Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1921-12-28
IN THE MORNING
BY EDNA MARY BOOTH.

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the waters edge. The one going east
was young woman-a girl. The man,
who met her and passed her, was
young, too. In passing they had looked
at each other with some intentness.
The girls lips had curved to smile
touch of eagerness. The man had
raised his cap.
When he reached her he stood near
her and took off his cap, tucking 1t out
of sight in his folded arms before he
spoke to her.
Are you looking for something that
you've lost?" he asked, with easy
friendliness.
She glanced up at him with an ex-
preston Of seriousness that was in
combat with the dimples in her soft,
pink cheeks. I'm just playing with
the seaweed and love to poke among
the rocks, but I'm really down on the
beach to look for Billy. look every
August"
"Billy? What's Billy?" the man
asked, seeking firmer footing upon
the sand.
BILLY is little boy used to know.
l mean he was little boy when first
knew him."
"Was that long ago?" His eyes mar
rowed and little lines came into his
forehead as he asked the question.
sixteen years and it's ten years
since I've seen him."
sixteen years-ten years |" exploded
the young man. How you roll off
time. One would think you were
fifty"
Again she glanced up from the tangle
of seaweed at her feet. "I'm twenty"
she said. I'm old enough to know
better than to be talking to a stranger
like this"
"Then why do your" he asked, a
teasing note coming into his voice.
But she was serious again. She
swung out her stick to cover sea and
shore. II think that it is the new day
that must take the blame It's too new
alone-we might be on deserted
shore and the cottages, lifeless as they
seem, the hills beyond"
He turned and looked where she was
looking, but he spoke lightly. II see
smoke coming from a chimney on the
place where am staying"
She flung back quickly: "It's come
this very minute" With a cool note
coming into her voice she went on
slowly: $50 you are staying with the
Claytons?"
"Yes. Where are you staying?"
She swung out her stick toward the
west. "Over beyond the creek. am
with my aunt"
you've forgotten about Billy" said
the young man. you've not told me
why you are searching for him."
81 just want to see him again. she
together on the beach from morning
until night"
"Where Is he now?"
IF l knew where he Is, do you think
I'd be here looking for him?" she
Queried. without turning her head.
"Ouch," she muttered a moment later
and gave a spring to higher place.
''The tide is coming in," she announced
looking down at her wet feet.
you knew the tide was coming in.
You We're too near. The sea IS some
thing you can't"
He gave voice to a quick Lydia"
and fastened on. "Your name is Lydia
You said so. did you not?"
II mentioned my Aunt LYDIA" she
explained quietly.
"Tell me about Billy" he said.
She clasped her hand over her knees
BILLY was the incest boy that ever
lived" she began. when his mother
died he came here to live with his
grandmother. He was eight years old
and l was four. Father kept the drug
store here then. He has drug store
where we live now. But that isn't
about Billy. is it? Billy and I fell In
love at first sight" She threw out a
little laugh that rippled over the water.
The man began to make a pyramid Of
sand.
1--WE lived only little way from
here" she said. with wave of her
hand toward the road. EVERY day we
possibly could we were down on this
beach to play. Billy took good care Of
me-" She paused for moment.
HE was fourteen when his father
took him to the other side of the CONT
nent. Before he went Billy and came
here that Billy might say good-by to
the beach. It was an extremely sor-
rowful occasion, because it was my
birthday. and we'd always had such
lovely times on my birthdays. Billy
was as solemn as solemn could be and
said that some birthday we'd meet
again on this beach, and then we'd be
old enough to get married and I'd oe
his wife, and we'd never have to part
again. think 1t was because he was
going away from place that he loved
that made Billy talk like that, for he
wasn't the silly kind"