Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-07-17
a SAILORS 4
SUPERSTITION.

Two People are walking along the
road toward the sea--a young man, tall
and stalwart, and young woman, also
tall and of a very slight figure. Her
name is Rebecca Champernown. She
Ii the last descendant Of very ancient
and famous family, whose pride 10
almost her only Inheritance.
No one could have believed that she
would fall in love with a fisherman,
least of all her mother. But SO 1t has
happened. She loves Reuben Gage,
captain of the fishing schooner Anna
Eheafe.
As Reuben and Rebecca walk along
the road they do not appear to talk
much. Yet in some way, perhaps by
her womanly intuitions, she has dis
covered his great, manly, afectionate
nature.
Reuben has often been on the point
of speaking, but the right words failed
him, and something arose in his throat
that choked utterance, and Rebecca
has waited, eager, little impatient at
times and at others almost tempted to
speak out herself.
Reuben is equally perplexed in his
simple mind. He Is sure Of only one
thing-that Is, the state Of his own feel
ings-but he is not yet able to decide
whether Rebecca loves him. He would
like q sign, something, however slight,
that would show him where he stood.
OF late he has been unlucky on his
6shing trips In the Anna Sheafe,
of which he owns one-quarter. He met
Rebecca less and less often. Somehow,
without money in his pocket, he could
not enjoy SO much being with her, felt
less a man and an inequality he could
not explain.
Reuben did not recover his usual
spirits. His good old mother insisted
that he was not well and needed phys
&c. Reuben took the medicine, being
good deal of child under his mothers
roof.
Mother" said be. at does me no
good, but will take it to please you"
my son, you just wait. You've been
behindhand some time, and II will take
awhile to get you beforehand again.
These herbs never failed in my expert
ence, and I've had good deal In sick
ness of one sort or another"
Reuben grew thin and nervous in
spite of the medicine, but he went
about preparations for the winter cruis-
ing. Bad luck continued to follow
him; small fares and falling prices dis
couraged him more and more.
But the greater his depression the
more his mind dwelt upon Rebecca. In
some curious involved way he had
come to connect his Ill luck with her.
His brother fishermen, however
thought it was all on account of his
not wearing white mittens when he set
and handled his trawl lines, it being In
that region of fishing villages the uni
versal belief of superstition that white
mittens must be worn to insure good
duck in winter TRAVELLING.
But Reuben paid no attention to
what he thought was a mere fancy.
He determined to see her again and
arranged to see her when her mother
was absent.
Il have come to see you once more"
he said on meeting her, "but perhaps
had better not come again."
why" said Rebecca. "Are you not
always welcome, Captain eager
Eyes; we never quarrel, and we never
get any further along from one time to
another"
This was more than he had ever been
able to say before In regard to their
personal relation, and he was frigthen-
ed at himself. So he began again from
what he thought was another point;
yet, as out Of the fullness Of the heart
the mouth speaketh. he could betray-
ing his true feelings.
I'm not getting on very well now
no luck. no money, and the Anna
Sheafe getting in debt I thought
would tell you. though do not know
that you win care"
Eyes, I do care, very much, Captain
Gage. knew something was the mat
ter, and heard from one of the village
gossips 1t was because you neglected or
eneered at the custom Of wearing white
mittens, as the other fishermen do when
setting their travis. Do you think it Ia
. silly superstition
YES. do, In the maln."
$50 do ! when i reason. At other
times I half believe in 1t. There ia
something at the bottom Of all common
customs and beliefs which, when
harmless, 1t is just as well to accept.
Our little village would be very dull
and uninteresting without them"
Il have no particular objection to
white nittens," Reuben replied, only
Z did not happen to have any"
Il thought as much. You would wear
them If you had themp
why, yes, should"
Rebecca disappeared for a moment
and returned holding out a pair of
snow white mittens.
There. I made them for you. I had