The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-06-26

'prlde O. the eye an lust o. the flesh,
an don't think professors ought to in
dulge in such things, II everybody
lived up to the Bible, ma'am, even the
preachers wouldn't wear starehed buzz
oms.h
And so rigid was she on this point,
and so illogical as well, that every week
she insisted on paying woman oat OF
her own wages to iron Johns shirts and
collars and all the trimmed underwear,
One day, when / was making des-
sert, she suddenly asked; "Don't you
think, ma'am, it'd be nice il people
could live now as they did in Bible times"
sin what way, Auns' inquired,
"Why, don't you lnow, ma'am, in
those days they lived mostly on bread
an fshl 1t was bread an iish that the
Lord gave the multitude to eat in the
wilderness, an bread an fish that He
gave the disciples when lie cooked
breakias' for 'em on the shore"
"But fish doesn't agree with, every one,
Ann,"I argued; "aud in inland places
fish is not always to be had"
"Wcll, | don't s'pose it makes much
difference, ma'am, whether it's bread an
fish or bread an meat; but it s,.ems to me
that in eatin', the same MS in dressin' ,
people ought to be plain"
Yet she showed no opposition to shirk
work. She took genuine pride in her
bread and biscuit, and her passion for
cleanliness made it hard matter to keep
her supplied with scrub cloths.
Having noticed that she seemed fond
of reading, ! one day offered her story
book. She took it eagerly, but before
she had read dozen pages she came to
me with grave face.
''Is this true story, ma'amln
~ can't say, Ann. It's very true to
life, think; butno doubt some parts OF
it are made up"
"Then guess don't care to read it,
ma am" she said, putting it back in its
place. ut amt worth while spendin'
one S time readin' made-up things. When
| read, l like TO know that Pm readin'
what's true" And shortly afterward ]
found her seated on J.. the wood-pile, alb
sorbed in her Bible.
She had genuine reverence for
scholarship, and took at first much iu-
terest in Johns work as writer. But
one morning, when John had been read
ING to me a story that he had Just lin.
ished, Ann, who once or twice during the
reading had had occasion to pass through
the room, asked, with puzzled look on
her face, "What does Mr.. John write
about, ma'amS"
"Oh, sometimes one thing, and some
times another" l said. "He writes most
ly stories"
"True ones, ma 'ami"
"True in some respects, Ann; but he
makes them up largely out of his own
imagination.
Ann sighed, like one troubled in
spirit. 81 don't see, ma'am, how he can
make it seem right" she said, turning
away, with disapproyal written on every
feature; and from that day it was very
evident that John had fallen from the
high place that he had hitherto held in
the estimation of this honest soul.
During the summer a cousin from the
city came to visit us. She was a dainty
little lady, and her soft voice and pleas.
ant ways soon won AIMS heart. She
was Just recovering from severe illness,
and for several days after her arrival she
wore close-fitting princesse wrapper Of
some soft gray woollen goods, with nc
trimming except a double row of smoked
pearl buttons down the front. The per-
feet plainness Of the garment attracted
Ann at once, and it was good to see the
admiration with which she watched the
slight trim figure.
But on Sunday Helen came down wear
ing white muslin. For the style Of
dress then in vogue nothing could have
been more simple; but the deep ruffit
that bordered the skirt made Ann look al
her askance-
SIS Miss Helen professor, ma'amF
she asked that afteruoo as Helen, under
the shade of blue parasol, took Johns
arm for stroll on the beach.
"Yes," said; 'she is member OF
DR.. IS church, and teaches in the
Sunday school"
"And yet" said Ann, slowly, "she
wears founces."
1t was very seldom that Ann asked fol
"a day OUT Her father and mother
were dead, and she had few acquaint
ances that she cared to visit; but she
never seemed to feel the lack OF com.
partnership. Ii she CHANGED to have q
| few spare moments in the morning she
was usually to be found seated on the
wood-pile, engaged either with her knit
ting-work or in reading her Bible, choos
ing that prosaic spot evidently for the
sake of being near the kitchen; but hei
| favorite resort in fair weather, wher
work was over for the afternoon, wa'
Owl Rock, au isolated bowlder just out
side the garden fence, the garden slopins
almost to the waters edge. 1t was
pleasant place to sit on summer day
! for wide branched brook willow over
Swallowed it, and at high tide the waves
rippled across the shingles at its base
while in the distance could be seen tn,
passing ships and steamers.
Ann was so plain and practicable tina
we wondered at her fondness for this ro
mantle outlook, but 4 neighbor one da,
gave us possible clew to the mystery.
"a good girl, but a little queer" HI
said, tapping his forehead. "Her young
man went off to sea two or three year
ago, an amt never been heard from"
"To think of Ann Dorners havin.
loved and LOST" | said to john. 9Th
last person in the world that one woult
associate with love affair.
"It only proves, " replied John, "tha
the humlest lives may have their TO
mances and-their tragedies"
Whatever the motive was that tool
Ann so often to Owl Rock, whether SD
went to watch for the return of he
lover, or merely to read and mediate
promptly, as a rule, at 5 o'clock sh
came back to the kitchen to prepare SUP
per. But one afternoon, for the frs