Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-02-13

newspaper" exclaimed NJ. Heath, -
the truth flashed across him. Rather
. silent ride they had home, till at last
be said:
II never WAS 20 ashamed in my life."
"Of what 7" askeI his wife.
why, TO have you 60 out to wash
in; l amt no poor Is that comes TO-"
swell, l don't know" replied bis
wife, wfer q man is too pour to take q
newspaper his wife ought not to feel
above going out washing"
Nothing more was said on the sub
ject At thu time, though some ill-feel-
ing fingered 10 the hearts Of each. The
making up was no mawkish scene of
kisc1g, embracing and crying, such as
romance writer's build their use ,ss
fabrics with, but - Mrs. Heath was
finishing her household duties for the
night she said, quietly:
II don't think l did quito right,
Richard
II don't think l did either" respon-
ded the husband and 90 the spark
was quenched which might have be-
come a scathing flame, blighting all
the domestic peace under that humble
roof.
At last the long voyage is ended
and the sailors talk only Of home now.
They talk of those they are to meet,
of their wives and children, to whom
their thoughts have so often wander
ed during these three years absence.
They wonder if the young sailor,
Alfred Heath, who lies so sick, will
ever SEQ home again, and with their
rough tones subdued almost to gentle
ness, they speak Of his anxiety to see
bis mother.
He is 90 hopelessly i'll that his heart
is now where the worn spirit ever
turns in its hour of bitterest sorrow, or
it's approach to the unseen end-to
God and his mother. Family as his
heart beats, it still throbs with earn
est desire for life. Dim as his keen
eye has become, he fancies it would
brighten once more at the sight Of his
mother, and his failing mind become
cleared, could he lean on her breast.
With folded hands the young sailor
prays his words are confused and in
distinct to those who listen, but all
clear and earnest are they to the Great
listener above. And when the ship
had reached her distant port, and
mingling, voices are all around the
sick sailor; his comrades bear him
comfortably to a home-a miserable
home-but better to him than the
rocking vessel in the middle Of the
sounding sea. Now, if l could see
mother" he murmuredto the strangers
around him.
She was sitting by the vine-cover-
ed window, patiently reading the ship.
ping journal, and thinking meanwhile
Of her absent boy; thinking it was
time for him to return, and hoping
that he will never 60 b sea again
How quick the words catch her eye
Arrived, ship Banner, Lowell.
And it was a week ago; he could
have been home by this time; he will
come tonight. she said, joyfully, as
she went to communicate the good
news to her husband.
They watched for him in vain that
night, and then Mrs. Heath suggested
what no mother ever failed to suggest
when the long absence Of child was
unaccounted for-he must be sick 5
when night after night passed, and
they neither saw nor heard anything
Of Alfred, her anxiety would let hel
rest no longer.
1--WE will 60 for him, or at least &c
whore we may hear of him." said Mr..
Heath, who now, as anxious as his
wife, readily assented.
Their simple preparations for their
journey were soon made, and with
heavy hearts they proceeded in search
Of their son, and with little hopes o.
gaining anything more than definite
intelligence of his death.
1t was a dark and rainy evening
when they entered the city, and after
an hour spent in fruitless enquiries,
they found the place where Alfred had
been carried. Little care had he re-
ceived in the crowded boarding house
There was none of the neatness and
order that shows better in sick room
than anywhere else. Rough hands
had roughly tended him, and pale and
death-like as he looked, it seemed as il
it mattered little what care be had
now. In the agony with which the
parents bent over the unconcious sleep
er, and marked the sunken cheeks and
wasted form, there was but one ray Of
comfort; they could watch over him
they should not hear of his death
with the sad thought that none bnt a
stranger had smoothed his dying pill
low.
The sufferer awoke from a troubled
dream to find his aching head supper
ted BY hisfather, and sec his mothers
eye resting on him with tenderness.
So faint was the smile of recognition
with which he greeted them, that only
q parents eye could have caught the
flittering expression.
Cant live, can't live" said the doc
tor with n nrnfcseioual carnlosero.. n.