The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-05

know him intimately. 1 had an idea that
he was old and silvery-haired and be-
nevolent-iooking. So 1 was rather sur
prised to find him young as myself-a
tall, pale, inteilectual-looking man, with
a high, white brow and dark earnest
eyes-decidedly attractive.
was still more surprised when, after
the service. he joined Gusse at the door
felt distinctly ill-treated as l fell back
with Aunt Lucy. There was no reason
why should-none; it ought to have been
a relief. Rev. Carroll Marten had every
right to see Miss Ashley home if he
chose. Doubtless a girl, who knew all
/ there was TO be known about business.
farming and milling, to say nothing of
/ housekeeping and gardening, could dis
! cuss theology also. 1t was none of my
business.
1 don't know what kept me awake so
late that night! AS a consequence L over
! slept myself, l had managed to feed on
my reputation on this point but here it
was 4ost again. l felt cross and foolish
and cantankerous when l went out.
/ There was some unusual commotion at
the well. 1t was an old-fashioned open
ed one with chain and windlass. Aunt
Lucy was peering anXiously down its
mouth. from which a ladder was stick
ing. Just as l got there Gussie emerged
/ from its depths with a triumphant face
| Her skirt was muddy and draggled, her
I hair had tumbied down and she held a
I dripping, black cat.
! Coco must have fallen into the well
/ last night, she explained, as l helped
milking time. and when I came to the
we'll this morning, l heard the most ear
| splitting yowls coming up from it /
couldn't think where he could possibly
/ be for the water was quite calm, till l
/ saw he had crept into a little crevice in
1 the stones on the side. So / got a
ladder and went down after him.
You should have called me- 1 said
! sourly, you might have killed yourself
! going down there
And Coco might have tumbled in and
torted Gussie. Besides, what was the
need; could go down as well as you
No DOUBT, l said, more sharply than
l had any business to. Il don't dream of
! you may take it into your head to do.
| Most young ladies are not in the habit
of going down wells however"
perhaps not she reioined with
| freezing calmness. But. as you may
have discovered, l am not most young
ladies' 1 am myself, Augusta Ashley.
/ and accountable to nobody but myself if
/ / choose to go down the we'll every day
! for pure love of it,"
| She walked off, in her wet dress, with
! her muddy cat. Gussie Ashley was the
| only girl | ever saw who could be dig
! nified under such circumstances.
| was in very bad humor with my
self as | went off to see about having
the well cleaned out, l had offended
easily appeased. Nor was she. For a
week she kept me politely studiously, at,
distance, in spite of my most humble
advances. Rev. Carroll was a frequent
! caller, oStensibly to make arrangements
about Sunday school they were organic
ing in poor part of the community.
Gussie and he held long conversations
on this enthralling subject Then Gussie
went on another visit to her friend and
when she came back so did Rev. Carroll.
One calm, hay afternoon, l was COM
ing slowly up from the mills. Happen
ing to glance at the kitchen roof.
gasped. 1t was on fire in one place.
Evidently the dry shingles had caught fire
from a spark. There was not a soul
self. dashed wildly into the kitchen,
where Gussie was peeling apples
1.-The house is on fire" ] exclaimed
Gussie dropped her knife and turned
pale.
Don't wake mother" was all she
from the table. The ladder was still ly-
ing by the well. In a second 1 had
went up it like a squirrel and dashed the
water on the flames, ! had two more
buckets ready for her
Fortunately, the fire had made little
Roadway, though a few minutes more
would have given it a dangerous start.
The flames Missed and died out as Gus
sic threw on the water and in a few
seconds only a small black hole in the
shingles remained. Gussie slid down the
ladder. She trembled in every limb, but
+ she put out her wet hand TO me with
faint, triumphant smile. We shook
hands across the ladder with a cordiality
never before expressed.
For the next week, in spite of Rev.
Carroll l was happy when I thought of
Gussie and miserable when 1 thought of
Nellie. 1 held myself in some way bound
to her and-was she not my ideal? I'm
doubtedly.
One day / got a letter from my sister,
1t was long and newsy and the eighth
page was most interesting.
IF you don't come home and look
after Nellie" wrote Kate, you'll soon
not have her to look after. You remem-
Der that old lover of hers, Rod Allen?
Well, he's home from the west now, i'm
mensely rich. they say. and his atten-
tions to Nellie are the town talk I
yourself any longer at Ashley Mills, I
won't be responsible for the conse-
quences."
This lifted an immense weight from nv
mind but the ninth page hurled it back
again.
you never say anything of Miss Ash
ley in your letters. What is she like
young or old, ugly or pretty, clever or
dull? ] met a lady recently who knows
her and thinks she is charming. She
also said Miss Ashley was to be married
soon to Rev. Something's Is it
/ true?"
All was it? Quite likely. Hates letter
made very miserable man of me. Gus
sic found me dull companion that day.
After several vain attempts to rouse me
to interest she gave it up.
There's no use talking to YOU" she
said impatiently. 81 believe you are
homesick. That letter you got this morn
ing looked suspicious. Anyhow / hope
you'll get over it before l get back
Are you going away AGAIN. l asked.