Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1905-06-15
MISS HEPSEY'S ENDLESS CHAIN
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BY Elizabeth Price.
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BY Elizabeth Price.

ihepse!' tor ner brain Kept pace with
ner fingers. From two O'Clock until
Tour perplexed wrinkle creased her
forehead: between four and five In
gradually relaxed. and as six strokes
sounded from the kitchen clock. she
SET her teakettle on the fire with her &C.
cusaomed serenity of countenance.
\ fclt sure II would come to me III
L hung OH long enough" she remarked
aloud to the cat. 1--WE no manner OF
doubt they'll all consent. because. be-
In reasonable humans. to say nothing
II Christians. why shouldn't they:"
The next morning the little woman
hung sign on the side door. "Homc
Fat eleven O'Clock" for the benefit Of
possible customers. then set out to
Mrs. Smarts. whence she was driven
nome in the new phaeton Mrs. Smart
had provided for the use of summer
boarders.
Fifteen minutes yet before eleven
O'Clock. remarked Miss Hepsey. TAX
ing down her sign. Saved quarter
OF an hour and lot o, strength by
that ride. Ill use that time setting
things down in black and white so
l won't get mixed OH my calculation.
Now there just Miss Delaney left. and
IL she doesn't belle her looks, she'll
De Just no obstacle worth mentioning.
Blue eyes and yellow hair aren't like
~ to be stubborn-though she must be
stubborner than she looks. or she
couldn't amount to SO much"
1t was early July. Miss Delaney
sat on Mrs. Smart's front veranda.
looking out over the wide spread pam
Drama Of hill and valley, forest and
meadow, with eyes that noted and n
heart that appreciated the beauty of
the scene.
| How restful 1t is-' she said to her
self. And all this restfulness be-
longc to me for two long. lazy months.
Not lesson. not an engagement. not
duty even-'
| 1t was then that p noticed. COM
ing up the road. a queer, erect little
hsure. clad in shabby black and
crowned by a big poke bonnet. Miss
Delaney watched it with an amused.
impersonal smile. She did not rise:
she was too comfortable to be dis
turbed by Mrs. Smart's callers.
But the little woman did not cross
the porch TO the door. Instead. she
turned to the occupant Of the ham.
mock, and said:
This is Miss Delaney. isn't II? Now
wouldn't You call 1t providential when
came to see you that should find
You right on, and all alone. at tbat?-
| 1T gives me pleasure. I am sure"
murmured Miss Delaney, with more
politeness than sincerity.
Now. does 1t really? That's real
good of you. though I'm not surprised
your mouth prepared me. I never
saw mouth like yours. kind of turned
up at the corners. with a little dimple
at the side, but IL went with q good
disposition.
I'm Hepsey Allen. carpet weaver.
You may have heard OF me-most ev-
erybody knows me about here. Now.
Miss Delaney. we're acquainted. and
so I'm going to get right to business.
Tor 1 put out my sign, Home at four
o'clock
I'D like to tell you a little story II
you'd be so good as TO listen" The
CHEEKY voice hesltated. but mt Miss De-
lancy's somewhat formal bow went on
to tell the story OF Jesslca's difficulties
In few crisp sentences.
she wants to be n music teacher
the worst way" said Miss Hcpsey.
but she needs more instruction and
better than what she's had. Now. my
dear, please wait awhile before you
tell me that you don't teach i'm sum-
mer. Mrs. Smart's told me that al
ready. and want to finish my story.
shes not able TO pay for lessons.
and she wouldn't accept 'em I'm char
lily. so four women Of us that love the
girl have formed a secret society. and
nobody knows IL but our four selves.
or course you'll know IL when I've
told you. but you won't tell.
I'VE planned II all out. It took some
time TO fix IL so we could get every.
thing straight. for we're none OF Us
much on arithmetic. and couldn't ask
Jessica's help because she's not TO
know I'LL you've said yes.
"Jessica spends one hour a day work.
ing In my garden. which can't we'll do
on account Of a crick when stoop.
} While she's working I'm weaving. and
all the weaving do that hour IL for
her benen.. which you can see IL fair.
J for IL she wasn't working for me I'd