Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-10-23
A MODERN EVANGELINE.

kerchief there lived the same fidelity anc
devotion we find SO touching in The beautl
full Acadian maid But in this sorry OF my
Evangeline there is little of the poetical OF
picturesque, only stern and bitter reality
For to begin with her name was Mary
Anne Kelley, and she was plain, almost
pathetically So with thin, colorless race
but out of this looked a pair of honest
gray eyes, which appealed to you to be
gentle with her, because of the very pa
| thence and meekness with which she was
prepared to receive harshness and hard
ship. It was the same look you often see
| in the ewes of homeless dog, to whose
share have fallen only life's blows and its
| barest bones. She was lame, too, this poor
| heroine of mine, and altogether very for
| lorn and pitiful looking object as she came
| limping slowly and painfully up my gar
den walk one hot August afternoon and
tapped on the swinging door of the kitchen.
where | fretted and fumed over currant
jelly that would not jell
"If We phase. num-" said voice tim
idly.
looked around impatiently, but the in
truder was too humble and forlorn for me
to frown at her long, so | tried to ask
pleasantly, what do you wants'
IF We phase, mum, might we have need
of gyurlY"
had desperate need of one, but the one
before me was so unpromising, viewed in
the light of prospective servant, that
hesitated. However, as | have said, my
need was desperate, so with heartfelt
sigh over my lost Norah whom the milk
man had lured from my kitchen to install
l. haf
turned TO Mary Anne and told her she
might come for day or two at least,
when, if | found she suited me and she
liked the place. we would make new ar
rangements. She was so grateful for my
grudging consent that really felt ashamed
of my ungraciousness. and only for a re-
mote experience with a young woman
had taken on trust, and who in return had
taken my new winter wrap, | would have
left the question Of reference unbroached.
but when ! asked her for them the girl
said:
IF ut's a character, mum, that We Names
| haven't wan: but if we wull thrust me
now
She was so wistful that could not turn
her away, so visib1y weakening, inquired
Glow long have you been in this coun-
tryg"
"A year. mum, last All Saints day"
Nearly two, then. What have You
been doing all this times Have you never
been out to service before''
"Oh, Wis, mum; but niver fer long AT
tonne" Then noting, | suppose, that her
statement had made bad impression, she
added, with a flush staining herthin chez.
for a brief moments 1--WE been thramp-
ing Of ut most Of the tonne. I've been
lukiu' for some I'M, mum"
would IKE to have asked her who this
some one was, but had more urgent work
than the gratifying of my idle curiosity
just then for her To do, so il was not unit,
some days later that heard the story OF
Mary Anne Kelleys ''thramp" While
ignorant OF many Of the simplest house
hold duties, she had proven herself so
ready to learn, so docile and anxious 10
please, that after her days Of trials were
over had been glad TO keep her. and we
were deep IN basket Of peas, Smelling
them while we talked when Mary Anne
opened her heart 70 me. II was homcly
and a commonplace story enough, but the
girl told it with SO much unconscious
nathos in her yoiceand face that felt my
yves grow misty at times, aud a real re.
'pect sprung mp in my heart for the simple, |
gnorant creature. with her earnest face |
BENT over her work and her roughened /
myers busy with the shiny pea pods.
Mary Anne Kelley and Patrick Donnhue !
lad been raised within stones throw Of I
'ach other in "Ould Oireland, " and sure |
he was just the handSomest, bravest lad in /
he whole county, and Mary Anne had I
given her heart to him while vet they |
played together about their cabins: but /
he girls had run after Patrick so that the |
ad was fairly hewildered with It. and he 4
rad been too busy with Others TO discover \
he faithful heart beating SO near him |
3nt one day it happened that In crossing /
he river swollen by the winters rains
With the 'squirc's cart, Patrick had been
wcpt away by the raging water. and. be
oming entangled in the reins, would have
ruwned had not Mary Anne, who saw il
rom the bank, thrown him the end Of her
ong peasants cloak and drawn him in.
u order to reach him, though. she had
'een Obliged to wade ont into the stream
ONE distance and the horse. struggling
o regain his footing, had broken her ankle
y kick of his leg.
After that Patrick had come dailvto ask
( her how was her health, and TO say over
nd over again his thanks to her till he
rev to love her back again, and Mary
anne had welcomed the lameness which
ad won her the man she loved. Then had
ONE few days Of paradise till her lover.
stening to the stories OF an American.
rho. sight seeing in the country. had en-
aged Patrick as guide had grown discon.
anted with his lot in life, and was keen to
e of to America, where fortune was TO
e had for the asking. And at last he had
idden adieu TO his native land. and left
DOR Mary Anne with kiss aud promise
, send for her when he should have asked
Dr. his fortune aud gotten il.
She had heard from him but once since
ne morning he had left her standing AT
ne stile, which had b,en their trusting
lace, straining her eyes after him. and in
nat letter he had told her that the fortune
adj seemed As far OF in America as in Ire
md. but that he was on his way west.
here he had been promised work and
ood pay, and that rs soon rs he was set
ed he would send her money 10 pav her
lssage over. She showed me this letter.
ritten on coarse blue paper. and worn
it'll constant unfolding and refoldiur
- 81 =. IL D