Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-02-14
Miss Dorinda
Dodd
BY CLARISSA MACKIE.

hand to tell you that | am going to
California to keep house for my broth
er, so that | cannot work for you any
longer. He needs me, so ] cannot
wait until you come home from this
trip. Dorlnda Dodd will take my
place as your housekeeper. and you
can change II neither one Of you
please the other. Yours respectfully,
Ellen Smith,"
"Dorinda Dodd! Sufferin' fish !"
groaned young Captain Clark, as he
put the letter away and leaned
against the rail of his fine schooner
Breeze, large three-masted vessel
that raced through deep seas. "Think
of going home and not seeing Ellen
Smith at the helm. Is Dorinda Dodd
the only woman without job in
Fairport?"
He asked himself this question
many times as the Breeze neared New
York. They touched at the big city
and took a FairpOrt man home with
them. Jabez Case offended the cap
tain before the ship had left the East
river.
II hear Dorinda Dodd's going to
keep house for you" gossiped Jabez
lazily.
Until can turn around and find
someone else,' said the captain, q
frown on his handsome bronzed face.
"Find someone else! What's the
matter with Dorlnda Dodd?" Jabez
fairly squcaked his surprise. "She
makes the best apple pies In Falrport."
The captain hesitated. "That may
be, and apple pie is my favorite, but
I couldn't stand being talked to death
by Dorinda."
"Talked to death?" repeated the stu
pified Jabez.
IL said it."
Jabez became silent. He watched
the captains gloomy face as he stood
by the wheel. They were entering
the sound and the navigation through
He'll Gate required the captains close
attention. Once Jabez slapped his
knee just as though he had made a
delightful discovery.
"Folks are gossiping already, Bill
you know old Dorinda Dodd always
wanted to get married."
/ Don't be a fool, Jabez." snapped
Capt. Bill Clark.
1.-THE Breeze is in port!" the word
few around the village Of Falrport,
hut no one had an opportunity to have
n foi IUl1
ashore at once and took short cut
across the bluffs to his little white
home on the hill. He had been born
and raised there, and 1t pleased him to
live on In the house that was so elo-
quent Of his mother and father, dead
these five years past. There were
many houses whose doors opened glad
master Of the Breeze, and many fair
damsel set her cap for him, but he was
a shy sailorman whose only love was
his ship. Thus far he had escaped.
Ellen Smith had always made a
pleasant home for him. The very no.
ton Of that disagreeable Dorinda
Dodd, with her morose face and bony
hands always around. depressed him.
Ellen had been fat and fiorid and
Jolly. ooh. confound the women" he
groaned as he entered the little front
yard. cay with summer flowers all
blowing In the wind.
"The old lady likes posles," he
grudgingly admitted Tie entered the
front door and stood In the familiar
entry. with barred head. It was q lit
tie tribute that he always paid to his
dear ones. Then he hung his hat on
the deer's antlers, and looked into the
parlor. Everything was in. its accus-
toned place. and Immediately clean.
The small front windows were open
and the scent Of cinnamon roses filled
the room. His throat tightened-
| memory seemed so insistent. He al
most sensed the presence of his moth
err. He left hastily, passed through
the quaint dining room. and sought
the kitchen-and Dorinda Dodd.
There was delicious fragrance of
| baking cake; on side table were
all the evidences of molasses cookies
| to come, but no Dorinda Dodd.
"Oh, Miss Dorinda !" he sang Justify,
cheered for the moment by the COM
| fort Of his home. and with the words
scarcely uttered out Of the pantry
stepped a woman.
"It must be Captain Clark" she ex-
tended a plump capable hand. "Wel-
come home"
"Thank you. ma'am. I was expect
| ing to see Miss Dorinda Dodd here. so
I Just sang out" he explained.
"Oh-why, am Dorinda Dodd"
| He stared at her doubtfully. II
was expecting an elderly LADY, went
to school to her once upon time"
"That was fathers sister-and Aunt
Dorinda died last winter, poor dear.
l am sorry that you are disappoint-
ed"
"Disappointed?" he roared. "Why
should I be disappointed?" He adj
| mired the pretty light blue dress she