Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-06-14
A HARD SCHOOL
BY MARY LOUISE BUzzELL

3eHaceoe:soeoeocooenaoeoecscscse,s seeoetsoe8
| g. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
Jerry, mending his lobster pots on
the beach, scowled as he saw Ellen
and that fellow" Templeton hurrying
down to the inlet where the young
mans boat lay; for Templeton, while
ostensibly taking a much-needed rest,
was paying assiduous court to the girl
whom Jerry had looked upon as his
future wife ever since they had played
together as children.
| Jerry turned his back on the ap-
preaching couple, but when they had
passed he gave his rival surreptltious
glance-nOting the white silk shirt the
Immaculate white trousers and the
wrist watch. Turning suddenly, Ellen
caught his criticizing eye, laughed, and
called back:
Better forget your lobster pots to-
day, Jerry, and bring Sarah over to
the island and picnic with us!" to
which her escort added languid,
Eyes, dear boy, get your Sarah and
comet"
"Thanks!" snapped Jerry. II have
no 'Sarah'-and I've something to do
besides picnicking misunderstanding
poetry" seeing the book Templeton
carried.
Receiving no answer save tolerant
shrug from his rival, he sullenly re-
sumed his work, but a moment later,
after troubled look at the sky, he
strobe after the picnickers, and as
Templeton pushed off the wharf, he
gave him a brusque:
Better keep an eye on the nor'wes,
ter, Templeton, those clouds mean
wind; and I'd come in with the tide,
It's tough rowing against it,"
TempletOn raised his brows, then
vouchsafed supercilious: "Ah
Thanks awfully, my good man, but
eral times before today!" with an
emphasis on the several that made
Jerry long to pitch him into the wa
ter; but instead, with smothered
"Humph!'' he swung up the beach to
the cottage he shared with his crippled
grandfather. The old man seeing
Jerry he stopped smoking to mutter
fretfully:
IF that chap had sense of a-a-
sculpin, he'd keep off'm the water with
such clouds abroad" waving his pipe
skyward; then added with a senile
chuckle: II shouldn't wonder If he
found it true that experience is a
hard school, but fools will learn from
no other afore he gets home!"
Every likely, but If anything hap
pens to Ellen through his ignorance,
Tll-Ill-"
you amin to let that whippersnap-
per grab your girl away right from
under you nose?" queried the old man,
irascibly.
"Why, mol" blazed Jerry, but he
tiatters her till She"
Doesn't know any mOre'n she ought
err" interrupted his grandfather. "All
the same, I'd kinder row out toward
the island-you see what's cOming?"
Jerry nodded and sat down.
The weather grew more threatening
every minute; but he waited till the
tide turned, sending choppy waves in
shore. Then, unable to bear the sus-
pense, he ran down to his dory, thrust
the oars into the Oarlocks and pushed
off into the foaming waters.
| Something smashed into the dory,
scraped by and was gone. Twisting
! ho str In RI q
out the tossing thing astern-it was
Templeton's empty boat being driven
| shoreward!
His breath came in Mortified gasps
as he sensed the awful significance Of
the sight; then wild rebellion fired
his soul as he thought of Ellen being
dashed and buffeted into nothingness
by the cruel waters, 1t must not
should not be! He sent a stentorian
shout toward the island; it came back
in a hooking echo.
Again and again he called her name
with wild hope that somehow, in
some miraculous manner, she had es-
capped death. Suddenly the island
doomed before him-a black blot
against the sky. With mighty effort,
he sent his spent voice shoreward and
listened His heart almost stopped
beating for very joy, for across the
flashing waters faint hail came to
him out Of the darkness. 1t was
Ellen's voice!
With a superhuman effort, his
strained and swollen muscles beached
the dory; two sodden figures were
lifted over it's high side to safety, and
in silence, save for murmured THANK
Heaven Jerry backed away, turned
his boat toward home, and the racing
tide did the rest.
Giving no heed to the babbled ex-
plantations Of the modified Templeton,
he lifted the shivering girl out and
carried her up the beach to her home,
but before reaching her door he asked
"By what fool stunt did Templeton
lose his boatY
He tied it to rock with a silly
little rope, which sawed in two in