The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-01-21

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mine whose age i bat three
TheA "a snddent thought struck noe
The child might have been adopted by
my wife, BE- very probably was bat t1
be sure / asked tho Irish girl how long
she had lived in Mrs Jones hmilg SHE
answered, going on four years.
And did you live here when Tommy
Nas born asked.
sIadade / did and didn't pray to
the blessed yargin to protect the father
of him on the briney deopY
| thrust the child from me, aud ex-
cused my Elf by saying / would 80 aud
meet Mrs Jones.
| left the house in perfect frenzy,
mol knowing where l was gong | wan
dered on, aud at last looking up, found
myself IN close proximity 70 the grave
ward, and curiosity prompted me 10
enter and take one look at my monu-
ment. and then leave my native land for
ever without letting my wife know OF
my existence.
Had she married again could have
forgiven her, but such pertidy ! could
not forgive. Ny heart seemed frozen
within nc, and ! cursed the fate that
had preserved me through manytrials
Casting my eye about, | saw "a broken
shaft, aud approaching nearer | per
reiyed female dressed IN deep mourn
ing, plucklng flowers, and SO absorbed
was She that | approached unobseryed
and read my own epltapf. ! was about
moving away when | was seen.
o, heavens; here was my wife stan
! ding before me. She did not recognize
me, | was so changed.
You lavish great care on these fad
ling flowers, Madam, said |, "but have
eudenly neglected to cherish the most
beautiful and enduring.
'You speak ambiguously, sir This
memorial / have erected to the memory
Of my own dear husband who was lost
ut sea, is you may read,
"And You still believe him dead p
Does the thought never occur to you
that the sea sometimes gives up its
4 uGdtt, MuOtll
20, sir, | have lived III hope many
wears, but it has all died out of my hear
now. / shall never see him again un
til the great judgment day" And she
weptl
Would it be to much JOY to know
that he still liyes2 r
II fear my JOY would be more than
could bear. Sir, don't hold out any false
hopes my poor heart cannot bear
much more grief
Could longer doubt her sincerity ?
| MARY Mary, my own dear faithful
wife, y said, repeating the words slowly
"AIy husband !" was all she could ut
ter before she fell fainting into my arms
After she had sufficiently recovered
to converse, said /, My wife, what chic
is that at home bearing my name 7?
"Why, your nephew's, Thomas Jones
Jr He married sister Lucy, and Tom
my is their only child | was lonely af
ter | came here, and so invited Lucy t
live with me, for you know Tom is
sailor, AID has been these SIX years.
He has been gone three years, but W
expect him home soon. Lucy has gon
TO Boston to-day in hopes TO meet hin
there"
We went home the happiest couple il
the world, and | shall leave yot to con
lecture the rest of our conversation,
of course / was foolish enough to IN
form her Of my jealousy.
The following day skipper Tom, Jr.
} arrived, and it was hard for me to be
lieye the handsome fellow before me wa
the stripping | left eight years before.
Tommy the third and became fas
|, friends, and to this day Mrs. Jones dc
clares he stands higher IN my eifectlon
than our two little Joneses.
As for the broken shaft, there it stand
I have altered the lettering somewha
but there stands the monument, an'
there it shall stand, until time shallr
, il to the ground.