St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-04-26
DORA.

Sos ,s "' close along the line of a
FIo ,St leading back from the city
street ts',, ls'O Her father was skipper of
Tla lioon Martha" Her name was
a tue s'O' His name was Alfred Tarlton.
poIa' called him Skipper At"
ot "a You young Az was his nephew.
! a., a"u ros lust twenty-one. He lived
I h atb mis- his uncle Skipper AZ" and his
D ,.t Nancy. AZ often said that his
a gum mother, fliving, could not be
y, @G than Aunt Nancy.
( ''I Wonderful friends they were, AT
.,T Dora. She, so young, looked
anI 70 him as her hero. He had great
a,yr,npth. He was generous He
s , .os brave. His face was like sun
4 We. sa IN It's happy, kindling expression.
nv ~ was poor. He was only an as
4 i',oot in the office Of the bookkeeper
4 u the shipping merchants, Spring
:. Ring" He made many rich,
\ .sonpb7 with the benefactions OF his
& ,bserIp spirit and ready helpfulness.
4 0oe day Dora found herself in a
*n0od of bewiIderment and strange
er,ticism when she thought Of AT.
4 Chr gave vent to it all when she and
zGraadmother Tarlton, visiting her
4 son, the skipper, happened to be
alone. -,
Il like my grandson, Alfred" re-
marked the old lady.
HE hates me, l KNOW" said Dora.
What, dear?" asked grandmother
in a surprised tone.
Dora hesitated, and then affirmed ::
He don't like me-
why not?"
We'll, he always says something
: pleasant, perhaps he kisses me, and
quite often gives me apples or an
orange, when he leaves home in the
Z morning, but he didn't do it this
4 morning. l ran up to him, but he
7 lust said, There, there, little gall
4 and off he went in a rush. | know
4 be don't like me"
4 There was a stretch OF silence then
4 ID the sitting-room. Dora broke the
4 silence with an almost petulent at
\ trmation, "And-and-I don't like
4 him.
Grandmother laughed. She had
soft, easy way OF laughing. Ii
4 sounded more like a big cat purrIng
"Oh.h - Oh Doral Don't mag
4 inc things.
What, grandmother?'
Don't think things have happenet
4 when you don't really know any
/ thing about it. Now, dear, you art
n Young, and you have something tt
4 learn. The older you grow, you vii
i md out how unfair and unwise it i
to imagine things, to suspect people
10 be jealous, and-oh, dear l-wha
an uncomfortable place your hear
will be, holding all of these things
Now | believe there is something II
this matter you don't understand
There is reason for ATS conduct
uSt trust him. Yes, trust friend:
and feel that they are still good an
true, though something may be don
that might at first thought seer
strange. | don't want you to be on
Of these suspicious people Away
iancying that somebody has treate
them unfairly or is going to do il
Il makes life very uncomfortable fo
such person, and they are a kind {
torment to their friends. Now her
IS A. Well, it did seem strange t
neglect you so when he is general
so particular to notice you. No'
take my word for it, and Deepen
upon it, there is some reason for b
abrupt leave-taking of you. Ju:
trust folks"
That very day Dora was at tt
wharf from which Spring & Rir
sent so many white-pinioned messe
gers off upon the deep. 1t might
three-masted coaster that the blu:
6rm despatched, or a swift ship
ny around the Horn" or an occi
Slonal steamer to a Southern por
Dora took great interest in the d
parting craft. She had eyes #
sights, and ears for sounds, and te
Tor all possible places a girl of twel'
could comfortably reach. :.
One was hnmming tune merrill
at the same time tripping incautiou
y near the edge of the wharf, VIII
ID some unexplainable way she 10
ntr balance, fell, and then an ug
splash announced that she had e
ended her Investigations unexpee
ed'y and unfortunately into t
water.
Man overheard cried out
Voice.
There was intense excitement I
InFoug h the yard reaching back frc
me wharf. People ran wildly
every direction that would take the
TO the wharf.
Taint a mani IT'S a gal! Shot
ed somebody.
hat intensified the excitement.
AND poor Dora! She had &C
FUSED idea Of reaching somethi
SoId and shadowy, that she was s
my down, down, and then rising
nut nut OF this horrible bewilderme
Out who was it rushing forwa
,nspldiy, then springing into
We, T"'er bravely? People crowded
sne edge OF the wharf and look
"'er' There was a row of curio
Eyer eyes all bent downward.
lie will cra% L 1-a !: