Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-08-16

the eve an lust o the flesh, and don
think professors ought to indulge in such
things If everybody lived up to the
Bible, ma am, even the preachers wouldn't
wear starched buzsoms
And so rigid was she on this point, and
so illogical as well, that every week she
insisted on paying a woman out of hel
own wages to iron Johns shirts and col.
lars and all the trimmed underwear.
One day when l was making a dessert
she suddenly asked, Don't you think,
ma'am, it'd be nice if people could live
now as they did in Bible times?"
I'm what way, Ann?" l inquired.
why, don't you know, ma'am, in
those days they lived mostly on bread
an fish? 1t was bread an fish that the
Lord gave the multitude to eat in the
wilderness, an bread an fish that He
gave the disciples when He cooked break
fas' for 'em on the shore.
"But fish doesn't agree with every one,
Ann" l argued, "and in inland places
fish is not always to be had"
well, l don't s'pose it makes much
difference, ma am, whether it's bread an
fish or bread an meat; but it seems to
me that in eatin', the same as in dressin',
people ought to be plain"
Having noticed that she seemed fond
of reading, l one day offered her story
book. She took it eagerly, but before
she had read dozen pages she came to
me with grave face.
rs this a true story, ma'am?' she
asked.
II can't say, Ann. It's very true to
life, think; but no doubt some parts of
it are made up"
"Then guess l don't care to read it,
ma'am," she said, putting it back in its
place. ut amt worth while spendin'
ones time readin' made up things. When
/ read l like to know that Tn readin'
what's true" And shortly afterward l
found her seated on the wood pile alb
sorbed in her Bible.
She had a genuine reverence for schol-
arship, and took at first much interest in
Johns work as writer. But one morn
ing, when John had been reading to me
3 story that he had just finished, 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'am
"Oh, sometimes one thing and some
times another l said. He writes
mostly stories"
True ones, ma'am?"
"True in some respects, Ann; but he
makes them up largely out of his own
imagination"
Ann sighed like one troubled in spirit.
II don't see, ma'am, how he can
make it seem right" she saiI, turning
away, with disapproval 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 souk
During the summer cousin from the
city came to visit us. She was 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 wrap
per of some soft gray woolen goods,
with no trimming except a double row
of smoked pearl buttons down the front.
The perfect plainness of the garment at
tracted 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
wearing a white muslin. For the style
of dress then in vogue nothing could
have been more simple; but the deep
ruffle that bordered the skirt made Ann
look at her askance
rs Miss Helen professor, ma am 2"
she asked that afternoon, as Helen, under
the shade of a blue parasol, took Johns
arm for stroll on the beach.
"Yes," said "she is member of Dr.
IS church, and teaches i'll the Sunday
school,"
And yet," said Ann, slowly, "she
wears flounces!"
ut was very seldom that Ann asked
for "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 compan-
ionship If she chanced to have few
spare moments in the morning she was
usually to be found seated on the wood
pile, engaged either with her knitting
work or in reading her Bible, choosing
that prosaic spot evidently for the sake
of being near the kitchen; but her fa-
vorite resort in fair weather, when work
was over for the afternoon, was Owl
Rock, an isolated bowlder just outside
the garden fence, the garden sloping
almost to the waters edge.
Ann was so plain and practical that
we wondered at her fondness for this ro-
mantle outlook, but a neighbor one day
gave us a possible clew to the mystery.
"A good girl, but littlequeer. he said,
tapping his forehead. "Her young man
went off to sea two or three years ago,
an 'aint never been heard from.
"To think of Ann Dorncrs having
loved and LOST" said to John.
ut only proves, replied John, that
the humblest lives may have their ro-
mances and-their tragedies
Whatever tie motive was that took
Ann so often to Owl Rock, whether she
went to watch for the return of her lover
or merely toread and mediate, promptly,
as rule, at O'Clock she came Laci, to
the kitchen to prepare supper. But one
afternoon, for the first time, she WIS Il
little late; and was on the point of tar
out to call her when ] saw her coming
through the garden, attended bya broad
shouldercd, sturdy looking young follow,
whose r",i;ng gait at once rC,ealed the
fact that he WAS sailor.
l. WAS cay to SO" that AnN WAS ',anpv,
and sml,I II V ! ma Il the ai coy rY TINT