The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-08-21
SELECTED.
MISS ToURIE

Miss Helen, as we usually called her
We had advertised for a music teacher
for my two sisters, Mary and Grace
girls of twelve and fourteen. Their,
were over forty replies, but the handwrit
ing of Miss Helen had so much charac
ter that we inquired of her capability from
the music publishers given as references
and finding it reported satisfactory, clos
ed with her terms, which were moderate
She soon proved that she could teach
we'll. If we were pleased with her hand
writing, we were charmed with her man
ner, which was that OF gentlewoman
A number of trifes, no less than her re
C. ;;ssiis showed the. che had as they say
"seen better days" She was scarcely
twenty-five at the time, though she look
ed five years younger, and without being
strikingly handsome, was good-looking
Her dress was of heavy silk, but 1t hao
evidently been made over, and possibly
had been turned. 1t was winter wher
she came and she wore furs Of expensive
sable that were In good condition, though
their cut was that of years before. The
mystery about her lay in the fact that we
could never find out where she lived. Oh
who were her kin, or anything of her his
tory. All her letters were sent to the
music shop, where she called for them
When her lessons were over at our house
she went to other pupils and then disap
peared.
All this was no concern of ours and did
nottrouble us any. The girls got along wei
under her instructions. and that was al
we cared for. But we changed little
in time. My uncle, Phillip Crashaw, who
commanded the good ship Greyhound, s
clipper in the China trade, was homt
from a long voyage and the vessel, hav
ing received a racking during the trip
required to be thoroughly overhaued
She was put upon the dry dock and rig
gers and sailmakers we're also called or
to give her a new dress. All this tool
time, and in the meantime we saw a gooc
deal of Uncle Philip. He was my moth.
er's younger brother. He was only thir
ty-hve and had risen in ten years from
second mate to master, with the reputa
ton Of being one of the best shippers
In the service. He had inherited mod
crate fortune, sharing with my mother
In her fathers property, and had added
to that by various ventures until he was
considered to be quite well of. My
mother thought he would never marry
and looked upon her three children as
his probable heirs. OF course, as l, Phil
ip Crashaw Craig, had been named aftel
| him, l was to have the lions share. My
father used to laugh at this and say thai
Philip was q young man yet and wOulc
marry and have nearer claimants for his
means. He liked Philip and insisted or
his bringing his traps to our house when
ever he was ashore and told him he could
do quarter deck in the big back yard
in fair weather and In the parlors In foul,
and make himself at home.
Miss Tourie came and went as usual
One day, Captain Phil, as we youngsters
often called him, abruptly asked mother
Jane, who Is that Miss fourier
"Our music teacher, Phil" replied
mother land that Is about all we know
about her. Why2"
"I've seen her before, somewhere, Pll
swear to 1t, and her face Is familiar to
me. But can't place her. l don't rec
ollect the name, which Ia an unusual one,
too. 1t sounds Portuguese-Jewish; but
she isn't Of Semitic type"
cit might be- said my father "The
leading Portuguese Hebrew families are
Of the Aryan rather than the Semitic cast
Of features, something like what we i'm
agine the old apostles to have been. Jane
here thinks there's some mystery about
her, because we have never found out
where she lives. The mystery will prob
ably turn out to be very simple. She has
been well educated, and probably we'll
bred, and being reduced, lives In rather
poor lodgings, and so shuns visitors
That's about the shape of 1t, l fancy"
81 should like to know where l have
met her." said Philip, thoughtfully.
There the matter dropped apparently
but Philips curiosity was not checked
He came in one day, just IS the girls les
sons had closed and Miss TOurie was
going out.
you'll excuse me, hope" he said to
her, "but certainly have had the pleas
ure of meeting you long before saw you
here"
Miss Helen colored deeply. at Is very
possible, SIR" she said. sit might have
been. and yet neither of us remember
WHERE"
Then she bowed, passed him and left
the house.
"Thst naughty look, that drawing
back" said Phil. II have certainly seer
her before"
In The meanwhile Phil had quarrel
with the owners, or rather with the jun.
Tor partner, On irascible person. dc
not know how It began or what II was
about, but Phil hared up and told them
they might get another master for the
Greyhound when she was ready for SEA
| for he'd b blessed, and he said II with
two dds and . dash betwsent II he'd
ever put foot on her again. And 10, q
Phil never retracted . rash word, they