Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-10-16

Shc TOOK III eagerly, out De1ore Sne nau
read dozen pages she came to me with a
| grave face.
| is this true story, ma'am?" she ask
| ed.
Il can't say, Ann. It's very true to life.
| think; but no doubt some parts of it are
made up"
| Then l guess don't care to read it.,
ma am" she said, putting it back in its
! place.
| 1t amt worth while spendn' ones time
| readin made up things. When | read !
| like to know that I'm readin' what's true"
| And shortly afterwards found her seat
| ed on the wood-pi absorbed in her BIZ
! hle
| She had genuine reverence for schol-
| arship, and took at first much interest in
Johns work as a writer. But one morn
! ing, when John had been reading to me a
| story that he hsG just finished. Ann, who
once or twice during the reading had had
| occasion 10 pass through the room. asked
| with puzzled look on her face, What
| does Mr. John write about ma a'am?"
| "Oh, sometimes one thing, and some
| times another" said. He writes most
| " stories"
True ones, ma am =
| True in some respects, Ann; but he
makes them up largely out of his own i'm
| agination."
Ann sighed like one troubled in spirit.
| Il don't see, ma'am. how he can make it
seem right. she said, turning away with
| disappointment 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 soul.
During the summer cousin from the
city came to visit us. She was dainty
little lady. and her soft voice and pleasant
ways soon won AIMS heart. She was just
recovering from a severe illness. and for
several days after her arrival she wore
close fitting princess wrapper of some
soft gray wooden goods, with no trim
/ mlng- except Il double row of smoked
pearl buttons down the front The per
feet planness of the garment attracted
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 wear
ng a white muslin. For the style of
dress then in vogue nothing could have
been more simple but the deep rutile that
bordered the skirt made Ann look at her
askalCc.
"ls Miss Helen a professor, ma'am?" she
asked that afternoon as Helen. under the
shade OF blue paraSol, took Johns arm
for stroll on tie beach.
"ics. said she is a member of DIR.
IS church, and teaches in the Sunday
school"
And yat," said Ann. slowly. she wears
huunce>,
1t was very seldom that Ann asked for
day out" Her father and mother were
dead and She had few acquantanccs that
~hc cared to visit; but she never seemed
~ feel the lack Of Companionship. II She
chauCcd to have few spare moments in
the morning She was usually To be found
seated on the wood-ple. engaged either in
her knitting work or in reading her Bible
choosing that prosalc spot evidently for
the sake Of being near the kitchen; but her
favorite resort in fair weather. when work
wss over for the afternoon was owl Rock
an isolated bowlder Just outside the gar
den fence. the garden soping almost to
the waters edge. IL was pleasant place
TO sit on a summer day for a wide branch
Ell brook willow oyer-shalowed 1t, and at
high tide the wave, ripplcd across the
shinglc at ts base. while in the distance
could be seen the passing ships and steam
ers.
Ann was so plain and practical that
We wondered al her fondness for this 10
mantle outlook but neighbor one day
gave US possible clue TO the mystery.
"A good girl. but little queer, he said.
tapping his forehead. Her young man
went OF 10 sea two or three years ago, an
'ain't never been heard from"
To think Of Ann Dorner's having loved
and lost" said to John. The last per
son in the world that one would associate
with a love affair"
1t only proves" said John, "thc hum
blest lives may have their romances and
their tragedies"
Whatever the motive was that took Ann
so eften 10 Owl Rock, whether She went
To watch for the return Of her lover, or
merely TO read and mediate, promptly a.
rule at ) O'Clock, She came back to the
Kitchen TO prepare supper. But one after
noon, 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 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 made the discovery that
she was something more than pretty. In
place Of her sunbOnnet she wore a three
coruered handkerchief tied under her chin.
The wind had roughened the hair about
her forehead, and her checks seemed to
have caught their color from the red glow
in the west. She carried her Bible in her
hand, and with her shining face she look
ed at the moment, in her prim dark gown,
Ike a sort OF tran>iigured nun.
When they reached the doorstep, the
young man said goodnight, and hurried
back 10 the beach.
]
1 she came into the house. II hadn't seen
him for most three years, an that's what
made me late. We used to be friends. ="
| she said shyly.
Nearly eveiy 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 )
/ o'clock always came with her up the gar
! den path. fingered for farewell word at
/ the kitchen door.
Ann during these days went about her
work with preoccupied air
Ibid YOU ever think, ma'am," she asked
one morning, as she was dusting the din
ing-room, that you'd like to be mission
ary:"
confessed to having had in my younger
DAYS a vague aspiration in that direction
/ .'Oh. | think it would be beautiful -
said the girl. "Jason's 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 heather. |
told Jason it was shame somebody
didn't 90 out there an teach 'em. Do you
suppose a sailors wife would have any
| chance to do that SOFT of work, ma'am? -?
You know sometimes the ship stops there
for water"
Before | could answer, John called 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.
Gomez" cried, why Ann, thought
you were going to marry him"
Ann shook her head. mo, IN; / can't.
He's too worldly-minded. He smokes. an
always when he's ashore he wants to wear
-starched buzoms"
But what Of that, Ann, if you love
him?" said.
AIMS chin began to quiver it was a
pretty sensitive chin. That's jest it,
maam; l love him too welt" she said
brokenly. 81 don't dare. I'm afraid he'd
be stumbln' block to me-"
There was nothing more to be said. ia
son had sailed that afternoon; and there
the matter rested.
We had expected to go back to town in
the fall, but John became so infatuated
with this 'calm retreat" that We decided
to take the house for another yesr, and tC