Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-11
HOW A WRONG
BECAME A RIGHT.



had taught there since her gradu-
alton from business college, and at
the unanimous request of her pupils
parents, she agreed to teach there
another year. So her salary was
raised and she now had started the
! first term of her third year.
Since her graduation, Tessa had
, seen great deal of sorrow Shortly
afterward her father, whom she al
most idolized, was killed in rail-
road accident, and his death threw
a deep shadow of gloom over the
| lives of Tessa and her mother. Mrs.
| Ashton had a shock and was now
| partly paralyzed. SO the larger
part of the burden fell upon Tessa,
who was the only child They had
had a small amount of money in the
bank. but that was mostly spent in
paying Mrs. Ashton's doctors bills
A short time before MIR. Ashton s
death they had finished paying for
the little cottage in which they lived
Mrs. Ashton's only brother, Philip
Addison, was wealthy jeweler liv-
ing in a nearby city. When his sis
ter married Frank Ashton, poor
artist, his anger knew no bounds.
He swore that he would never speak
to her again, and when two years
after her marriage. she wrote to him,
telling him of the birth of little
Tessa, she received no reply. So far,
he had kept his vow by completely
ignoring the family. When Mrs.
Ashton had a shock, Tessa sent her
uncle paper containing a notice of
it, but. like her mother, received no
answer. Tessa's pride forbade her
to write him again to tell of their
Strengthened circumstances, so she
struggled on alone, paying out her
money almost as soon as she earned
it.
Her contempt for her uncle was
almost as great as her love for her
father had been. She and he had
always been more like sister and
brother than father and daughter.
TesSa'S disposition was sweet and
loyable, and she bore her troubles
with a cheeTfulnsss that was often
assumed for her mothers sake. If
her pretty face was sometimes lined
with wrinkles of care ana worry,
they were always smoothed out and
replaced by a smile when she en-
tered the siGk-rOom. She hired Mrs.
Clayton, a neighbor, Go stay With her
mother while she was gone days, and
she spent ALI her evenings with her
mother, doing her school work and
talking with the invalid.
TO outsiders Tessa seemed to- be
girl with no thought OF care or sor-
row. What "a happy, carefree girl
Tessa Ashton is" remarked one
ss,r
watching Tessa Grip briskly along on.
her. way to school
Yes replied the oglier ''she
never seems to Lave anything to-
worry her, although goodness knows
how she gets along without running,
Into debt"
Everyone else thought che same
thing excepting A shur Gordon, th3
young high school principal; and he
did, not discover thH truth until one
night after school. He had finished
his schoolwork and' was about to-
leave the schoolhousp when he heard
the sound of sobbing in the com
mereiaT room He s@ftly opened the
door and entered the room. At the
desk be saw little figure huddled
up in a small heap, crying bitterly.
Tessa did not hear the sound of
the DIOR being opened. nor did she
hear the sound of footsteps coming
toward her. Therefore she lifted her
head in, surprise and confusion when
he laid his hand upon her shoulder
and asked what the matter was. She
looked, at him through big, brown
eyes yelled in tears ana cried: why
are Won here? thought | was
alone"
"PItase pardon me-" he replied
but | also thought that l was alone
and was greatly surprised to tind'you
! here But please tell me what is
troubling you. You know I'll
be glad to help you in any way
possible" teuderly gazing down upon
the bright brown head with it's
wealth of curly hair disordered and
! unloosened by the wind FROM an
open window near the desk.
"Qh, Mr. Gordon" she, stammered,
4 / " and she went off again in
another paroxysm that shook her
! frame as a high wind shakes a small
| tree. Almost before he realized
! what he did, Mr.. Gordon gathered
! the little forlorn figure in his arms
/ and gently Smoothed the SHINING, hall
While she wept unrestrainedly upon
: his shoulder. After a few minutes,
: she controlled herself, and when she
saw where her head was resting, her
cheeks were suffused with a burning
hlush and she attempted to draw
herself away from his encircling arm.
But he held her firmly, ana said;
mo, Tessa, you cannot go until I've
told you what I've wanted to tell you
ever siuce | met you over two years
ago in this very room. / loved you
then, and I've loved you every min
ute since. Now I've quite sum OF
money in the bank, and nay father
left me a splendid home. | teach be,
cause | have no special work to do
and | have no real home to go to
for [ am an orphan This last was
said in such a sad voice that Tessa's
heart was touched
ooh. I'm so sorry" she said, lay