Weekly Trinity journal., 1866-08-04
NUMBER 80.
The Little Red House.

The Little Red House.
Wharton's eyes, when she glanced from the win
dow of her country seat. little red cot
| tage-quite common, vulgar place, you know
low down by the sea shore 1t spoiled he ele-
CANT effects of the lawn and trees, and tbs broad
gateway of Wharton Villa-especially when at
the door sat in the Summer twilight, with his
pipe-the old man who was its msxer-old John
Bowling He had been a sailor Once and salt
as the sea-rough in dress and mien, and alto
gether unpleasant to fastidious Mrs. Wharton,
but there he would stay, and there he meant to
| desc he said" God willing"
GAS if" said little Mrs. Wharton, "any vul-
gar place wouldn't suit him, instead of the very.
gate of our villa.
In fact, the lady had grown quite serious on
the subject, and busy with plans and plots
to drive the old sailor from his home. Twice
had she been to old Van Klout, who owned the
ground on which the little house was built, to
buy it from him Van Klout had answered:
"yell, veil. l should sell de grount, but
dere is mine goot friend, John Bowling-you
would turn him off.
EXACTLY my object" said the lady.
"So?" replied the German. "vell, veil but
den John Bowling vanst to live dere
| And the ground was not to be had.
| So in her anger at this refusal, and at John
Bowling's firm determination not to be paid for
his cottage and move, Mrs. Wharton hardly
answered the sailors "Sarvice. mum - always
uttered when she passed, and from the Window
kof the home she loved stared angerly upon the
home another loved so well. Even little Meme
Wharton had learned to talk with her baby lips
of that "ugly red house." and the "nasty Old
sailor"
And now, when the lady had begun to despair
of her object. who should die but old Van Klout,
and who should come into his property out
rapacious young beast who was willing enough
to sacrifice any number OF homes lot 1,'tle
money and who elegantly promised Mrs " mar
ton to sell her the gore lot and if old Bowling
didn't like it, let him lump it,
So the red shanty was to come down as soon
as the papers were signed. OF course they
should pay the sailor the value, and what more,
in the name of goodness, could they do
Old Bowling had heard the news, and wretch
ed enough was he in consequence. When the
lady went TO take her walk by the shore, watch
ing the little pleasure boat in which servant
was sailing with her child, with mothers eyes,
the old man came to her
, "Service num- said he, pulling lock of
hair.
"Good evening, john" said the lady What
do you want?"
ito ask you a favor, num- said be. Don't
send me off The wally O. the house amt to be
had for money. love it SO dear. It's all I've
got. You have husband and child, and lots
O. friends and fine things. Let me keep my
house,
'Any house will be as good, said the lady.
"To you, mebbe; not to me. What does my
house hurt? never annoy nobody. If do,
tell me, and whatever it is shan be done no
more"
The lady shook her head.
'Theres talking" she said you
couldn't understand The house is in my way.
The sailor looked at her.
ssWhat's that in the Bible, our Chaplain used
to read us about the poor mans eve lamb ~ he
said. ''Do you remember hearing of it?''
"Dont preach, John Bowling" said the lady.
4" have no more to say you had better go"
"They say women have tender hearts, said
the old sailor "If that's true, you can't think
what YOU are dom. The house is as dear to
that child is to you"
He pointed to the boat he spoke, and the
lady looked
The thing fitting before the breeze like a
white winged bird. But there something
unusual in its movement. The sailor paused in
his speech, and stood STILL The lady clasped
her hands.
'What is the matter?" she cried, "Am
wrong, John Bowling-is there really no dam
ger?''
"There's fool of a land lubber aboard"
Said John. The boat is capsizng"
And as he spoke the sail kissed the water, and
there came to the shore the scream of child
and the cry of man in terror
William cannot swim " cried the lady
son, my child my child
| And she flung herself upon her knees ana
raised her hands to Heaven.
/ But John Bowling lost no time in speech. He
flung off his jacket, his shoes, and even his red
shirt. Naked to the waist he plunged into the
water and swan toward the boat, and the
wretched lady saw him breasting the waves.
Saw him in a moment more clasp something
in his strong old arm, and make for the shore
again.
The minutes seemed like hours, but they pass
ed, and she held her darling to her breast again
Somehow-perhaps he knew more of swim
ming than he thought-the servant had gained
the shore also. But he had never thought OF
the child in his cowardy fear, and Mrs. WAR
ton knew that.
To old Bowling, under Gods mercy, she owed
her darling's life, and the proud lazy khei' "
the sailor on the sand
uForgiye nae" she said. " GU have saved my
treasure. I will not rob you OF yours. Inc ~
tie red house will be the sweetest slght on earin
to me hereafter. While l live you snali new,
leave it. God bless you cannon '"A"A
in words. ;, ,;,a che
And she could not. But all her lie sne
thanked him from her heart ana ma ma dasds
there Law upon the sailors table the li''e 49,
of the little gore lot, on whicn "'' u'N-
1t was his, by the lazy e"' :. ,s
"A there it stands yet; and IN IL, very oio
An tsIs now dwells John Bowling to this
anu iee ~ IL. from the Wharton villa, you may
t uay a path, formed by the tiny feet of the
for whom be wh,' o ns1asn
S Tho call him now their dear old sailor.
~" The red house is prettier. 1t blocks the
.aa view from the boudoir window still but Mrs
wharton never hates it now. 1t is always beau-
tifuI to her, and always will be.
AN ELoQUEsr FRAGMESr.-One will look long
to fine better description of extreme old age
Coll writ in he hy
Nathaniel Lee: