains to her husbands customers; but
this never happened except on rare oc-
casions, for Ross, their only son, usual
ly tended ba rand kept things up straight
and tidy.
Ross was nearly 20 nova brown,
ruddy-looking youth, handsome and
1.-THE as young savage. He had heard
nothing but rudeness and profanity all
his life, and had never seen but two real
ladies In all these years. These had by
some chance rowed across the bay once,
two years or more ago. They had soft
white hands, sparkling with jewels, and
spoke SO sweetly to him he thought
they must be some princesses In dis
guise.
One evening, on entering the smoky,
low ceiled parlOr, what was his aston
ishment to find on the one hard settee
one ofthe same beautiful young women,
looking as white as the great bunch of
water lilies lying all unheeded at her
feet.
Endora Lapham was her name-a
Boston heiress. She was accompanied
by an elderly lady, her aunt, it seemed.
"Endora. would cross over here,u she
explained. 1--WE have been stopping at
the Point, but were to leave Tomorrow;
she wanted to see these wild cliffs once
more she said. Just as we were about
to land the boat tipped and Endora was
thrown in. If you had not heard our
cries, my good woman, fear she must
have drowned"
Endora was worse the next morning,
and long, serious illness followed.
There was no help for it-they had been
obliged to stop at the miserable place.
"What an untutored grace that young
savage has,n exclaimed Endora one day,
after Ross had come in, setting a basket
made of sea shells and filled with
moses, on the table. He was certain
ly new revelation, and she watched
his movements from the window with
listless interest as he pushed off his
boat from the little cove in the front of
the house.
The next day Ross went over again
to the Point, and when he came back
you would scarcely have recognized
him; certainly there was nothing of the
savage about him now; i'm a suit of
brown tweed, and his feet-remarkably
small and well-shaped they We're, too
incased In pair ofsensible, stout boots:
his hair had also received attention.
"Why did you let them cut your hair,
Ross?" Endora said. ut is such a pity;
YOU looked SO like same Spanish prince or
chieftain before; you have quite spoiled
my romance" laughing carelessly.
She was still very weak, but strong
enough to sit an hour or SO each sunny
afternoon in great chair on the vine
shaded porch, where Ross always car
ried her, smothered in shawls and wraps.
Then Ross would often read to her from
out the fairy book, or from such old ro-
mances as the house afforded. He had
q fine musical voice and read remark
ably well, Endora told him. Indeed,
books, such few as he could obtain, had
been his only solace all these years. He
always went out in his boat in the early
morning, catching a certain kind of
fish for which Endora had expressed a
preference, cooking them for her him
self, and the wild game he shot as well.
Poor Ross! A wild unrest possessed
him those days, to be something differ
ent and better than he was; a disgust
and horror all at once took possession
of him regarding his surrounding; it |
seemed as though his eyes were but just
opened, and he had glimpse of new
life. How she must in her heart des-
pise him, he thought, wild, untutored,
as he must appear to her. He scarcely |
ate or slept in those days.
Mrs. Leroy, Endora's aunt, often
tease her about her "last conquest" To
her surprise Endora grew crimson; her
face softened.
HE has magnificent eyes, and the
grace OF prince ofthe blood, she said,
half to herself.
1t was an unwise thing to do, we adj
init; but on rainy and wild days-and |
there many such, she would often sit in |
the old-fashioned parl0r and read or re-
peat bits of poetry to him. She knew
much of Tennyson and Whittier by
heart, and those were his especial fa-
vorites.
One afternoon as they were thus en-
gagged, a half-tipsy sailor came up be- |
hind her chair and put his hand famil- |
iarly on her shoulder. In an instant he |
lay on the floor, where Ross had felled |
him with one furious blow; he left,
swearing vengeance. That night she
90 III tO him.