Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-01-12
MIR. AND MRS. JIM.
nn cnR1NNn ARTHUR STEWART.
tBcgm in issue of Nov. llA

sci Dusly asked.
And for all the world like a witch, she
anSweret
"rrsubIe. Disdamia, es kin see so fur
ahead, says trouble = acoming. And
whatever she says comes true. Says l,
what is it? Says she, | don't know.
Trouble. trouble, trouble!n Mrs. Duerry's
tones ended IN Il humble with a chant
like cadence.
The Buttercup man lighted cigar and
strolled out.
The night was perfect. Jeane glanced out
OF the window. The air was stu and only
the desultory notes OF late bird reached
her. The moonlight charm was very
alluring She rose aud throwing dark
woolenAhawI around her, stole out and
down to the shore to meet Toggins. The
crickets sang in the grass about her-the
song Of the dying days of summer that
smites so many hearts with cherries lone
illness; and the new dew wet her feet.
She reached the beach. Toggins had
gone out in his fatiron- shaped skiff.
She saw him drifting idly i'll the broad
wake of moonlight, wake that the
water broke into ridges it danced up
and down, and made appear like silver
ladde7, ladder that perchance one could
cliu6 to paradise upon.
Suddenly, RS she watched him, she
him rise snd fall deliberately backward
into the water. For one-tenth Ct sec
ond she was stunned in her astonish
ment; then she uttered long cry, and
sprin4i over the seatis KARard a row.
boat resltng with is oyr ed upon
round roller pla@Sc us,o 10 sunken
poles. sHe began 10 run WITH / sown to the
wafer But her feet 81 ipp dn the moist
seawe.,i, and down she fell on the hard
rocks with the keel OF tire boat falling
over her soft warm arm, crushing its
flesh and making her a prisoner. She
tried IN vain to rise. Her arm gave her
exceeding pain. She lifted up her voice
in desperate scream that reached the
Bu'tercup man coming leisurely home
from the country store. She tainted.
When she came to, there were he same
aver shining stars above her, and there
Was the same cruel pain in her ARM but
the boat Was gone.
She turned over and buried her face in
the wet seaweed aud the contact revived
her. She rose unsteadiy to her feet.
Someone WAS rowing with long quick
strokes toward the shore. Was it Hollis?
she wondered. The Buttercup man
sprang upon the shore and lifted The
limp body OF Toggins after him. Jeane
moaned aud sank down on her knees rs
though her strength failed her.
ale Is dead?" she walled. ION, Hollis,
Hoilis!"
But rs though he heard her voice in the
other world That his spirit had already
fled to, he came back to mortality ana
opened his eyes.
"Jeane," he whispered; "Jeane!"
lie lived.
He had meant noble sacrifice, but it
would have been useless one. But il
carried its lesson. As Jeane needed a
trial of fire to stir up her maternal love
SO she required some such crucial ordea
to kindle into active realization her
fondness for her husband.
A few days later l drove down, bul
found only Dadsmia and the Buttercup
man at home.
"Jeane mamma and papa and Mrs
Query have gone up to her home to
about matters, for you see when we GO
away, as we are " hen Jeane mamma get
ali her rich money, Mrs. Query is agoing
with u.s.
That's very pretty little ring that
you have on,'' | said.
yes" answered the child gravely
ITS my 'gagement ring. rs gagged to
the Buttercup man. Pm a going to
marry him when grow more"
looked nj the Buttercup man and we
both smiled. But | fancied that he looked
both content and happy. l drove down
to Burnt Point and back. When looked
at Newbury Neck, I could not help
thinking, not OF what might have been,
but what has been.
was reminded OF the words OF Carlyle:
"W hat changes are wrought not by time
but in time" Half a generation ago it
had 100 or more houses, each one repre-
senting large family; now there were
but iifty-two, and many of these are
vacant or the homes OF the aged; the ola
folk were dying, the children gone to
more progressive haunts, and no new
people coming. There are but two young
girls on the entire peninsula.
What a transformation the Weber mil
lions were going to make!
was coming in sight of the gardens of
Mr.. and Mrs. jim. The squashes lay out
round and mellow on the bleak ground,
among the blackened defoliated vegeta-
Bile stalks, and keeping a ithful guard
"ver them, as ever, stood Mr.. and Mrs. |
Jim.
And there left them. And those who |
are curious to know in more detail the
events OF this narration, and the facts OF |
trust SO worthily reposed by Mrs. Ora |
Buck Wheatly in the keeping OF Mr. |
and Mrs. Jim, have but to Journey to |