The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-09-02
SELECTED STORY.
Jacks Sweetheart,

Jack was a genius. There never
was such fellow as Jack-at least sc
everybody in the hidden-away little
fishing village of Bracebridge would
tell you, from the most ancient fisher
man down to the tiniest inhabitant OF
this picturesque spot by the sea. Jack
was as kind at heart as he was clever
in head, and as he possessed the happy
knack of working both ends at the same
time the result was that he was pointed
out as being the cleverest lad in the
village, and as kindly soul as might
be found for many mile along the
coast.
He was scarcely lad-twenty-three
years might be written against him
for did not the register of the old
church tell how, on October 10, 1868,
Jack was born? He was the only
child of John and Mary Barton, and
they loved him with all the love which
every only child seems to win from its
parents.
Yes, Jack was genius. From his
earliest years he would go down to the
beach with paper and pencil and draw
the fishing smacks and the boats with
the mariners mending their nets and
remedying the mishaps which had be-
fallen their craft during gale. His
talent increased with years, and the
young fellow was prudent, carefully
cultivating that which seemed to be his
gift. His pictures of the sea had even
been exhibited in the show windows of
the nearest market town, some six
miles away, and folk tramped away to
Rockmanton to see "Jack's picters on
show"
And what said Addie-she was called
little Addie-of all this2 Well, Addie
was Jacks sweetheart, and now you
know all that she would say. Little
Addie had her story to tell-or, rather,
John Barton used to tell it for her. In
fact, the telling of the story was an an
was never tired of telling how, sixteen
years ago, they had the fercest storm
that had within memory found its way
near Bracebridge. He had made Ad-
dies birthday the morning when the
sea had sent her, and it took lot to
convince him that the little sea waif
was quite three years old when he
saved her from the wreck. So on the
anniversary of that terrible time John
and his wife, Jack and his heroine,
would sit around the fire and listen to
the story once again, while little Adde
would shudder and Jack would hold
her hand tighter, as much as to say,
We'll, I've got you now, you see."
"My eye, an it was time, too,"
John would say. cts a wonder we
didn't all put off that mornin' to sea.
The mackerel sayson was in full swing,
but Job Bates turned to us and said:
Look e, meates, there's a storm
a-brewin' out yonder, an good I'm
too. If e want to see your hoames
again, stop Bit An'Job proved him
self good weather prophet, for, true
enough, before an hour was up we'd
got it-aye, as 1 never saw it afore and
hope never to see it again."
And he would tell how, just before
the daybreak, vessel was sighted in
distress; how a dozen strong-hearted
fellows (himself among them) put out
in the safest craft they could get, leav-
ing their wives and little ones and
neighbors to wait on the cliffs, and
there, with anxious hearts, watch the
gallant crew tossed on the water for
three hours ere they could get within
couple of hundred yards of the sinking
vessel. 1t was too late. She went
down. Then John Barton would warm
to his story.
"Bless e, my pet" he would say,
running his great fingers through Ad-
dies fair, brown hair, "we'd almost
left without seein' our precious find.
Why, they must have thrown e over
board. All, you may smile, little waun
thrown e overheard just as they were
goin' down, for the next minute l
caught a sight of e bound to rough
little raft. How we pulled then Our
muscles stood out like whipcords, and
in another minute we had got rope
around the RATS end, and, as 1 found
'e, 80 claimed e."
So that is how little Addie came to
be in the fsherman's home. And the
love that she and Jack had learned in
childhood had grown stronger and
deeper as the one became prettier with
the early days of womanhood and the
other more earnest and devoted as
man. The more they were together,
greater became their love, and no won
der Addie was flushed with excitement
and laughing almost wildly at the news
contained in letter addressed to her
lover. 1t came by the carrier in the
morning, for letters were looked upon
as veritable curiosities at Bracebridge
-everybody's friends, everybody's re-
lations all seemed to live together in
one spot.
RosELLE, RoCKMANToN, CORNWALL.
I have seen your pictures in Mrs. Peck's
shop window in the town. If you care to
come and see me and bring some of your
work l think may feel inclined to intrust
you with a small commission.
JAMES ROBERTSON.
Such was the letter which Addie had
read at least twenty times and Jack had
stared at for fully an hour. 1t was the
one topic that day over the dinner table.
There was an excited little party
waiting for the carrier, as Jack was to
return with him to Reclamation. And
then, when he did come and the happy
fellow took his seat beside the driver,
it was only John Barton who could bid
his boy "good luck"; little Addie could
but wave her handkerchief as the car