The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-01-13
JACKS SWEETHEART.

JAOk j SH EEIHEARI.
Jack was a genius. There never
was such fellow as Jack-at least go
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 rs he was clever
in head, and as he possessed the happy
knacS of working both ends at tho
same time; the result was that he was
pointed out as being the cleverest lad
in the village and as kindly soul -
might be found for many a mile along
the coast.
He was scarcely a lad-23 yea ;
might be written against him-for did
not the register of the old church tell
how on Oct. 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
befallen their craft during gale. His
talent increased with years, and the
young fellow was prudent, carefully
cultivating that which seemed to
/ be mis- gift. His pictures of the sea had
even been exhibited III the show win
-dows of the nearest market town, some
six miles away, and folk tramped away
to Rockmanton to see Jacks picters
on show"
And what said AGdie-she was call
ed little Addie-of all this? Well,
Addie was Jacks sweetheart, and now
you know all that she would say.
Little Addie had her story to tell, oT,
rather, John Barton used to tell it for
her. In fact, the telling of the story
was an annual event with the fisher
. man. He was never tired of telling
how is years ago they had the fiercest
storm that had within memory found
its way near Bracebridge. He had
made Adde'S birthday the morning
when the sea had sent her, and it took
a lot to convince him that the little sea
waif was quite 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 10
the story once again, while little Addie
would shadder and Jack would hold
her hand tighter, as much as to say,
"Well, I've got you now, you see."
"My eye, an it was a time, too"
John would say. It's a wonder we
didn't all put off that morning to sea.
The mackerel sayson was in full swing,
but Job Bates turned to US and said:
Look e, meates, there's storm
brewin out yonder, an a good un too.
IF e want to see your hoames again,
stop Bit An Job proved himself u
good weather prophet, for, true enough,
before an hour was up we'd got it
aye, as l never saw it afore and hope
never to see il again"
And he would tell how, just before
the daybreak, vessel was sighted in
distress: how dozen strong hearted
fellows, himself among them, put ont
the safest craft they could get, leaving
their wives and little ones and neigh
bors 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 a couple
of hundred yards of the sinking ves-
.sel. 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 'eoverboard just as they
We're goin' down, for the next minute
I caught sight of e bound to rough
little raft. How we pulled then! Our
muscles stood out like whipcords, aud
in another minute we had got rope
around the RATS end, aud, as found
;'e, SO claimed 'e."
So that is how little Addie came to
b in the fisherman's home. Aud the
h we that she and Jack had learned in
q lildhood had grown stronger and
d ,eper as the one became prettier with
II e early days OF womanhood and the
oi her more earnest and devoted as
IL an. The more they were together,
gr eater became their love, and no
W, Jnder Addie was flushed with excite
III ent and laughing almost wildly at
th,, news contained in letter address
ed to her lover. II came by the carrier
in the morning, for letters were looked
upe N as veritable curiosities at Brace
brio lge = everybody's friends, every
bcdy's relations all seemed to live
together on one spot.
RosELLE RocKsfANroN, CORNWALL.
have seen your pictures in Mr. Peck's
shop window in town. If you care 20
come and see me and bring some of your
! work. think may feel inclined to in
trust you with u small commission.
Z JAMES ROBERTSON.
|, Such was the letter which Addie had
. read at least twenty times and Jack
had stared at for fully an hour. Itwas
the one topic that day over the dinner
table.
There was an excited little party
/ - airing for the carrier, as Jack was TO
\ return with him to Roc1manton-
"a