Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-01
A BIT OF DRIFT.

"Brutus Cassis Danksl Are you going
after that water, or do You expect the spring
t. come to yous'
The man thus pointedly addressed slid
slowly down from the fence where he was
sitting whiting, closed his huge jackknife
by pressing its point against the rail, and
shambled toward the house
The woman in the doorway watched his
leisurely approach with an expression curl
ously mingled of Indifference and irritation.
A small, STOPPING figure, with weak slope
to the chin and shoulders; the flaccid face
with fringe of hay-colored beard, and sur
mounted by sun-burned hat the loose, un-
shapely clothes, which seemed to have
adapted themselves to the wearers habit of
mind-was this the pink-cheeked, trim young
fellow who c6urted her fifteen years ngoi
Il was a-thinkin', Malviny," he said, taking
the pail from her outstref ied hand, that a
ketch of fish would taste kinder good. We've
had mush pretty Study lately"
at amt my fault" said the woman,
shortly.
mo! / s'pose it amt" he reioined slowly,
as though the fact occurred to him for the
first time
Just then little tow headed girl ran round
the corner of the house.
"Where are you goin', daddyy' she called.
SHOWN to the spring. Want to go, Capt.
tola!' he answered
She looked lovingly at him with her china
blue eyes. slipped her grimy little hand into
his and trudged Off beside him
The woman stood on the door stone looking
after them. "They are well mated" she
thought bitterly @One has about as much
Idea getting a living as the other"
She had not lacked warnings wears ago:
for Malvina Frost with her slim, straight
figure and swapping black eyes was the like
lest girl in town, and mothers of marriage
able sons had not hesitated to enlarge in her
hearing upon the "Danks shiftlessness,r re-
enforcing their own opinions by sundry old
proverbs, such as whats bred in the bone
will come out in the flesh" and Like father,
like SON" But Malvina only tossed her
black curls, and went her own way.
So one June they were married and went to
housekeeping in a little house on the bank of
the Ohio, and Malvina, in the strength Of her
youth and love felt able to move mountains,
but She found the i,ravitation of inherited
shiftlessness too much for her.
He had done well for time The little cot
tage was neatly fixed up and when, year
after, the first baby came, the young father.
with his own hands, fashioned for it a cradle
TINT was the wonder and envy of Tho na;.,I,
borhood But her,Slity was too strong for
him. and though the cradle had six successive
occupants. its first coat of paint was never
renewed. Mrs banks had never heard of
Ssyphus If she had she would have fonnd
her task very much like his with the excep-
tion that hers was infinitely harder and more
hopeless
What was it, Mental, or moral. or physi-
cal weakness or all ,broo, or a., o,.;, -.
thnt whatever he turned his hand to imme-
diately failed, Even his name SEEMED an IN
kind fling of fortune. His mother having
attended, shortly before his birth, tho per
formance of some stroling actors. was 20
much impressed that the name of Brutus Cas-
sius was waiting for him when he arrived
npon the stage where he was to play so in
significant a part. 1t was seldom. however.
that he had the benefit OF his fun nam. for
the community in which he grew nm do
lighted in Authorizations M
rough familiarity hesitated to call a man
Brute" to his face, so he was dubbed Cash.
perpetual satire upon him who rarely had
any cash in his pocket Against all these
odds Mrs Danks had fought a good fight, but
In the struggle her straight back had been
bent and the snap had gone from her ewes to
her voice.
somehow the load pressed heavier than
ever this morning. 1t might have been be-
cause it was carly spring, and the air wa I'm
OF that indefinable sense of expectancy. that
vague hint rejnvenation that would touch
everything except the banks fortunes. And
perhaps 1t was because the -four barrel was
empty; but, whatever the cause, Mr. Dank.
turned from the doorway thoroughly