The Delta independent., 1912-12-27
CHAPTER !.
In Which kezlah Hears Two Pro
posals and the Beginning
~ irI

during the night by the wind from the
wide Atlantic So wet and heavy that
one might taste the salt in it. So
thick that houses along the main road
were but dim shapes behind its gray
drapery. and only the gates and fences
of the front yards were plainly in evil
dence to the passers-by. The beach
plum and bayberry bushes on the
dunes were spangled with beady drops.
The pole on Cannon Hill, where the
beacon was hoisted when the packet
from Boston dropped anchor in the
bay, was shiny and slippery. The new
weathervane, gilded whale. present
ed to the Regular" church by Captain
Zebediah Mayo, retired whaler, swan
In a sea of cloud. The lichened caves
Of the little Come Outer" chapel
dripped at sedate intervals. The brick
walk leading to the door Of Captain
Elkanah Daniels's fine residence held
undignified puddles in its hollows.
And, through the damp stiffness, the
muttered growl of the surf, three
miles away at the foot of the sandy
bluffs by the lighthouse, sounded omi-
nously.
Directly opposite Captain Elkanah's
front gate, on the other side of the
main road, stood the little story-and-
A-half house, also the captains prop
erty. which for fourteen years had
been tenanted by Mrs. Keziah Coffin
md Der brother, Solomon Hall, the
shoemaker. But Solomon had, the
month before, given up his fight with
debt and illness and was sleeping qui-
etly down in Trumet's most populous
center, the graveyard. And Keziah,
left alone, had decided that the rent
and living expenses were more than
her precarious earnings as a seam
stress would warrant, and, having bar
gained with the furniture dealer in
Wellmouth for the sale of her house
hold effects, was now busy getting
them ready for the morrow. when the
dealers wagon was to call. She was
going to Boston, where a distant and
condescending rich relative had In
ferested himself to the extent OF fnd-
Ing her a place as sewing woman in
. large tailoring establishment
The fog hung like q wet blanket
ever the house and its small yard,
where few venerable pear trees. too
conservative in their old age to ven
lure a bud even. though 1t was almost
May, stood bare and forlorn. The day
vas dismal. The dismantled dining
room. its tables and chairs pushed into
= corner, and its faded ingram carpet
partially stripped, from the floor. was
dismal, likewise. Considering all
things. one might have expected Ke
xiah herself to be even more dismal.
But. TO all outward appearances, she
was not. A large portion of her
thirty-nine years of life had been
passed under a wet blanket, SO to
speak. and she had not permitted the
depressing covering to shut out more
sunshine THIN was absolutely neces-
sary. IF y,u can't get cream, you
might as well learn to love your sas-
Ser Of skim milk" said practical Ke-
Eiah.
J She was on her knees, her calico
dress sleeves, patched and darned, but
absolutely clean, rolled back, uncover
Ing pair of plump, strong arms, a
saucer of tacks before her, and tack
hammer with claw head in her hand.
She was taking up the carpet Grace
Van Horne, Captain Eben Hammond's
ward, who had called to see IL there
was anything she might do to help.
was removing towels, tablecloths, and
the like from the drawers in a tall
~high-boy," folding them and placing
them in an old and battered trunk.
The pair had been discussing the sub
oect which all Trumet had discussed
alx N tpa11 ,<xn
TO the pastorate OF the Regular"
church of the Rev. John Ellery, the
young divinity student, who was to
take the place of old Parson Langley,
minister in the parish for over thirty
years. Discussion in the village had
now reached a critical point, for the
Reverend John was expected by nj
most any coach. In those days the
days Of the late fifties, the rnilroad
down the Cape extended only rs far
as Sandwich; passengers made the
rest Of their journey by stage. Many
came direct from the city by the
packet, the little schooner, but Mr..
Eilery had written that he should
probably come on the coach.
"They say he's very nice-looking,"
remarked Mis- Van Horne soberly. but
with mischievous glance under her
dark lashes at Keziah. The lady ad-
dressed paused long enough to trans
fer several tacks from the floor to the
saucer. and then made answer.
"Humph" she observed. "A good
many years ago ! saw theater show
up to Boston. Don't be shocked:
those circumstances we hear so much
tell of-the kind you can't control
have kept me from gcln' to theaters
much, even II / wanted to. But / did
see this entertainment. and fool one
twas. too, all singin' instead OF talkin'
opera. believe they called II. Well,
III tod n IN - A.. ~ 4