The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-02-20
The JeWeled NnufEBOX.
CONCLUDED.

II q
there is in those words as they fly
from lip to lip on board homeward
bound vessel. How the passengers
come croWding up to catch the first
glimpse of England, nearing mo-
mentarily; what agitated grasps of the
lhand,there are between new friends,
what reconciliatiOns between ancient
fOesl Watch fora moment the deck
of the-Flying Cloud, homeward bound
from the Australian -diggings.
Yonder is a man, abe centre Oi an ex-
cited group be IS the fortunate pos
sessorof a good binocular, an invalu-
| able treasure at such a moment TIN
this side sits a woman who, one may
| tell, from her deep mourning, has laid
her husband to rest In that distant
| land; she strives In vain to see the
coast with eyes blurred and dimmed
with tears. Here is a boy on his way
/ home for education in the old coun-
try; one may be sure by the bright
outlook be keepsthat the prospect is
pleasant there stands a man who left
| England so many years ago, that he
is wondering whether any will be alive
| to greet him on his return. All,
what hopes, what fears, what beating
hearts and straining eyes the good
ship bears along as she comes bound
ing home to England! -.ll
| In the midst of such scene, four
years after the events narrated in the
| last chapter, a husband and wife were
standing together. quietly and earn
estly gazing towards land. The
woman s face was pale and calm, but
wistful look In the gray eyes, and some
deep lines about the mouth, told their
story of past trouble. Her husband,
hale, burly north-count lyman, from
the class perhaps of yeoman farmers.
| looked as if no cloud had ever rested
on his handsome face; both were
| plainly, but well dressed. Well,
the man was saying. " I've come back
toold England a sight richer than /
left it, that's certain. That last haul
| did my business, and glad enough L
shall be to be safe at home again; :"
then, as his wife did, not Immediately
reply, he added, kindly: " Come, cheer
up, Jane. I.Ehow what you're think
ing. of; but you needn't be so down.
| hearted. Wefe sure to find him.
= All, / don't know, hthe woman
said, sadly, she may be dead and
gone by this time, poor darling. If
he is alive, he must bemseven now.
My baby, myfbaby, how could / leave
| him ~
well, my girl, I5don' s wonder at
it, = replied the man in his hearty
voice. You'd have stuck to him, ]
know, as long as you had bit of
bread to put his mouth; and
when you hadn't, 1 don't know but
what you didthe best you could for
him" n
The woman46oked up gratefully to
hersbig husband, but tears filled her
eyes. She took the great brown hand
and stroked it, saying, softly, You
aressaSre you forgive everything that
weut before-before j left England p
Why, whatare you TALKING about.
| Jenny? Didn't | tell yougthe day we
married that bEgonGS should be by
cones; Ell, little woman? and have n {
you.been the best of BiveszSo me for
three years since then? LIS just the
sight of England makes you foolish
and nervOus-like You llabe all right
as seen as we get there" There was
little pause, and then the'wife said,
timidly-
Harry-I've never toldyou exact
ly how | came to leave my baby, and
to-,to take the box. i should like to.
tell Tou now" -
We'll. my dear, Y he answered,
WITHOUT shadow crossing his face,
telEme now, if it will besany com
fort TO you; but don't feel obliged
to"
No, she replied, drumming soft
| ~ with her fingers upon the side of
the vessel, should like to do it.
After-aiter he desertedgyme. you
! know we really were starving. my
baby and l. That morning we had
been wandering aboutall night in the
cold, and he cried for, bread, and /
had none to give him. SAh, me- | can
hear that little cry now eat last,
we came near the railway ststion, and
l could see Il warm fire Though the.
waiting room window i thought my
baby would die soon if he wasn't fed,
and all the courage went oUt'ef me. l
put him down by the entrance, think
ing perhaps some passenger might
| take pity on him AndthenI watch
ed, under cover of the-darkness, and
| saw them take him to the work house.
D, what miserable, miserable place
for little child !!
Mypoor girl said her husband
compassionately, as she stepped,
choked by her tears. e
g The next day | was prowling
about near the workhouse-Irouldn't
go far from it, it always seemed to
pull me back-when game to a jew
1 eller's Shop, where a laily vas going