The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-03-24
It obeyed unhesitatinglY.

She did as she was told; stitching it
in securely.
Il will come back again for you and
the children" he then said, kissing her,
" as soon as have found lodgings. 1t
is such tramp for Us all, go together ;
you stay quietly till come and fetch
you. Hurrah, Janet! we are at home
at last ~
He ran up on deck gaily, and flung
himself into the first boat going off TO
shore. As long as Janet could see him
he stood in the stern, waving his hand
and then his handkerchief.
Hours-long, weary, endless hours
passed by, and no one returned for
Janet. By degrees aud in time the
the whole vessel was emptied, and only
the wife and her two children remained.
1t was against rules that they should
stay any longer, and the first mate came
and told her they must "clear out"
My husband has gone for lodgings
for US, SIR" said Janet, trembling. He
has not come back yet, and | do not
know W here to 60 to-"
The first mate was very Sorry-they
should have managed better-he would
have allowed her to stay if he could,
but ii was against orders, and he must
obey his captain. He was really very
sorry for her; but she must clear out in
double quick time for all that. Rules
must be obeyed, and discipline kept up.
There was no help for it. Janet was
put on shore with her two children, and
must fare for herself as well as she
could. She had five shiilings in her
pocket, which she calculated would
give them all supper and bed tonight,
and tomorrow she would find her huS-
hand if he was alive in New York.
Wandering about, all bewildered at
the strange place, not knowing where
she was or where she must 90 holding
her children in her hand. one of whom
was crying bitterly from WEAKNESS and
dread, she met a motherly-f looking.
handsome woman of middle age, with
kind eye and positive brow; woman
that made you love her and obey her
at the same moment. She looked hard
at Janet, swayed by one of he. usual
impulses. stopped to, and spoke to her.
My husband left me in the ship this
mornings" she said, 10 look for lodg-
ings for me and the children. am
afraid that some accident has happened
to him, for he has never come back; |
was obliged 10 leave the vessel: they
would not let me sleep there"
| . 1t is against orders" said the stran-
/ ger promptly.
Yes, so the mate told me, ma'am
| Bot as am a perfect stranger here,
don't know where TO 90 to, and my
children are getting tired and sleepy
Can you tell me where can find re-
spectacle lodging for the night2"
Come home with me-" said the wo-
man, after a moments pause. Il see
that you are stranger, aud am sure
you are respectable. | will give You
bed tonight, and you can look for your
| husband tomorrow. A fool to leave
YOU in this manner. What was the
man about, | wonder q
Janet thanked her gratefully, and the
woman took her home.
They had supper and beds prepared
! for them all done In a certain great
hearted, motherly, majestic way, that
impressed Janet deeply. Not much
conversation passed, for the poor girl
was both too tired and too anxious to
talk; but she kissed her hostess In
| chlld-llke loving manner, and cried on
her neck, and clung to her tenderly, and
thanked her with an almost passionate
gratitude. mot for herself so much,n
| g..
And the stranger seemed to read right
| down to the bottom of her guests heart.
and to renew again and again all the
freshness of her motherly cares. And
so they parted for the night; Janet
holding the hand of her hostess long
and lingeringly, and wondering al her
self afterwards al the strength of the
impulse which attracted her.
She went to bed early as it was, but
she could not sleep. A thousand ner-
vous fancies, thousand horrible fears,
disturbed her. She tried to hope there
was some mistake on her husbands
part, but she failed sorely in her al
tempt; and at last, abandoning herselfto
a fit Of despair-almost like madness
she gave herself up 10 the terrible be-
lief that she had again trusted, and
been again deserted-deserted, robbed,
left to starve and die, she and her chill
dren in this strange, wild city! And
this was the man she had loved so
trustingly; this was the man who had
pe1ured himself so fearfuly!
A voice called cheerily through the
hall" Bessie Bessie! wife come
down" A mans step strobe rapidly
through the rooms, and Janet heard her
husband laugh as he met her hostess
merrily, and called her " wife" and
sweetheart" He was laughing gaily,
singing snatches of popular ballads aud
the mistress of the house was laughing
too.
"You ungrateful vagabond," said the
woman he had called Bessie. Is this
the way you behave 10 your lawful wife
the first day of your return, after such
a long absences What trick have you
been playing now, wonder 2"
Robert said something, but Janet
could not catch the words. seemed, |