The free press., 1895-10-10
WHITE MITTENS.
BY JOHN ALBEE.

The curtain rises--and there are
only two actors on the narrow stage
which is set with rustic scenery.
There are road, trees, and in the
distance water. This latter looks as
if intended for the sea. There walk
along the road toward the sea young
man, tail and stalwart, and young
woman, also tall and of very slight
figure. Her eyes and hair are dark,
and her features are somewhat too
sharp for handsome face. Her
name is Rebecca Champernown. She
is the last descendant of very ancient
and famous family, whose pride is al
most her only inheritance. No one
could have believed that she would
fall in love with fisherman least of
all her mother. But so it has hap
pened. She loves Reuben Gage, cap
tain of the fishing schooner Anna
Sheafe, and they walk together and
meet as often as they can find oppor-
tunity.
As Reuben and Rebecca walk along
the road they do not appear to talk
much. She seems cold and distant,
but in her heart is fire of love that
burns more fiercely the more she re-
presses it. And she is obliged to re-
press it. for Reuben is shy, awkward
and undemonstrative. Yet in some
way, perhaps by her womanly intui-
manly, affectionate nature. They
have now been intimate whole year,
and every one supposes them lovers
and probably engaged, but in fact
they have never yet exchanged word
Of love. Reuben has often been on
the point of speaking, but the right
words failed him and something arose
in his throat that choked utterance.
And Rebecca has waited, eager,
little impatient at times, and at others
almost tempted to speak out herself.
That, indeed, is just what is needed;
she is conscious of it, and yet-"How
can II" -she asks herself. Then she
goes home from her interviews with
Reuben to her room and cries until
her eyes are red and swollen, and her
mothers reproaches follow, and make
her life SO wholly miserable that she
wishes herself dead. She RECEIVERS
herself in day or two; looks for
ward with longing to their next meet
ing, which is always timed by his re-
turn from his fishing trip, and thinks
matters between them will surely be
settled. She longs for something to
happen that will decide the question.
but she is not going to give up Reub-
en-; no, her heart is unalterably fixed
aud If she dies an old maid her affec-
hon can never decline.
Reuben is equally perplexed in his
simple mind; he is sure of only one
hing, that is the state of his own feel
lngs, but he is not yet able to decide
whether Rebecca loves him. He
would like sign, something, how
ever slight, that would show him
where he stood. Men are always long
ing for this sign, some token, not
words, but more certain, more slgnlf-
lcant, something to treasure and re-
member as long as they live.
OF late he has been unlucky on his
hshing trips in the Anna Sheafe, a
small vessel which he commands and
OF which he owns one quarter. After
The vessels expenses were paid there
has been little to divide among the
owners The winter was coming on
and with it the hazardous and often
Improbable business of trawling.
He met Rebecca less and less often.
Somehow without money IN his pocket
he tc ia not enjoy SO much being with
Aef feN less nun and an inequality