The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-01-09
miscellaneous. '
A UNIQUE CHARACTER.

AUNIQUE CHARACTER.
We had taken cottage for the summer in
small village on the South Jersey coast
The rusticity and seclusion of the place de-
lighted u.s. John, whose pen has to earn our
daily bread, was in state ofperpetual self-con-
graduation. But our paradise had one draw
back-there was no church, services, when
there was any one to offlciste, being held
in the school house and in less than fort
night after we took possession OF the cottage
our cook packed her trunk and departed,
declaring that the place was "too hsythenish
for any respectable person to live in"
In this emergency Ann Dorner was re-
commended to u.s. Her father, longshore-
man-"honest as the day and powerful reli-
gious," the neighbors told us-had brought
up his family in a small cabin on the out
skirts of the village, and Ann had never been
ten miles from home. She had clean look
ing face, with somewhat interpretive eyes
her hair, which was pale brown, was brush
ed smoothly back from her low straight fore
head, and hung in ii loose mass down her
shoulders, while her gown-it was literally a
gown, q sort of pfe-Mother Hubbard affair
WAS dark blue calic', hanging unbelted
from the yoke, and neither shoe nor stocking
graced her substantial feet
In every way she was SO unlike the type
OF servant girl to which we had been accus-
toned that hesitated to engage her. But
her honest, sensible face decided me. In time,
no doubt, she could be persuaded TO adopt a
more civilized toilet.
But Ann, who had been brought up q
Methodist of the Methodists of the "old
school," had the courage of her convictions,
aud her ideas on dress were as fixed as the
q Ala1A lvn
the Goddess of Liberty, she had but one style
of costume and she wore it 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 barefooted to church.
AIMS firmness remained mistaken. At first
l thought it was downright obstinacy; but
that was before knew Ann. In time
found that her rigid views concerning dress
were rooted in a religious conscientiousness
as sensitive and as narrow as that of John
Ward
give 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 ?-they
might be discouraged, an say they wouldn't
as Ann Dorner."
But having learned on careful inquiry that
there was no one in the village so poor as to
be 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 con-
cessions, ventured to suggest a change in
her head gear. Ann took off her calico sun
bonnet and surveyed it critically.
1T amt handsome, that's a fact" she ad-
mitted, "but if amt too proud to wear it,
ma Fam, don't think you'd ought TO mind
It's clean an whole, an it's as good as any
thing ole Mis- Carson can afford to wear
At last, however, she promised that If
would make her perfectly plain black bonnet
she would wear it on Sundays.
Ruching was being worn for face trimming
at the time, and having covered a close fit
ing frame with black silk and added few
loops of black ribbon ventured to put here
and there in the ruche tiny knot ofnarrow
lavender valvet. Ann looked really pleased
when she tried it on, and the next morning,
catching 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 go to
the kitchen pantry, found, laid carefully to-
gether, not only the knots of lavender velvet,
but every loop and bow that had decorated
the outside of the bonnet. Plain as had
thought it, she had Invested it of everything
except the ribbons that served for strings.
at looked very nice, ma'am," she said,
when demonstrated with her, "but it was
amount.of persuasion could induce her to
have the trimmings put on again. :,
Her zeal for plainness did not confne itself
to her own apparel.
II rather think, ma'am, I'll have to get
somebody else TO do the fine ironin',' she said
to me on Monday.
but why, Ann ?" / asked in surprise
"There are very few starched pieces"
Eyes, IN, i know it," said Ann, "but
they're trimmed, an as I don't believe in
folks wearin' trimmed things, l don't think
it would be right for me to do 'em up for
em"
"But don't you think, Ann" l said, shat
little trimming makes pretty finish to a
garment?"
oh, it's nice enough to look at, ma'am /;
I don't deny that but it's all pride o the
eye an lust O. the fest, and l don't think
professors ought to indulge in such things. Ii
everybody lived up to the Bible, ma'am,
even the preachers wouldn't wear starched
buzsoms."
And so rigid was she on this point, and 80
illogical as well, that every week she insisted
on paying a woman out OF her own wages to
iron Johns shirts and collars and ali the
trimmed underwear.
One day when l was making dessert she
suddenly asked, "Don't you think, ma'am,
it'd be nice if people could live now as they
did in Bible times?"
"In what way, Ann ?" inquired.
"Why, don't you know, maam, 10 those
days they lived mostly on bread and fish 1t
was bread an fish that the Lord gave the
multitude to eat in the wilderness, an bread
an fish that He gave the disciples when He
cooked breakfas' for 'em on the shore"
"But fish doesn't agree with every one,
Ann" argued, land in inland places fish is
not always to be had"
"Well, don't spose it makes much diff
ference, ma am, whether it's bread an fish or
bread and meat but it seems to me that in
eatin, the same as in dressin', people ought
to be plain"
Having noticed that she seemed fond of
reading, one day offered her a story book.
She took it eagerly, but before she had read
dozen of pages she came to me with grave
face.
Ills this a true story, ma'am p she asked.
II can't say, Ann. It's very true to life,
think; but no doubt some parts of it are
made up"
"Then l guess l don't care to read it,
a'am." she said, putting it back in its place.
at amt worth while spendin' ones time
readin' made up things. When read like
TO know that I'm readin' what's true" And
shortly afterwards found her seated on the
wood pile absorbed in her Bible.
She had genuine reverence for scholar
ship, and took at first much interest in
Johns work as a writer. But one morning,
when John had been reading to me the story
thathe had just finished, Ann, who once or
twice during the reading had had occasion to
pass through the room, asked, with a
puzzled look on her face, "What does Mr..