Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-19
ELSIE'S DREADFUL DAY

beily wan OJeDDius, sdld sCofHiu4
voice, "if you will get in the way, you
needn't complain Graciousi you're noisier
than q fog hornF
Elsie turned and saw little Nan covered
with mud, having fallen in puddle in TIE
wild skirmiSh as to who should get out OF
the gate first.
Regina Moore was the bully Of the school,
but Elsie said fearlessly:
you ought to be ashamed OF yourseHn
"Poohl what's "a muddy dress to wash
woman's daushteri Her mothers got the
tubs handy oil the time"
At this Mans bowls grew louder There
were some cries Of ''For shamer that reused
Reginas wrath.
you needn't be settin' yourself up, Elsie
Ford she cried, In shrlll voice. you're
nobody's daughterp
Elsie stared at the speaker in speeches.
ama2ement There was q dead hush. and she
could hear her heart beat.
oh know" cried Regina, with a toss Of
the head You were flshed up out OF the
water, where your wicked father was trying
10 drown you"
Elsie could not quite accept this startling
statement
"Its not so; you are telling hei" she
cried with a sob in her throat
l.,
appeal Say, didn't some Of you know she
wasn't Mrs, Ford's childf'
Elsie cast frightened glance at the reluc-
tant faces 1t could not be truel She would
have heard Of it before. No one spoke.
Bertha, gasped Elsie, to q special friend,
''you will tell me Is it truef'
The little German girl SPOKE unwhlingly
81 believe SO, | did hear 50 alretty.'
Elsie's heart seemed to die within her 1t
stonpcd t,,ating a moment. then it began to
hammer AWAY fast md hardi
"Yes ~ went ON Ree-ina in temper. ssthey
fished Won out and put him in prison. and
there he Is to tins day. So you'd better be
humble in future. Miss Elsie Nobody
Elsie STAYED to hear no more. Her misery
WINS too great to bear the gaze of all those
curious ewes. Fast as her feet would carry
her she sped along the pretty country road.
She did hot notice as she went gaunt and
unkenpt creature, with tine soil of the road
on his clothes, and hungry fire in his
sunken eyes who rose from the other side of
the school house fence and followed her.
Tho tramp had been reused from his sleep
by the shrll voices Of the girls, and as he
gathered his stiff limbs together and looked
after Elsles little figure in the crimson
merino, she seemed like flying flame to
vanish from his sight
But he did not let her vanish With his
long and uncainly strides he kept her in
sight. wblle a queer smile PLAYED about his
ugly mouth
When Elsie gained her own gate she stood
there for a time, painting and trembling.
She felt as if she could not speak as if the
flood of misery that had swept into her
heart had quite drowned out all thought and
speech.
Was it not her own dear mamma who had
kissed her good-by this very morningi How
would She meet herr What would she call
herr How could sue speak to her at ala 1t
seemed strange if this dreadful thing were
true, that all things looked serene and just
the same rs Wien she left her home. Her
world had been overturned as by an earth
quake, and yet she saw no sign of change
She could not speak yet she decided She
would wait till the dear time when mamma
(ohi she must still call her sol would sit by
her bedside, and talk with her so gently and
sweetly usual over all the doings of the
day. Yes, she would wait. But she went
III slowly, with n heavy step and slow. How
pleasant and bright the fam lar room
looked IL WAS full Of wood odors, too, and
tinted leaves. Mamma and Aunt Cicely
were busy with their pretty work.
=
"See how lovely our souvenir for grandma
will be. Size viii know what our autumn
woods are like now She never sees such
conhagrations in the sober English forests
tho leaf bououet in n stunned wav Init
could not speak. Mrs. Ford was too busy to
notice IL. however. for the next moment she
CRIED;
"We arc waiting for YOU, Elsie. to get rs
so,,o moro scarlnf laaves Thoro orc -,
ties on that tree Mt the corner of tho harm
.eru cot some ,,osned Flsie e,lod - 30.
out ia lie air once more
She EMERGED lust as the ouaint fi~ure Of
the tramp drew near the house He waited
"ua. there's the little flamipgo aqain he
said. as the slender feuro in the rad qroxvn
snneared
Els,o v-,ll-ad sloviv ber bl,,a o,-,s 400. -,
tho ground O
II was rather STARTLING for bcr 70 ho.- =
rruf7 voi,a nesr bar ntt.r ,hosa -
vor,le.
"UulloI e-oinr n -;v. ro, a.d ,ho w. b,,r,
Sbo ,o,,,i 80. i,a,{,,., -. -, C,e.'
With fri,-btor,,1 Cos a, tha ouoa.,,,.s - ~
ss.,,,od - ~, s.-,r,,,rr ~. =. -
lii-o tha, Gus "a -, r. ~ -
aho,+ o. thts c.n, - IT,
- ~, -. -, ~ -, Ia 80 So,
-, - - 49, -, - rs WANING
..T,,'a. - - ~ - $40 A1.i,
~ 80 - 20 sAS, sh' ta''efeo
81 ,.;,i -, -, -, =. po
~ sNs ~Au .ue
90 byrr repeated the man. "Weu Won bav.
Sr,va3 n rr,,+,- l;t.I. ..... -.
mo do x,,,, n, -. -, ..,,,..,.,a
Elsies heart beot vsrv fsst shs thorrh,
the man mpst haar !, hr+ -. ,,,a,,al,a, -
saw.
i,yho arr ro,, vhv should l,,ou
your
..,vb,1, ~
ALONG I'm vo,,r tathorr
rs Al Vu' >"'ue.'
s,nkin- and risi,- ,;to H. - sr,,at
,.a % She Iis,an,.G =, 49,. Sraadt,,, -.
81. $50. 80 y, - VI "., =. 49,,
e saoe"' N"iu w @oe ienee iaii W seeAuy