Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-10-11

perhaps, take them again, they whispered
hopefully to one another.
Dorothy, do you think there can remain
any chauce2' Mrs. Whitnall said to me that
night, as | was lighting her bed candle.
| swallowed down a lump in my throat.
Heaven knew how anxious | had grown my.
self, and how much felt for her.
Dear Mrs. Whitnall, yes. The morning
may bring him. dreamed last night that
the Margaret Ann was in. We watched it
coming across the sea, and Robert waved his
hat to US 1t was a pleasant dream, and l
hope it is a good omen"
She.sighed and took her candle, saying
nothing,
A good omen On the following morning,
just | had got my gown buttoned, and was
leaning from my window for a breath Of
sweet, fresh air there came q soft knock at
the chamber door 1t was opened about an
inch, aud the whisper of Alex came in.
Dorothy, ! want to speak to you out here
a minute"
"You can come in, Alex. There's nobody
here
The boys eyes appeared FIRST Anging
round the room 10 search of Ethel Where
is she ?" he asked.
" Gone iuto her sisters room"
He came in and shut the door without
noise, and then saw that his face was Of
vid paleness.
" IL is such bad news Dorothy"
The look frightened me more than the
words. Down [ sat in the chair at the vin.
dow, full in the bright morning sun, and my
heart stood still.
What is it, Alex o.
A bit Of Capt Sands yacht has come
ashore in the night just as poor Tom Crump
came last night Dorothy"
" \ bit OF Capt. Sands yacht ~ dream.
lily repeated, my senses scarcely. as veri-
ly believe, taking in what he said and all it
meant.
" piece Of the plank that had the name
on, he breaihed from bis rigid lips Enough
to show it belonged TO the yacht '----ret
Ann ~ We shou! know the form Of letters
anywhere"
" How did you hear this Alex 2" asked,
when my beating heart, beating wildly then,
would let me.
have seen it Dorothy. It's hauled
ashore in the harbor, and has got fifty gaz.
ers round it. When | was pushing amid
them to see what it could be they were look
ing at, the crowd knew me, and parted to let
me 20 in."
Ile stood on leaning, against the dnwers,
and sat on 10y the window in the sun. 1t
was one Of the worst moments Of my life.
" Dorothy-do you think-they are both
lrowued2"
What else was there left to think But
his pauses had been caused by emotion. Tho
next minute Alex had burst into parox.
ysm Of tears bordering on Mysteries. l bolted
the door.
'' Alex, don't !" whispered. Alex,
try aad be calm. Think uf the mother"
" Its her am thinking Of more than US,
sobbed the boy oh, papa. papa What
shall we do without papa p
E lie meant without his love. thought Of
it in different light. Even in the sad mo.
ment it could but occur to me--the worldly
blight as well as the loss Of love- Rober,
e Whitna was the sole bread.wiuner. What
I would these FIVE helpless children and their
mother do without him
u The immediate question was, what was
= to do in this present moment Of trouble! My
owu feelings must be repressed as they hes
; might be, for there was only me to think ant
act for them all. At that moment there wer,
= footsteps outside, and my door was tried.
want to come in, Dorothy" said Ger
: ty's voice. My band is in your room,
think"
" You cannot come in just now, my dear
= | will bring it down stairs with me.
{ Away ran Gerty, calling out to Kate tina
she supposed Dot was reading, or else sayin
.. her prayers. The little incident had serve
to restrain Alex The tears ran down hi
cheeks but the sObs were Suppressed.
> What will be douo about telling tn
!. motherl Oh, Dorothy, if We could bu
n, awake and 6nd il all dream ~
"a What was to be done, indeed Told sh
= must be. viii it be believed that, in the mt
3. menls bewildering confusion, | began thinl
m ing 4" If Robert were here he would kno
now to-" Then reflection came, and brok
IN off with faint cry.
: Dear Alex, try and be calm. We mu
,r choose our time for telling her, and it will n,
In do for her to see beforehand that anything
the matter. Here, you shall wash yourself
I'd my basin. Hark They are calling US
break fust'
Say am coming, Dorothy" said the Ia
ol his sobs rising again. "If | don't appe
ust directly, make some excuse for me. |
not cry it could help IT,"
OF We need not have speculated upon how 81
was to be told. Mrs. Whtnall was staudil
to pour out the coffee. aud the children We
cracking their egg, when Captain Sands wi
rushed into the room, her face as white
,e. Aexandcr's had been, her hands lifted. b
he voice shrieking. The next moment Nj
he Whitnall and the little ones knew as much
il. we did.
vs. Oh, it was a piteous scene l have
heart to describe it and perhaps the inagi
f. alton will picture il better than words coul
>" The children cried and sobbed together the
J, mother lay back iu her chair like one in
= faint; Mrs. Sand was loud. People, to
Snowing we lodged there, were passing al
repassing the windows TO look 10.
~ "Oh, that you had never come to the place
ed bewailed Mrs. Sands, her grief making h
ungenerous "But for having Mr.. Whitni
m to take out that ill-lated morning, my husba
I, would not have gone
an And perhaps that was true
id How the next few days went on canu
m. quite remember They were terrible. 1t W
a not only the grief for Robert Whitnall,
the husband and father; but there lay al
the stunning sense Of future desolation--t
sr. desoation Induced by poverty. When ca
a of his kind occurs, where the calamity is Of
double nature, it is impossible not to think
p. It, however deep may be the heart-sorrow.
Dorothy, what will become Of me--s
N, of them 2"
a The whispered question came to me fro
~ the window where she was sitting II was
h, the third day | did not know how to answ
-. her
Iy Tho wide world around, and not pa,
=, in il for us We must have food and cloth
40 and home Where shall we find them ?"
> Aud still could make no definite answe
The sobs OF Gertrude broke the converse. s
nd that day passed and another came in.
,d The faint breeze. laden with tho scept
OF new-mown hay-an alter crop Of field b,
yond the hedge that bordered the cemetery o