Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-09-26

had come OUT sifoiH ulF city 10 stdN
with her Aunt Jane In the country for
month while her parents made hur.
r;ed trip 10 England II was the last OF
February. and there was snow ON the
ground.
Tho next farm TO Aunt James was
,be Rossiter place, and Mrs. RossIter
was also widow A hired man named
lin Williams plowed. planted a1d
reaped fer her When Jim heard that
clty girl was stopping with Aunt
lane be went over TO see her for him
self lie didn't stop to put on clean
shirt or to grease and IampbIack his
shoes He entered the house In that
familiar way farmers have among
themselves. and when introduced TO
the visitor he held out hand as big as
a washhoard and shook her small one
vigorously.
How are YET Nice winter weather
we're having" he said.
The Young lady OF wealth and social
standing tired TO squelch him, but Jim
drew up bis chair and spoke of spring
calves aud kicking cows In a way
meant to be highly entertaining. He
refused 20 be snubbed. and he wouldn't
take hint.
When the subject of music was re-
ferred 10 he volunteered to sing bal
lad or two and when 10 o'clock came
he took bis hat. held out his hand again
and departed after saying:
Well. Minnie. don't know when
I've spent more interesting evening.
and It's all owing TO you. I'm not one
Of these stuck up chaps. I'm jest plain
Jim Williams. and you'll tind me a
yard wide and all wool every time. I'll
run ia quite frequently and cheer you
up"
Miss Minnie had many criticisms to
make after the caller had left and as
serted II he came again he would get
setback to last him all his life.
Aunt Jane tried to soothe her. ''0h.
you mustn't mind our ways out here In
the country. As Jim has fallen In love
with you az first sight be will
'Wh-a-t!' exclaimed the Mortified
girl
why. couldn't you tell that he had
fallen In love with your"
"of course not. How dare he do such
thing
4 don't see why you make such a
fuss over IT. II you don't want TO
marry tim you can say so when he
asks you4P
When Jim had retired that night he
got to thinking things over. I'm Jim
Williams" he soliloquizcd I'm as
stout as bull and have an appetite
Ike horse. I'm twenty-seven years
old and have $500 in the bank: There
ain't no files on me. and l'm good
nun match for any gal that lives. I'm
In love with Minnie Stacy. don't
know what sort Of a farmers wife
she'd make, but I'm willing TO take my
chances. Wen take In Niagara falls
on our wedding trip, and II she wants
candy at so cents n box she shall have
IT, I'll give her n week TO sort o get
acquainted. and then I'll pop the ques-
ton"
IL was all settled In his mind when
he turned over and went TO sleep, and
he saw no clouds on the horizon as he
awoke In the morning. Thereafter for
nine or ten nights he was regular
caller at Aunt James house. II he saw
Minnie he tried to interest her In
snakes. mud turtles. frogs and other
novelties OF farm life and gave her in
teresting statistics OF how much hay a
COW would consume In the winter
When Minnie stuck to her room and
refused to come down he had Green
ing apples and other messages for her
and continued to grow more deeply in
iove About the LIST of March the ma
PIE sugar season opened. The making
OF Tie sugar was part Of Jim's spring
WORK, and from the first run of sap he
sent the city girl some maple wax on
clean, white maple chip.
Inc snow disappeared, the spring
birds began to appear and the ground
was getting dry underfoot when Min
nie started out one afternoon for a
walk She wandered over field and
inlo piece OF woods. hoping to find
uhe nrst spring flower. and Of sudden
Ahe felt chills sweep over her and the
atmosphere grew dark. A blizzard had
stolen upon the country as softly as
,hief In the night. In her sudden alarm
uhe girl became turned around. She
was hurrylng through the woods when
the wind rose. the air filed with snow,
ana she clutched the branch of bush
ana shrieked her alarm.
she kept up her shrieks for half an
hour and then sank down In collapse.
enc did not realize what was happen
ing when Jim Williams came feeling
ms way through the storm, took her In
ms arms and carried her to the sugar
oush shanty. forty rods away.
1t was blizzard long to be remem-
Dered. The thermometer went down TO
zero, and foot or more of snow fell,
and for two or three days the farmers
We're imprisoned In their houses. The