Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-07-11

T arm Tor q StTOi OF I8e De4Cl-
Yes / said; '.she is a member of
DR.. 5 church, and teaches IN the
Sunday school"
And yet, said Ann, slowly, "shc
wears founces,'
It was very seldom that Ann asked for
"a day out" Her father and mother
were dead. AMI she had few acquaint-
ances that she cared 10 visit; but she
never seemed 70 feel the lack OF com
partnership. If 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 her
favorite resort in fair weather. when
work was over for the afternoon, was
. Owl Rock, an isolated bowldcr Just out
/ side the garden fence, the garden sloping
! almost to the waters edge. It was a
pleasant place to sit on q 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 the
passing ships and steamers.
| Ann was 50 plain and practicable that
we wondered at her fondness for this ro-
mantle outlook, but neighbor one day
gave us a possible clew to the mystery.
"A good girl, but a little queer" he
I said, tapping his forehead. 'tHcr young
man went off to sea two or three years
ago, an amt never been heard from"
ITO think Of Ann Dorners having
loved and LOST | said to John. The
last person in the world that one would
associate with love affair"
at only proves, replied John, ':that
the funniest lives may have their TO
manccs and-their tragedies "
Whatever the motive was that took
Ann so often to Owl Rock, whether she
went to watch for the return of her
lover, or merely to read and mediate,
promptly, as a rule, at o'clock she
came back to the kitchen to prepare sup
per. Bat one afternoon, for the first
time, she was little late; and was on
. the point of starting out to call her, when
| saw her coming through the garden,
attended by broad -shouldered, sturdy,
looking young fellow, whose rolling gait
at once revealed the fact that he was a
sailor.
1t was easy to see that Ann was happy,
and suddenly I made the discovery that
she was something more than pretty. In
place of her sun-bonnet she wore three
cornered handkerchief tied under her
chin. The wind had roughened the hair
about her forehead, and her cheeks seemed
to have caught their color from the red
! glow in west. She carried her Bible in
her hand, and with her shining face she
| looked at the moment, in her prim dark
gown, like a sort of transfgured nun.
When they reached the doorstep the
young man said goodnight, and hurried
| back to the beach.
''Its Jason, ma am Ann explained,
as she came into the house. II hadn't
seen him for most three years, an that
what made me late. We used to be
| friends" she added, shyly.
! Nearly every afternoon for the next
! fortnight Jason joined her at Owl Rock.
| Evidently they found enough to talk
! about, and sometimes the young man,
! who at five o'clock always came with her
up the garden path, fingered for fare
we'll word at the kitchen door.
Ann during these days went about her
work with a preoccupied air.
"Did you ever think, ma am" she
asked one morning, as she was busting
! the dining room, THAT you'd like to be
missionary"
l confessed to having had IN my
younger days vague aspiration in that
! direction.
ooh, think it would be beautifully
said the girl. "Jasons been tellin' me
about an island he's been to; they were
shipwrecked there; that's why he was
gone so long, an the people are all
/ heathen I told Jason it was a shame
somebody didn't go out there an teach
en-. Do you spose a sailors wife would
have any chance to do that sort of work,
ma'am? You know sometimes the ships
stop there for water"
! Before l could answer her, John
| called to me from his sanctum, and the
! subject did not come up again, but
guessing the trend of AIMS thoughts,
began to school myself to the thought of
losing her.
! A day or two later, however, the girl
came back from Owl Rock alone.
| Hes gone, ma'am," she announced,
gravely.
"Gone." I cried. "Why, Ann, l
thought you We're going to marry him"
Ann shook her head. NO, IN;
can't. He's too worldly-minded. He
smokes, an always when he's ashore he
! wants to wear-starched buzsoms.'
.;But what Of that Ann if YOU love