Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-06-18
The Deacon's 0batinacy.

Miss Starbird lived on Waits Hill over
looking the village. 1t was what wa
called "a real slightly place bv the towns
folk, and Miss Starbrd enjoyed sitting a
the front windows of her little house An,
gazing down upon the world beneath
Everything was in plain >ight-the yariet,
store, the meeting house, the blacksmith :,
shop, the milliLers window. the tow
pump and all the principal houses of The
village. And the village was So near thai
she could distinguish the people one from
another, II not by their features. by thei,
dress, and knew just what callers the doc
tof wlfe ana the minister's wife had. anC
just how often Mrs. Jones. the storcke,n
er wife. swept her parlor, and the widow
fliht' VINO was young and highty enter.
tanned company. And just beyond the vii.
iase was the sea, the pier where the steam.
boat stopped twice week in the summer
and where the sea captains landed with
their vessels. With her spy -glas. She
could tell just what vessels were in. and
knew before the captains wives. them.
selves when their husbands were home
from foreign voyage. Then the sunsets
over the water were real handsome. as
MISS Starhird often saId. She was one
VINO hked 70 see things look nice. at,l
there was almost every color in those sun
Nets Out The one Deacon Swan had gone
ana painted his house with That wa. n
real eyesnre 10 her, and that house was
'he only thing that She couldn't POSSIBLY
get cut OF sight Of. Whatever window
She sal al. there ii was a glarin In ber
eyes u maxim game o the daylight II
was lest birthstone color. with a tIre-r,J
mixed in. She wouldn't hare Ia live in
that house any morc'n anything at all. She
should expect every minute 'twould spon-
] taneously Combust" "
81, do you expect 10 be called upon
+ to I've there. Mary Abby" returned her
friend. Miss Amanda Pearcy. who was as
crisp and sharp Of manner a. of features.
She. slso. lived alone a little ways down
the hilI' mt was not SO we'll to 80 in the
world a. Miss Starbird and was Obliged II.
earn her living by dreSsmakiuy.
Il hope not" said Miss Starbtrl with
Just hint of deepened color upon her
Wholesome check. Who s'posed | thought
should beg she added quickly.
Nobody I know Of. Taint sure that
the deacon thinks o. MARVIN agsin. lust
because he's gone n painted his house. |
reckon though all the folks are surmi>in'
it, If course"
u haven't the least ldec" said Miss Star
bird, indilcrenlly II have too tnuch 10
90 10 get much time for hcarin' sossip
amt seen the deacon come m 90 any
moren usual, that's certain. N it's mucb
a. four years. now since his wife died
II he'd been goin ter be married | shnpld
thlnk he q IA done il before, III guess he
gels along tlr>t'ra;e with his sister Ni,'
hniSht, Tor hou>ekeeper, She amt quite
As Slack a. lis wife was"
4 a
Mary Abby | declare, it amuses M. tsr
DO, all The world you have 10 ockerpy /
yourself with, is cookln' you- own victuals,
ioin' Your own SEWN n h, n this little
mite Of house in order. "IAint % big as
mine by two rooms"
We'll, like to see thinks look nice
ANYWAY, don't get hardly minute 10 20
out in. n I'm behindhaud in NV scwin'"
What would you think If YOU had the
cuttln n good part o the sewin o the
whole village on your hands. rs well, your
own work." said Miss PearCv with a laugh
that shook all the corkscrew ringlets over
her brow.
We'll, couldn't let things 20 the way
YOU do. Mandy. said Mi,, Starbird. frank
ly Aud she looked around her bright and
shiniuyly clean, hut somewhat bare. room.
with the greatest satisfaction. What she,
had remarked TO her friend Wa true She.
had no time for hearing gossip. SO intent
was She on having her honse and hit Of
garden look nice. that she scrubbed. swept.
busted. renovated every day until the sun
wheeled round to its afternoon quarters
snd then burned over the co,kipg ami III,
sewing as best she might Hertwn lit,Ie
chambers were a. fresh and dainty a. If
they and everything IN Them we're ius,
over the house like that of newly washed
linen which has been ON IN M. fre.h ar
over night Everything was folded away
and ifa bit Of String or .cran of nan,.r
blew into her dooryard She would rnsh
ont. even in the widest storm 10 s.ize
and dispose of it. The sun himself WAS
dszzled by the polish of her window glass
and as for her silver and tinware, it would
illuminate a whole neighborhood.
"Amandy vas kinder irwin TODAY" re-
hected Miss Stafbrd when Miss Pearcy
had taken her departure, "but I've got
through early in spite Of her comm this
afternoon, n now shall have little spell
to set down by the window with nv sew
m"
But the wintrv afternoon was already
| fading toward sunset A mist was set
Ting on the sea, through which one sail
fioated like ghost. and though the village
spire was still atiame, long shadows were
| asleep in the dooryards. A few withered
leaves still clung to the tree boughs, rust
/ ling drearily in the rising wind
This time o year it always does seem
kinder lonesome ter be livin' alone-that
is, when body has time to think of it"
Her thoughts ran on: Sometimes wish
| was married n he'd folks comm in at
night, N lived like somebody in a large
house. More folks bring more dirt. TO be
sure. | often wonder how Cousin Malviny
HAYDEN puts up with her husbands dretful
untidy ways. But there. if he was nv
husband he'd hare to wipe his feet on the
mat before he come in. m be careful how
he threw things round. The moons goin'
to look real cold m dreary when she gets
up tonight. n 'taint likely a sourll dror
in the whole evenin' long. 'Taipt so dis
beartepin' as frog sinoin' time hut oness
m livep up the fire m get a bit o. some
thin hot for supper. That's comfortin
when folks are lonesome
The dusk fell suddenly and when sh.
hsd comnleted her arrsnpements for IN,
comfortin' meal, and resumed her seat b,
the window again. il was almost time 70,
lamp
~ wonder who that is a-drivin, nm tn,
hill She said. straininp her ewes ,hrpng,
the falling mist. ..Whv. jt's Deaco,
Swans team, g I live. m he's a.aoin' te
stop here. / wonder what he can he com
in for. oh, to get more money TOWARD