Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-04-23
She Was a Heroine.

she was Il heroine.
Tell me about it, Uncle Jerry.
He was character in his quiet way
the skipper par excellence of the
little seaport of Il.
We were great friends, he and I,
and many long summer day had I
spent beside the bent old frame,
watching his rough fingers mend nets
or sails with the dizziness grown from
long practice and listening to his tales
with keen enjoyments.
But there was one incident of his life
on which he never touched, nor could
any amount of coaxing induce him to
approach it.
1t had happened when I was in Eu-
rope. I found him greatly changed
on my return after six years. absence.
This afternoon, for the first time, he
betrayed a willingness to confide in
me.
''It were nigh five years ago-the
year before the hotel was built. The
cove was crowded. 1t seemed like we
all had MORN we could make comfort
able, and the boarders was crowding
inter old Miss Hollis in way that did
seem wonderful when we heerd how
they lived in their big city homes. I
had jest bought a new sailbOat, fifty
footer and regular goer. I calculated
to make heap out o'pleasure parties
an sech-an [ did. l TUX the same
crowd pretty regular, an in time got
to know 'em well. They was as nice
lot Of young things as ever came in
my path, but they was carelesslike, an
they didn't allays think.
''The sailing bothered me. They
was all over the boat at once, an
nothin would do but must larn 'em
to sail.
II grew powerful fond of'em al, but
there was one little girl I TUX special
shine to. She wasn't very strong-I
heerd tell she was jest gittin over
fever. She had sickly look, but you
couldn't see she'd been honey.
''I remember trick she had Of tax
in off her cap and lettin the wind blow
her short hair, an if the day was damp
it would curl up tight, an she'd run
her fingers through it and pull it out
straight to see how it was GROWN. AS
l said, she warn't very strong, an
when they all got to larkin it seemed
like she couldn't stand it, for she'd
leave the rest, with her little polite
bow she'd come an say gentle like,
Uncle Jerry, do you mind if I stay
here with you?
"Gradually the rest of'em kinder
forgot her, an by an by she'd come
right away from the start, an got so
used to havin her there at my right
hand that when she stayed at home I
felt real lonesome. She begged me
to larn her how to steer, and when I
saw she meant it I showed her one
thing and another, and somehow she
never forgot what told her. An one
day she says to me, Uncle Jerry, be-
Eeve I could sail boat as we'll as any
one if I were only stronger. Bless
her heart! I'd have trusted her
sooner'n any young teller in the party
if she'd had a little more muscle in
her arm.
''There was young fellow in the |
party named Grey. He was a likely |
chap, about 20 reckon. He had lots
Of money, an heerd from some of
the ladies' gals that he used to be a
great friend O. Miss Mays before she
was sick, but he was great sport, an
after she begun to go about, and he
found she couldn't do things as he
did, he just naturally slipped away
from her an tux to going with Miss
July Webb.
''Miss July was mighty pretty, with
frowserly light hair, a mouth big
enough to swallow a doughnut hull,
an rows of teeth like pearls, I heard
Nr. Grey say. She had a voice like
steam whistle. There warn't nothin I
she couldn't do except keep still, an
bein Mr.. Hugh was always doin him
self they spent most OF their time to-
gether.
ssMiss May used to watch 'em with
the heart breakin look on her dear
face. 1t was the 10th of August. The
had been very hot, and we