The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-11-29

'"'iioA "a Htr back
. nat basket made for that purpose.
dctested her, for shc had spoiled nv
pIay-placc. And the older people spoke
OF Dilsey as OF ono whose ways were
dark and who was little better than a
aeathcn In her practices. shortly thcv
baptized the place the Witch's Island.
was by this time tall girl OF four
teen and handled the oars better than
many boys. ! often rowed around the
island. and sometimes saw Dilsey AZ her
door making her bracelets or boiling her
candy. All day long had nothing 10
do but 70 enjoy myself. Masters came
10 teach me In the morning and that
was part Of my pleasure, for / loved 10
learn. was well and tendcrly reared. /
am sure, and the liberty accorded me in
my actions, though very great never
| harmed me.
was an orphan. my only relative
the only one ! had ever known-was nv
old grandfather. lie had been an officer
In the late war, and his wound had re-
suited in malady which confined him
20 his bed. There was no lady in the
house. and my teachers were All men
An old scrvant-woman took charge OF
my bodily comfort, and did as | liked
about social matters. NV chief chum
had been a boy Of my own are whose
mother earned her livelihood by doing
plain sewing. lie was very handsome
little fellow. though his clothes we're
generally old and patched and darned in
very striking manner lie had had
some schooling and loaned him all NV
books. A more innocent friendship
never existed between two young people.
though ] suppose. as our social position
was SO very different. il would never
have been permitted had my grandfather
been able To be about. As il was. II
would soon come 10 an end. for Rawdon
Holly was going to sea. Many Of the
boys in that part Of the country became
sailors. and after that We seldom saw
much OF them.
We were out in our boat together-he
and l-onc afternoon. when. looking
across the water toward Witch's Island.
noticed that all the doors Of the hut
were shut. and remembered that Dilsey
had not been over TO the mainland for
some days.
There lay her boat tied to its stake, to
prove that She had not left the spot.
"Old Dilsey must be sick" | said.
"And what on earth can Il sick woman
do with no one to help her? II takes
old Corporal Dodge and man-nurse to
wait on grandpa. think it is my Chris
tian duty to see what Is the matter. Let
US row over"
Rawdon agreed with me. and each pull
ing an oar. We reached the island in q
few moments. and advancing TO the hut
knocked at the door. No one answered.
and we opened it. The front room was
empty. but in the back room We saw
something lying on the floor. 1t was
poor old Dilsey.
Thank Cod she moaned. as knclx
beside her. i've lain here three days
l expected to starve TO death. That
pesky ladder broke under me while was
going up 70 the loft for YARDS. amt had
mouthful for three days. My bones is
broke"
had sense enough not to try to move
her. | brought a pillow for her head:
sent Rawdon 70 the mai inland for doc
tor. and made bowl OF Cruel. which
fed Dilsey. so that she was much better
when the doctor arrived. She had. in
deed. broken several bones, and needed
good nursing.
On hearing this sat down at the lit
tie table in the outer room. wrote
note to my grandfather. telling him
what had happened. and saying that
should stay with Dilsey until nurse
could be found. This proved a hard
task. for the common folk greatly
feared 1.-The wit, ~ and could not be |
brought to enter the hut. remained |
with Dilsey !, week. and Rawdon rowcd |
over every day with messages from my
grandfather, who approved OF my action.
and, after the nurse came. crossed |
daily to supervise her. Dilsey got |
about at last. but found herself unable |
TO use the oars. and very often after |
that took my boat to the island to
take her to the mainland.
She expressed her gratitude in few
words, but frequently added: You'll
never regret it.
Ono day missed her from her door.
and. thinking might be needed. went
up to the house again. this time alone.
for Rawdon had sailed away. found
Dilsey in bed, a placid look upon her
face and her cheek upon her hand. AT
Iirst thought she slept. but could not
wakcn her; she never awokc again.
A day or two after received letter
from certain law Arm. Dilscy had
made her will weeks before. and had
eft me her island, the hut and all its
! was delighted with the bequcst,
though II was q great joke in the vii
age, and resolved that the hut should
DO well cleaned and made sort Of
summer bower OF. took some hardy
,lants to the island and planted them.
md wrote to Rawdon and told him all
bout II.
Before Rawdon Holly sailed away we
lad engaged ourselves to each other.
"A poor sailor Is no match for you,
Inow," he said, but I'll be captain and
'wncr yet" And told him that when
was sixteen would tell grandfather
III about him, and that he would. no
oubt, let him come to see him in his