The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-01-31

the only one had ever known-was nv
old grandfather He had been an officer
In the late war, and his wound had re-
suited in malady which confined him
70 his bed. There Was no lady in the
house, and my teachers were all men
An old servant-woman took charge of
my bodily comfort, and I did as | liked
about social matters. Ny chief chum
had been q boy OF my own age whose
mother earned her livelihood by doing
plain sewing. He was very handsome
little fellow, though his clothes were
generally old and patched and darned in
q very striking manner. He had had
some schooling and loaned him all my
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 70 be about As It was, It
would soon come 20 an end, for Rawdon
Holly was going 70 sea Many Of the
boys in that part OF the country became
sailors, and after shat we seldom saw
much OF them.
We were out in our boat together-he
and I-one afternoon, when, looking
across the water toward Wiuch's Island,
noticed that all the doors OF the hut
were shut, and remembered that DiIsey
had not be9n over 20 the mainland for
some days.
There lay her boat tied 20 its stake, 70
prove that she had not left the spot
"Old Dilsey must be sick" / said.
And what on earth can sick woman
do with no one to help her? 1t takes
old Corporal Dodge and m.n-nu-se 70
wait on grandpa | think IL 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 a
few moments and advancing 10 tie hut
knocked at the door. No ono answered.
and We opened it. The front room was
empty, but in the back room We saw
something lying on the floor. It was
poor old Dilsey.
Thank GOd' she moaned, a. I knelt
beside her I've lain here three days.
I expected 20 starys 10 death. That
pesSy ladder broke under me while was
going mp % the LOFT for yarbs. ! amt had
Inouthtul for three days Ny bones ia
broke"
! had sense enough not % try 70 move
her. brought pillow FOR her head;
sent R4wdon 70 the mainland FOR doc
2 !
FED Dl4sey, 50 that she wzs much better
when the doctor arrived She had, In
deed, broken several bones. and needed
good nursing.
On hearing this I SAT down At the 1T
tie table IN the outer room, wrote \
note 20 my grandfather. telling him
What had happened, and saying that
should stay with Di.sey until = nurse
could be found. This proved a hard
task, for the common folk greatly
feared The witch" and could not b.
brought 20 enter the hut l remained
with Dllsey a week, aud Rs"don rOwed
over every day with messages from nv
grandfather, who approved OF nay action,
and, after the nurse came, crossed
daily 70 supervise her. Dilsey got
about AZ last, buE found herself unable
70 use the oars, and very often after
that I took my boat 70 the Island 70
take her 70 the mainland
she expressed her gratitude In few
words, but frequently added: You'll
never regret it."
One day ! missed her fIom her door,
and, thinking might be- needed, went
up - the house again, this time alone.
for RawdOn had sailed away. 1 found
DI.sey in bed, placid look upon her
face and her check upon her hand AT
frst | thought she sept, but could not
waken her; she never awoke again
a day or two after / received letter
from certain law firm. DiIsey had
made her viii weeks before, and had
left me her island. the hut and al ia
contents
was delighted with the beauest.
though 1t was a great ioko in the vii
L. II Z -.
be we'll cleaned and made u sort of
summer bower Of I took some hardy
plants 70 the island and planted them,
and ! wrote 20 Rawdon and told him all
about IT,
Before Rawdon Holly sailed away We
had engaged ourselves 70 each other.
"A poor sailor Is no match for YOU, I
know" he said, but I'll be captain and
owner yet" And l told him that when
was sixteen / would tell grandfather
all about him, and that he would, no
doubt, let him come TO see him in his
room.
To this day I do not know what grand
father would have said about Rawdon,
for on my sixteenth birthday he lay
very i'll, and in few weeks passed
away
had not thought OF his death as near
at hand. and ! was greatly shocked and
deeply grievcd, but another shock
awaited me My grandfather, while
fully resol we'd 20 leave all that he pos
sessed 10 me, had delayed the making
of his will. His property reverted to
a brother, who came down TO take
possession OF it. The new owner, Mr..
Campion, was a hard-featured man of
sixty, with no kindliness of manner TO
redeem his plain face. He looked at me
with disfavor.
'For my part" he said. t'I'd never
take in other folks children; but since
brother Humphrey did it, / suppose
you've got to be taken care of. / shall
sell this place, bu; I'll take you nome.
You're big enough to help about, and
you ought 20 be grateful enough to do
all you can. ,or I'm not Obliged to take
you or keep you, Mss What's-your-
name; I've forgotten what you're
called"
my name IS Kathrine." said I. I've
always been called by your brothers I
name-he must have given IL to my
father when he adopted me-and l
should DO ashamed 70 take this property I
If was as rich as you, and knew that IL .
was meant for another person Ny dear /
Il ETalluAalLei- - bta C4AA nm -otAAN i
again and again that II was all mine. !
But law IS not justice; 50 take lie and
keep IL; but as for mc-thank you for
nothing. can talzo care OF myself.
have house of my oVn, on my own
island-7
"Eh?F said he.
you can ask them about ny proper f
ty,' said ]; and away ! vent. packed up
my clothes and books and keepsakes.
and hired boy 70 take them 10 the \
Witch's Island az twilight
That night, all alone On barren rock,