The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05
lGATHA WEBB.
=. ANNA KATHARINE GREEN.
o.pvyiOAnd, 1899. Oy s. S. kccIur. o..
CHAPTER TX.

"a .hnracter Of Agatha Webb,
n ~. his,ory had not been a happy one. She
phIemop had come from P~ortchester
"u ,venty or moro years before TO escape
,orrova associated with their native town.
~ had left behind them six small graves In
n".obss,er churchyard, but though evidences
r,hsir a~fliction were always to be seen In the
FINANCES OF either. they had entered with
'.rush purpose into tho life OF their adopted
S-n ,nat they had become persons OF note
,S,ro until Philemon's health began to fail.
-hpn Agatha quit all outside work and devoted
,p.,l, exclusively to him. or her character
"a winsome personality We can gather some
49, ~, rom the variou conversation carried on
,hA day from Portchester Green to the ship
,,r,s in Sutherlandtown.
'TTO beacon Bralnerd's cottage the discussion
-. concerning Agatha's lack Of vanity. a vir-
". M, very common at that time among the
.omsn OF this husv p
"ror a woman so handsome" tho good dea-
., was saying-'and l think I can safely call
~ The Anest featured woman who over trod
,h,.s streets-she showed as little Interest In
s,.,s as any one I ever knew. Calico ut homo
"a calico at church. yet she looked as much
~ lady in her dark-sprigged gowns as Mrs.
w,bstsr in her silks or Mrs. Parsons in her
,housand-dollar sealskin."
IA this was a TOPIC within the scope OF his
,ds,t daughters intelligence. she at once
.rotc up: II never thought she needed to
aro,s 40 plainly. 1 don't believe in such a
NOV n, poverty myself. II one ia TOO poor to
10 decent, all right: but they say she had
more money than most any one in town. l
vonder who IL going to get the benefit OF III"
why, Philemon. Of course that is. as long
a. bs lives. He doubtless had the making of
It." -.
"T, II true that hos Rona clean out Of his
h,,d ,ince her death2" interposed q neiRhbor
Who had happened In.
30 they say. I believe Widow Jones has
taken him into her house."
DO you think" asked q second daughter
Nth beco ming hesitation, that he had any
thing 10 do with her death? Some Of the neigh
bora say he struck her while In one Of his
r.zy nts, while others declare she was killed
by o stranger. equally old and almost. as
infrm."
we won't discuss the subject. objected the
deacon. Time will show who robbed us OF the
greatest -hearted and most capable woman In
these parts
And will time show wholkilled Batsy7" It was
A morsel OF a girl who spoke; the least one OF
the family. but the brightest. I'm sorry for
bdtby, BIO dlWhfb 6oNo mO SSOAAOe "hSh =
went to see Mrs. Webb"
"Batsy was a good girl for q Swede.'' al
lowed the deacon's wife. who had not spoken
I'LL now. When she first came into town On
the srars OF that wrecked ship we all remem-
her. there was some struggle between Aga
tina and me as to which OF us should have her.
But I didn't like the task OF teaching her tho
name OF every pot and pan she had to use In
the kitchen. so I gave her up to Agatha; and
1, was fortunate I did. for I've never beeD.'able
10 understand:her talk to this day" -
II could talk with her right we'll" llsped the
little one. 8 h mover called things by their
Swedish names unless she.was worried and I
never worried her"
II wonder II she would have wo%rshipped the
ground under your feet. as she did that under
Agatha'" asked the deacon. cycling his wife with
lust the suspicion OF a malicious twinkle In
bis eye.
Il am not the Rreatest-hearted and most
capable woman In town." retorted his wife.
clicking her needles as she went on knitting.
In Mr.. Sprague's house on the opposite side
OF the road. Squire Fisher was relating some
old tales OF bygone Portchester days. Il knew
Agatha when she was a GIRL" he avowed.
'She had the grandest manners and the most
enchanting smile OF any rich or poor mans
laughter between the coast and Springfield
She did not dress in calico then. She wore
the gayest clothes her father could buy her. and
old Jacob was not without means to make his
daughter the leading figure In town. How we
young fellows did adore her and what engtht
we went to win one OF ner glorious smiles
Two of US. John and Jacob label. have lived
bachelors for her sake to this very day: but
hadn't courage enough for that: l married
and"- Something between q sigh and q
ehuckle filled out the sentence.
What made Philemon carry of the prize
His good looks?"
Yes. or his good luck. It wasn't his snap
Of that you may be sure. James label had the
snap. and he was her first choice. too. but he
got Into SOM dificulty-I never knew Just
what II was. but 1t was regarded as serious a
the. time-and that match was broken of
Atterward she married Philemon. You sec.
was out OF it altogether: had never been In It
perhaps: but there were three good years o
my life In which / thought OF little else thar
Agatha. I admired her spirit. you see. Their
was something more taking in her WAYS thar
In her beauty, wonderful as that was. Sh,
ruled us with a rod Of iron. and yet we wor
shipped her. / have wondered to see her 81
satisfied with a brick -hoored cottage and
husband of failing wits. But no one. to m,
knowledge, has ever heard a com plant iron
her lips; and the dignity OF her afflicted wife
hood has far transcribed the haughtiDess o
those days when she had but to smile To- have
oil the youth Of Portchester at her feet go,
7 suppose II was the loss OF SO many chill
dren that reconclled her to q uuiet lie. A wo
man cannot close the eyes Of six children. one
after another. without some modification
taking place in her character"
Yes. she and Philemon. have been untortu
pate but she was a splendid looking girl. boys
/ never see such grand looking women now:
In a little one STORED cottage on the, hillside
Q woman was nursing a baby and talking a
the same time Of Agatha Webb.
II shall never forget the night my hrst bab'
fell sick" she faltered. Il was Just out OF bec
myself, and having no nearer ~neiGhbors thei
than now / was all alone on the hillside, Ale
being away at sea. | was too young TO know
much. about sickness. but something old M
that | must have help before morning or m
baby would die. Though l could Just wall
across tho floor | threw n shawl around, me
TOOK my baby In my arms and opened the door
A binding gust OF rain blew In. A terrible
Storm was aging and l had not noticed It,
was so taken up with the child.
i could not face that gale. Indeed, was 81
weak | fell on my knees as u struck me AM
became dripping wet before could drag my
self inside. The baby began TO moan an
everything was turning dark before me whei
! heard a strong, sweet voice cry out IN TN
Is there room In this house for me till tn
storm has, blown ,byI / cannot see my wa
With a bursting heart I looked up. A wo
man waa ctLnJIpn In the dnnrwny with tn