New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-10-10
MILLY n1ORE's LETTER.

,nd a store. and sell groceries and garden
sass. calico, shoes, and medicines, like other
folks in ol,r line, when anybody asks Tor
EN-.
When a ship comes in, and the sailors
come home to their wives and mothers,
rade grows brisk. The housekeepers 10
their best. and the raisins, and dried cur
ants. and eggs, and butter 60 of finely, and
is worth while to lay in ribbons for the
iris, and smoking tobacco and long pipes
for the men.
Jack and his wages make old Anchor Port
hrisk for a while, but at last he sails away,
md all the women seem to ask for Will be
ietters-letters, letters, when they lave
right to expect them, ana when they haven't,
al the same.
It's ~sPlease Aunty Cunter, look over
Them, and see if there aren't one for me :
and it's "Pleasc, Uncle Cunter; ii might
have got mixed up and overlooked some
how: - often and Oiten-Gol help the poor
souls after Jack lies at the bottom OF the
ga, and nothing will ever reach them but
the news of his shipwreck. But plenty OF
letters come after all, and sometimes we
mad to read them for the folks, Job and |,
and so we get to know something of their
lives.
Milly More could read and write herself,
hut still always knew when she had let
Ter from Will Masset. 1 knew il by the hand
writing, aud knew it by her bushes, and
" that happy look in her face. When he
anne home, she bought ribbons and bits OF
ace by the aprontul: and l knew where tie
;,ackages Of candy that he bought were to go.
And used to keep Job from fishing down in
pullman's creek Of afternoons, because l
knew that was where Milly and Will liked
10 walk. Counting time comes but once in a
lifetime, and l always like to see it pros
per.
At last he sailed away, second mate of the
,olden Dove and when he came back from
hat voyage, they were to be married.
Ii was sad day when that ship sailed.
Hrs. CAPTAIN RawdOn and her girls were cry
ing on the shore. Twenty women from the
Port and five from the Hill were there to see
lier set sail.
1t was grim, gray day, and the voyage
vas TO be a long one.
1t was under our old sycamore that Will
ook Milly to his breast.
Don't fret, darling!" he said. "I'l
come back safe and sound. l couldn't drown
now; I've too much to live for" =
Poor boy! in spite Of that, the Golden Dove
vent down in mid-seas, and only three men
cached Anchor Port to tell how Captain
I,awdon, and the rest were lost, at dead Of
light. in most wOeful storm.
Saptalu hilCstiu HcNS UP u
Mrs. Rawdon. He stopped at our store tc
tell about it. A nice old man. A bachclo,
: still, at fifty-eight, and as handsome, with
his white hair and red checks, as q picture.
That was twelve months ago, the night
went into the store to sort some things out
as 1 always did Saturday nights. Through
he week Job used to get everything mixed
lp--letters in my tea-boXes, candles in the
.etter-box, eggs where they oughtn't to he
and all the places askew. II was warm
autumn night, and Captain Kincaid's vessel
was in port, and he had plenty of custom
lob served the people while l tided up.
found half the last mail in a sugar box, and
lothes pins in the coffee canister, and just
Jumped them out.
"Gather up your letters job" said l.
What possesses you, old man?''
And he laughed and piled 'em up. And
/ made a VOW to myself that I'd keep the
sugar box full after that, so that he shouldn't
use it for the mail.
had twenty-four pounds Of sugar known
IS coffee-crushed," because it was prepared
specially to use in coffee. That was the
!. finest sugar Anchor Hill folks often bought.
though had a little cut and powdered by
me, in case Mrs. Rawdon, or Mrs. DIR. Speer,
or the minister's lady should send in and
iook the paper up and tilted it over the ia
nanned box, pouring il in a nice smooth
tream, when who should GENE running into
the shop but Milly More. She was not
dressed carefully, and her eyes were red with
,rying.
She asked for some tea, and while Job was
weighing it out she whispered to me:
''Oh! Aunty Gunter, have you looked to-
day? Isn't there a letter from Will? He
aid he couldn't die. l don't feel as if he
yould. Mightn't he write, after all? Do
look"
my Pet" says /, SITS q year ago that
lie Golden Dove went down. II isn't
likely And lie don't let those live that
want 10 always. 1t isn't likely, dear, hut
I'll look"
l took the letters in MY hand one by one.
Many Of them would make hearts glad be-
'ure the shutters were up that night but
none for Miliy! 1t couldn't be expected, of
'urse.
| told her so; but l took her into my
title back parlor, and made her sit down.
talked as good as / could to her; but
hat good does talking do:
"Oh, Aunty," says she, 81 know it seems
is if l was a fool; but walked up hoping
his morning. ! don't believe he is gone. 1
can't, l can't"
"When baby died-the only one we ever
iad-I thought l should never believe it,
laid /. But had job and you have your
At that she burst into tears, and put her
mead down Oh my knee.
~ must tell YOU" said she. ''They want
INC to marry Captain kincaid. He's court
.ns me. He fell in love with me the night
he brought the news TO Mrs. Captain Raw
don; was there sewing, and heard it all.
Oh, how cruel TO fall i'm love with a poor girl
Mt such a time! And he asks me IL he his
wife. And mother and Fanny shall always
have home, he says. And you know how
poor we are. And how can /. how can 1.
when my heart is in the sea with Willie 2"
Captain Kncaid ~ said, and couldn't
say any more she took my breath away.
she was a nice, pretty girl; but the Captain
was rich, elegant, and stylish. An old family
ie came of, too. 1t was an honor for Milly
pbre.
"Not just yet" said L, after while.
= Perhaps you'll feel better. He's old, 1
know, but he's splendid man,"
"You too!' said she. You too! No.
Lody understands. 1t isn't as il ] had made
up mind, like all the rest. VIII will always
Ice living man to my mind. l don't think
any one ever loved but me. Nobody UNDER
stands nobody"
l kissed her, and coaxed her, and said no
word about her changing her mind; but for
all that ! kept thinking of it in kind of
|maZe,