Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-08-05

| and-Oh, Mr.. Calender, look There is
| Rose Porter now, driving up the street in
her pony phaeton. Isn't she lovely?'
As the jaun,y basket phaeton moved slow
ly by, bright, pretty face glanced from it,
smiling cordially at Rhe,ta. and then was
| overspread by look of sudden recognition
| and pleased surprise at sight Of Ralph CAL
lender, who took his hat off respectfully.
| "Why, do you know her?" asked Rhetta,
amazed
| 81 find do. She and nv sister Sally
became great friends two years ago at New
| port-or was it Nahant? And Miss Porter
| spent the holidays at our house the Eext
winter. thought it must be she. when YOU
described her."
| Ralph Calender paused and gazed re-
fec,ively at the ground He vas recalling
that gay holiday season when Rose Porter
and his sister were the bellies of their set.
He could have counted his friends then by
the hundred. and nor poverty does make
difference" he thought. bitterly All who
had it in their power to aid him had turned
the cold shoulder. He was simply poor
man seeking employment and be felt at
odds with the world.
khetta, grown suddenly shy, pulled away
the dead leaves from pink root and said
nothing. Newport, Nahant And people
| like the Portsrs for intimate friends II
seemed TO remove Ralph far from her quiet.
even life. and 10 set him where she had no
| part.
| The basket phaeton was now seen return
| ing down the street with its pretty occupant.
who stopped her ponies opposite the cottage
with such an evident intention TO speak
TO Ralph Calender that he at once went
out Of the garden and stood in the road
a, her side Rhe,ta saw them shake
hands in the most friendly manner, heard
Roses musical laughter and sweet voice.
though she could not distinguish the words :;
and in few moments more to her surprise
Ralph stepped into the phaetou, sat down
by Rose, took the reins in his hands and
drove rapidly away. with a backward glance
and smile, which 10 Rheia seemed 10 say
''She IS an old friend, you see ?"
But when he did no, come home to din
ner she thought il strange. Her father and
Aunt Dorcas made no comment, for Ralph
had often been absent at tha, hour when
seeking for employment. Rhetta did not
mention that he drove away with Rose por-
ter, but neig ghhor. who had watched Them,
came IN during the afternoon and spoke Of
II with great interest. Aunt DQrcas al once
felt great inieres, too. and Rhei,a found
II so trying 10 listen 10 their remarks and
surmises that she slipped out Of the house
10 her garden, and did hard wedding in h.r
Hover beds for two hours without sparing
herself. But she heard every step that
passed by on the sidewalk and knew that
Ralph Calender did not come
The afternoon waned res,lessy away
He would surely come back by supper
time and Rhetta, in fresh gown With
pansies at her belt. hummcd litle songs as
sh. moved sbou, setting the table for Aunt
Dorcas
Il wouldn't put on that dish Of honey"
said Aunt Dorcas-''not till YOU see uhett-
er he's coming
'oh. he'll come" said Rhe,,.: bu; she
stopped singing.
Mr. Wood came in, washed hi. face and
hands a, the sink. and sat down in h!s place
al the table. Aunt Dorcas passed HIM cup
oftea.
Where's Calender ?" he asked locking
around
why. haven, YOU heard ?" sa;d Aunt
Dorcas. ''He drove off with Rose Porter.
and We haven't caught sight If him since"
Rhe;ts, flushing up.
Hum : hum muttered her father. as
be drank his ies from the saucer. in shtch
he had cooled ii.
Aunt Doreas now questioned the girl as
to all she knew about this old friendship
and at the close said. with the air Of one
who mean, 10 do her duty by all, no matter
how mercllessly We'll. ike as not they'll
Z ta Oh
flock together"
Supper was over, cleared away, and all
the dishes washed. but still Ralph Calender
did not come. As il grew dark Mr. Wood
stroled of TO chat with the neighbor.. and
Aunt Dorcss, putting on her bonnet and
black shawl. vent 10 h. weekly PRAYER
meeting. Rhetta, left fee from comment,
wen, up into her little garden, and leaned
against the plum-tree, with a strange dull
! gnawing al her heart. |, seemed ike DAYS
and weeks since Ralph drove away with
smiling. pretty Rose Porter And she her
self had begun 10 think Of him as somehow
her own. That very morning. under ',ha,
/ very tree, there had been in his look. and in
his tones touches OF tenderness that had
filed her heart With subtle happiness. But
now II is all over in an instant she had lost
hin. Rose Porter had taken him away
and though he might come back. h. would
never, never be the same Ralph again. She
felt girllsh certainty of that. The little
bright dream was over
At first she did not blame Rose. Very
probably she mad loved him two wears ago
and had been Influenced 10 give him uo on
account OF his poverty, and now, regretting
the step, had come TO reclaim him.
We'll, can take my turn. and give him
up too" thought Rhetta, with great ho,
tears spriGglng TO her ewes. 'Only / can
never drive after him and bring him back in
phaeton.'
And at that she threw herself upon the
dew! grass and wept unrestrained!y. She
was too young TO be capable Of the terrible.
fearless sorrow with which an older woman
might meet bereavement and heart break
/ She only knew that everything had changed
since morning, that Ralph had gone away.
that she was very, very wretched, and that
no one must know of it,
The fre-fies flashed in the grass, the
flowers we're heavy with dew, the air was
iull OF the fragrance of mignonette, hello
[ ,rope, and roses, but Rhetta did not heed
them. She only felt that aigh, was kind 10
make such darkness and solitude in the
garden that no one could see her or hear
her. poor miserable little Rhetta Wood, cry-
ing for lost happiness that had never really
been hers. And now it seemed to her that
Rose was cruel, from the midst of her
wealth, her luxury, and her dozen of lovers.
to come swooping down upon this one
chance OF bliss in lifetime. For Rhe,,a
was sure that in all the years TO come she
should never, never marry. That was all
| over from this time forth
| The crickets hummed about her, the
night-moths brushed by her unheeded; tn.
moon rose, but she did not know it. She
was thinking how she should live all her
| life long in the little old house. After a
while her aunt Dorcas would die. and she
would be left alone with her father Then
| after a while he too would die, and she
| would live on there, an old, lonely woman
| From this reverie she was aroused by the
stopping of wheels. and cheerful voices at
| the gate.
"Rhetta Rhet,a :" shouted somebody, in
joyous manly tones.
She rose to her feet in the moonlight,
bewildered and uncertain. Was she dream
ing, or was II really Ralph calling her2
"Rhetta, is that you under the plum
tree ? Come here for a moment to the gate. "
Yes, that was Ralph calling her. With
| girlish celerity she smoothed back her dis
ordered hair, and ran to the gate. There