The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-04-01

; tomorrow. I must 90, and should
do for myself alongside Of him; for
couldn't deny Gentle Jack in death
= however used him in life"
The morning OIL which Joe had de-
. termined TO give himself up was
Christmas eve; and when 1 looked III
! upon him, to see if he meant to carry
out his resolution, found him sitting
: by the fire, already dressed and his
hat i'll his hand, waiting for the time
when lac thought Mr.. Chalmers would
be up.
sat down opposite to him, and was
invited to stay 10 breakfast by old
!. Mary. Looking about me, saw that
new torture had begun for Joe Hur-
Ian.
!. Everybody was expecting Jack, and
preparing and watching for him. II
seemed he had never been away yet
on Christmas eve, and old Mary,
young Mary, and all the children were
quite confident he would turn up in
time for breakfast There was his
mug, with "Jack" on it in gold letters,
OH the table in the old place, and his
plate filled with slices of bread-and-
butter two inches thick, and one. 0i
young Mary's mince-pies at the top.
/ tried to prevent thechildrpn running
out 80 often to look for him, rs | saw
it was making Joe almost mad, though
he sat very still and silent, with his
eyes by turns travelling from the fire
to the clock.
At last they gave up all hopes of
poor Jacks coming 10 breakfast, and
sat down to the table rather sdlkily.
As fDr young Mary, ] saw that many
times she could not keep the tears
from her eyes; and Joe saw it too and
turned his face.
As he was taking his food up and
laying it down again untasted, he sud-
/ denly started, and stared towards the
open door, then gave \ sort of laugh
and dashed his hands over his face, as
if he were scarely awake / supposed
that he was now troubled by dread
of being found out and sent for before
he made his own confession to the
magistrate. 49, -E1E
Before another minnte bad passed
he started again in the same way, and
stared at the door, and listened with
the color dying out of his dark face.
This time instead of checking HIM
self and getting quiet again, he only
| grew more and more excited, till at
last he started up and cried,
al do hear it-I'm not mad! Lord
above what is that?"
Joe stood holding his long arm
stretched over the table and the chill
dren's heads, commanding silence.
Silence there was too, tillsOmething
better and sweeter than any music
Joe Hurlan ever heard began To fill
our ears; and that something was IA
well-knOwn and well-lOved voice, sing
ing heartily as ever, as it came nearer
and nearer the door,
.t.- "Heave-a, heave, o!
.r#.f-sft Pull along ;.-a-
Never grieYe, o!
That's my song.
There was stir among the children,
Il knocking over of chairs and n rush
ing to the door, at which Joe stared
as if expecting to see some unearthly
thing. He thought, he has told me,
that he half-eXpeeted to see that fear
full thing from the eOal-yard appear at
his door as the singer of Jacks song.
He has told me, too, how he seemed
lifted from hell to heaven when, in
stead of that, he saw Jacks own liv-
ing face, fair and brown and smiling,
and Jacks G%-n honest blue eyes, gem
tie as ever-a little less merry per-
haps, but the mOrehmnan-like for be-
ing a little serious and anxious, as
they sought out Joe's own guilty self.
He would not have muehtosay to the
clamOrOus children, did not even no.
tice young Mary, to her gentle amaze
ment; but went straight 10 Joe and
slOOd before him. Joe looked at him
still as if he was n being of some 9TH
er and more wonderful world than
ours.
"Unclew said Jack. i
Joe stretched out his hand like one
in a dream, and touched the lads hair;
then gripped his shoulder rs if to
make sure he was verify Jack i'm the
flesh and then he laid his arm against
the wall and turned his face to it, NUT
tering only, H|
"LOrd abOvew
Jack looked at him wOnderingly,
then his face grew more serious than
/ had ever seen it, and giving me
rather an angry look, he said:
"Uncle, this is Mr.. Sturt's dong,
my staying away all the week. l sent
to ask him if | might come home, or If
you'd rather have me lay-tO at moth
er's till you'd forgiven me; and ne
sent me word I'd better bide where /
was. / should a-cOme last night, but
mother wanted me Ia wait and bring
old. Lewis with me, as he wanted to
see this body you've ashore here. He's
seen it, and says it's the chap that
a 81
Brighton six weeks ago"
AS Joe still remained with his face
against his arm, Jack said in low
voice:
''Didn't you think shud get in all
right, uncle? 1t wasn't SO far from
Slater's Creek rs I've often swum."
Still Joe was silent, and Jacks good
humOred face much troubled.
At last Joe looked up, and said,
"Maryp'
His wife went to him, thinking he
was i'll. #f... .r.s ..f
mot you," he said rather huskily
and ungalIantly. "Ioung Mary-the
prettiest, the best Mary" And as
young Mary came, he said in a thick
voice, "And, Jack, if she were n thou
sand times better and prettierJ she
wouldn't be good enough 10 thank
yOu-to love yOu-tO thank you and
love you all-her life-for her wicked
bad old father"
And they were married, and lived
all together, and went on merrily
earning the pounds, shiIlings and
pence, though on another and more
profitable coast.
By this time several wives came TO
summon the blacksmith's listeners
home; but he still let his forge-fire
burn brightly, and it cheered the
Christmas waits a. they came by, |
singing about on earth, and good will
towards men.