Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-14
y UNIQUE CHARACTER.
From Harper's Bazsr.

III summer IN a small village on the
NNB south Jersey coast. The place orig
W W iuaIly was merely fishing hamlet
the inhabitants being almost exclu-
sively 1ongshore men and their families, but
party of summer tourists CHANGED one day to
stumble upon it. and, finding the air sulubrious
and the location inviting they pitched their
tents there for the remainder Of the season
The next year three or four pretty cottages
sprung up as if by magic, and it was our good
fortune to secure one of them for the summer
The rusticity and seclusion Of the place de-
lighted US. John, whose pen has to earn our
daily bread, was In state Of perpetual self
eongratulation. To us both it was a genuine
nnd this snug harbor SO quaint and print
tive, with nothing to break the stiffness but An
occasional toot from fishing steamer. But
our paradise had one drawback-there was no
ehurch' services, when there any one to
ofhciate, being held in the school house; and
IN less 'han fortnight after we took possess
sion OF the cottage our cook packed her trunk
ana departed, declaring that the place was
too haythenish for any respectable person to
live IN
In this emergency Ann Dorner was recon-
hiehded to US. Her father. II longshoreman-
honest as the day and powerful religious {"
the nelghbors told us-had brought up his
ia CABIN on the OutSklrtS OF the
'i4aSe. ana Ann had never been 10 miles from
nome She had a clean-lOoking sensible face
with somewhat interpretive ewes; her hair
when was pale brown, was brushed smoothly
o"ek from her low. straight forehead and hung
III q loose mass down her shoulders, while her
gown-t was literally a gown n sort of pre-
Mother Hubbard sffair-was a dark blue Calico
hanging unbelted from the yoke. and neither
shoe nor stocking graced her substantial feet.
In every way she was unlike the type of
Wa had hoo oa1
mat hesltated to engage her. But her honest.
sensible face decided me. In time, no doubt,
she could be persuaded to adopt more civil
lied toilet
dlst OF the Methodists of the 'oId school," had
the courage of her convictions. and her ideas
ON dress We're as fixed as the laws of the Modes
and Perslans. Like the Goddess of Liberty, she
had but one style OF costume and she wore 1T
on all occasions; even on sunday she refused to
put on shoes and stockings. In vain we argued
with her on the improperly of going bare
looted to church. AIMS firmness remained
mistaken. At first | thought it was downright
obstlnacy; but that was before knew Ann. In
time L found that her rigid views concerning
dress were rooted in a religious conscientious
ness as sensitive and as narrow that of John
Ward.
I've got shoes an stockin's ma'am," she
said, In answer to my offer to advance the
money for the purchase of these articles; ''but
maybe some other folks haven't. an don't
think I've got right to dress any better than
the poorest person in the place can afford to-
cause if did, ma'am-don't YOU see?-thev
might be discouraged. an say they wouldn't go
to moetin' unless they could dress as good as
Ann Dorner."
But having learned on careful inquiry that
there was no one in the village so poor as to
De Obliged to go barefooted we at last per-
suaded her to put on shoes. After time she
consented, too, to gather her flowing name
into braid, and encouraged by these conces-
i ed 10 L
headgear. Ann took off her calico sun bonnet
and surveyed 1t critically
1T amt handsome, that's a fact" she adj
United, but If amt too proud to wear it,
ma am, don't think you'd ought to mind
It's clean an whole, an it's as good as any,
thing ole Mis- Corson can afford TO wear"
AT last, however, she promised that if would
make her perfectly plain black bonnet she
would wear 1t on Sundays.
Ruching being worn for face trimming
az the time, and having covered a close-fittinS
frame with black silk and added few loops of
black ribbon ventured to put here and there
In the ruche a tiny knot of narrow lavender
velvet Ann looked really pleased when she
tried it on, and the next morning catching a
glimpse of her as she went out
OF the gate wearing the new bonnet
quite congratulated myself on my success:
but few moments later. having occasion to 90 |
to the kitchen pantry. i found laid carefully |
together, not only the knots of lavender velvet,
but every loop and bow that had decorated the |
outside of the bonnet. Plain as had thought |
ii, she had Invested it of everything except the
ribbons that served for strings.
1t looked very nice, ma am. :" she said when |
l demonstrated with her, but it was most too |
gay for professor" And no amount of per- |
suasion could induce her to have the trimmings |
put on again.
Her zeal for plainness did not confine itself |
to her own apparel |
Il rather think, ma am, I'll have to get some
body else to do the fine ironin'," she said to me
on Monday.
But why. ANN" asked in surprise. .'There
are very few starched pieces"
Yes, m. know it.. said Ann, but they're
trimmed. an as l don't believe in folks wearin'
trimmed things, don't think it would be right
for me to do 'em up for EN-
But don't you think. Ann" / said that
little trimming makes pretty finish to a gar
ment2"
''Oh. it's nice enough to look at ma am.
don't deny that, but it's all pride O. the eve an
lust o the flesh. and don't think professors
ought to indulge iii such things. If everybody
lived up TO the Bible, mas am, even the preach
ers wouldn't wear starched buzsoms."
And so rigid was she on this point and so |
Illogical as we'll. that every week she insisted
Oh paying woman out of her own wages to |
iron Johns shirts and collars and all the |
trimmed underwear.
One day when | was making a dessert she |
suddenly asked Don't you think. ma am, it'd |
be nice if people could live now MS they did in |
Bible times?" |
In what way, Ann?" inquired.
why, dom you know ma am, in those DAYS |
they lived mostly bread an fish? IL was |
bread an fish that the Lord gave the multitude
TO eat in the wilderness, an bread an fish that
lie gave the disciples when He cooked break |
tas tor EN- on the shore"
But fish doesn't agree with every one. Ann. :, |
L argued. ',and in inland places fish is not al |
way sio be had
We'll. don't s'pOse it makes much differ-
ence, ma am. whether it's bread an fish or |
bread an meat: but il seems to me that in /
eatin the same as IN dressin', people ought to
be plain
Yet she showed no disposition to shirk work |
She took genuine pride in her bread and bis
cult and her passion for cleanliness made il |
"a hard matter to keep her supplied with scrub |
cloths.
Having noticed that she seemed fond of read |
ing l one day offered her a story book. She |
took 1t eagerly, but before she had read !
a dozen pages she came to me with a |
grave face /
lis this true story, ma amp" she asked
Il can't say, Ann. It's very true to life, / |
think; but no doubt some parts of it are |
made up"
Then guess don't care to read it, ma'am." |
she SAID putting 1t back i'll its place lit amt
worth while speudin ones time readin made |
up Things. When read | like to know that |
IN readln what's true" And shortly after
ward l found her seated on the wood pile alb |
sorbed IN her Bible.